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According to the EU ground observation program Copernicus, an area the size of Montenegro in Europe fell victim to forest fires in 2022. There has been a lot of fire on the continent since the measurements began. Smoke shouldn’t clear Europe’s skies this summer either.
Because this year’s spring has been characterized by periods of extreme drought and heat, especially in the Iberian Peninsula and parts of Italy. The good news: Contrary to the trend in recent years, other parts of Europe, such as the Alpine region, recorded more precipitation again.
Especially for tourists, images of large fires are often disturbing. However, fires are usually limited to a few, particularly dry areas, and can be avoided with good planning. Areas with a low risk of wildfires are ideal if you want to completely eliminate a forest fire during the summer holidays. Blick has the overview:
high risk areas
When it comes to wildfires, one country stands out clearly in a European comparison: Portugal. There, wildfires are part of the usual summer appearance in certain parts of the country. If you look at statistics from 2006, more than one percent of the country’s land area, or 97,000 hectares, has burned in the popular holiday destination since 2006. The European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) classifies the northern and central region of the country as particularly risky. After all: Unlike previous years, the country has so far survived major fires. Authorities have significantly intensified their efforts to detect the fires at an early stage.
Spain On the other hand, this year it is struggling with fires. According to EFFIS, the country has already reached almost the annual average. Therefore, without further ado, the government decided to implement the annual prevention plan one and a half months ahead of schedule. In addition to the autonomous community of Madrid, the popular resort areas of Valencia, Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera, as well as the Balearic Islands and Galicia are considered particularly risky. When asked by Blick, a Copernicus spokesperson also said that the risk of wildfires in southwest Spain is now higher than in other years.
Inside France Extreme droughts pose a problem for authorities – water shortages are expected in 28 of the 96 regions – especially in the south – by the end of the year. Especially in Provence, the risk of forest fire is accordingly high. In the rest of the country, the overall risk of wildfires is classified as moderate to low, depending on the region. For the first time this year, the national weather service released an online tool that daily assesses wildfire risk in each department.
Moreover Italy In some areas, things can be difficult. The risk is generally highest in Campania. Accordingly, travelers in the Naples region should be careful. But over the next few weeks, the risk of wildfires in southern Italy is likely to increase significantly.
Portugal Greece And Cyprus European countries have suffered the most from forest fires in recent years. In Greece, the risk is high in the areas around Athens, the islands in the North and South Aegean, and Crete. But the Greeks took action with the help of the EU: 180 additional firefighters from five countries are on duty in July and August. Despite heavy rain until a few weeks ago, a heat wave has been declared for the next week. Especially Kyrenia and Limassol regions are considered risky in Cyprus. Inside Türkiye The risk is particularly important in the Mediterranean region.
low risk areas
If you want to minimize the risk of wildfire, there are a few places where the risk of wildfire is low. Walking holidays are a trump card. According to EFFIS, the risk of fire in this country is relatively low. But not just: The entire Alpine region – this includes Austria both north of italy And Slovenia one – climate experts classify it as a low-risk region.
The risk of wildfires is lower in Scandinavian forests, especially in the northern regions. But caution is advised in Scandinavia even this year: unlike the cool and wet summers in northern Europe, Sweden, Norway And Denmark longer dry periods this year. The authorities of the three countries are already dealing with small-scale forest fires. The Scandinavian example shows that even in low-risk areas, tourists should learn about possible fires before they set off.
There is also a risk of wildfires in some parts, as is generally low. Ireland – mainly in the south-east of the country and around the capital, Dublin. Even Ireland is affected by bushfires these days, albeit indirectly. Smoke from Canadian bushfires reached Ireland and Great Britain across the Atlantic.
in the mood Türkiye-Holiday, but outside the Mediterranean, which is frequented by tourists? Then the Black Sea environment is ideal. Additional advantage: The risk of wildfire is generally low.
That’s what travel agents say
At Blick’s request, travel agents do not dare to climb branches when recommending destinations. A spokesperson said Tui Suisse is “aware of the higher risk of bushfires in summer in parts of Southern Europe”. Hotelplan also points out that there is a risk of forest fires everywhere. “Even here in Switzerland.” The assessment of forest fires in Kuoni is based on information and advice from authorities and meteorology.
Even in an emergency, travel agency customers need not worry. If the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises against traveling to the area due to forest fires or if the airport closes its gates, the package tour can be rebooked with Hotelplan or canceled free of charge. On Kuoni, they look for “consistently alternatives” to pre-booked trips or support travelers by rebooking on site.
Source :Blick
I’m Tim David and I work as an author for 24 Instant News, covering the Market section. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, my mission is to provide accurate, timely and insightful news coverage that helps our readers stay informed about the latest trends in the market. My writing style is focused on making complex economic topics easy to understand for everyone.
