Fire is the most significant natural threat to forests and wooded areas in Mediterranean mountains. Their natural ecosystems, rich in shrubs, are especially vulnerable to fire and climate change fosters wildfire risks due to the rise of temperatures during summer. In the mountains of Troodos (Cyprus) and Grammos (Greece), different datasets on climate, flora and fire occurrence were combined to improve forest fires’ management.
Different tools exist to prevent forest fires in mountain areas, such as prescribed burning, targeted grazing (see OREKA MENDIAN’s booklet of good practices) or vegetation clearing. The use of technology makes an important contribution to predicting and managing forest fires. Such systems are especially interesting in less accessible mountain areas. For other examples, you can have a look at our good practice on Cozzano (Corsica, France), where two weather stations also provide local fire brigades with information such as strength and direction of winds and rainfall accumulation.
Learn more on how the data is collected in the Troodos and Grammos mountains by reading our good practice.
29 June 2021
