In 2023, the European Union saw a significant increase in the area burned, particularly in the Mediterranean region. The total area affected was over 504,000 ha (approximately twice the size of Luxembourg), the fourth worst result since 2000.
In terms of vegetation, 37% of the burned area was covered by scrub and sclerophyllous vegetation, while 26% (120,000 ha) was forest.
The forest fires produced around 20 megatons of carbon dioxide, which is almost one third of the EU's annual emissions from international aviation.
The fire season started unusually early, with more than 100,000 ha of land burned in February and March. The main wave of fires occurred in the summer months, when conditions were critical for fires to start in the Mediterranean region. The largest fire in Europe since the 1980s broke out in Greece on August 19, burning over 96,000 hectares and causing significant losses, including, unfortunately, human lives.
In the first quarter of 2024, there were almost twice as many fires as the average for this period.*
Early fire detection systems differ in the method of detection itself. So far, the most reliable system has proven to be the FireWatch system from the German manufacturer IQ Technologies for Earth and Space GmbH, originating from the area around Berlin, which is characterized by specific conditions for the emergence of fast-spreading fires with a devastating impact.
Early Fire Detection
The FireWatch system uses wavelength measurement for accurate and timely detection, a phenomenon independent of hydrometeorological, light or temperature conditions. It records smoke before the fire breaks out and automatically alerts the IZS units. Thanks to this, the journey to the source is shortened to minutes.
After twenty minutes from the outbreak of a fire, the costs of extinguishing and subsequent damage clearance and reconstruction increase exponentially, so the first twenty minutes are critical for the successful management of the intervention.
Thanks to the integrated AI, the percentage of false alarms (e.g. during the time of snow melting, when a large amount of steam is billowing in the atmosphere) is below 1%. This eliminates unnecessary fire brigade trips and further reduces overall costs.
Are you interested in the FireWatch system? You learn more here >
*The report was compiled based on data from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) and provides an overview of the development and impacts of forest fires in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.
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