WILDFIRES IN 2017

Abstract

In 2017, Slovenia was affected by multiple wildfires, which damaged 1,755 ha of land (data from the system for reporting on emergency response operations and disasters (SPIN), March 2018), making it the largest burnt area in the last ten years. With regard to the surface area of the affected land and the complexity of the firefighting operations, two fires stood out: a fire near Divača (3-4 August 2017), in which 95.1 ha of forest was burnt; and a fire near Komen (6 August 2017), in which 116.1 ha of forest and scrubland was burnt. Other countries in the European Union and elsewhere also faced an intensive and lengthy fire season in 2017; in 17 instances, the affected countries requested international assistance through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. In view of the assumptions on further warming of the climate, it is recommended enhancing the capabilities of the effective prevention and limitation of wildfires.