Portugal was the second European country most affected by wildfires in 2022, with 153 fires covering an area of 949 square kilometers (km2), according to a report published this Wednesday by the European Environment Agency.
Spain with a fire area of 2754 km2, 208 fires over an area of 30 hectares or more was the country with the worst record, and France was third with 74 forest fires that destroyed an area of 465 km2.
A published study estimates that the Iberian Peninsula will register a “drastic increase” in high fire risk days under a climate change scenario with high carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
In Portugal and Spain, the number of people living near wildlife exposed to high or extreme fire danger for at least 10 days per year would increase by 15 million (24%) under a three-year °C global warming scenario. by the end of the century.
The agency also notes that the 2022 wildfire season was the second worst since 2000, with over 5,000 km2 (double the area of Luxembourg) burned during the summer months (June, July and August) and a record number of Natura2000-affected conservation sites.
Last year, fire damage in Europe reached at least two billion euros, with CO2 emissions in the European Union (EU) and the UK between June 1 and August 31, 2022, estimated at 6.4 megatons, the highest. indicator since 2007.
During the same period, about 195,000 people died from floods, hurricanes, heat and cold waves, forest fires and landslides in the EU.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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