Forest fires up by two-thirds in Mediterranean
Pastor Dale Morgan
Forest fires up by two-thirds in Mediterranean*
PARIS, Oct 2 (AFP) Oct 02, 2009
WildFires have destroyed more than 300,000 hectares (750,000 acres) of
forests in Mediterranean countries so far this year, an increase of 66
percent compared to all of 2008, monitors said on Friday.
Spain has borne the brunt, with more than 80,000 ha. (200,000 acres)
lost, followed by Italy (51,000 ha., 127,500 acres) and Greece (42,000
ha., 105,000 acres), the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS)
said.
"Though the total burned area is still... below the long-term average
for Europe, a few major fires occurred near large cities (e.g.
Marseille, Athens, Genoa), causing important damages and significant
impact," it said in a newsletter.
It blamed the losses on "severe fire danger conditions," including
prolonged summer dryness and winds.
EFFIS, an EU agency, bases its reports on daily satellite imaging of
European and North African countries on the Mediterranean rim.