July forest fires among worst on record
The forest fires that ravaged southern Europe in July are some of the worst ever recorded, according to provisional figures from Joint Research Centre's European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). Some 3,376 square kilometres of land have already been burned in 2007, compared to a total of 3,585 square kilometres in 2006, with July being one of the worst ever months recorded since the JRC started keeping data on forest fires in 1985. At that time, the database covered Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and Greece. The forest fire season began at the end of June, with fires breaking out in Greece and Cyprus. By the second half of July, other parts of Greece were ablaze, as were areas of Bulgaria, Croatia and Italy. A total of 2,229 square kilometres of land were burnt in these four countries. Data on the fires that ravaged Turkey and Albania have yet to be added to the EFFIS database. With fires continuing to blaze in the south of the Iberian Peninsula and on the Canary Islands, the EFFIS figures are expected to significantly rise by the end of the summer. Data on the areas affected by the forest fires was received via satellite imagery from the EU Member States and compiled by EFFIS. The system was developed by the European Commission to monitor forest fire risk in Europe and provide Member States with early risk warning and damage assessment. Following a request from the European Parliament, the services of EFFIS are expected to be extended to provide information on the socio-economic impacts of these forest fires.