Forest fires and wildfires

Already visible consequences

The effects of climate change, including dryer, hotter summers, are already being felt across the world. The past seven years have been the hottest ever recorded according to the most recent report from Copernicus, the European Union’s Earth observation service.

Heat and drought make vegetation more vulnerable and the slightest spark can therefore have disastrous consequences.

New regions affected

Historically speaking, the southern half of the country is the region most impacted by vegetation fires. The Mediterranean area is one of the 35 biodiversity trouble hotspots, i.e. a region with a huge wealth of biodiversity but one that is particularly vulnerable due to human activity.

But climate change is now putting other regions at risk as well, such as northwestern France (Loire, Centre-Val de Loire and Brittany). In May 2022, for example, 25 hectares of forest were destroyed by fire at Liffré, near Rennes.
 

An extended risk period

The fire risk is no longer just a summer affair. The risk period is now longer, beginning in the early days of spring and lingering into autumn, as a result of late heatwaves.

This year for example, the fires began very early following a dry winter. In March, there were already fires in several French departments and calls for vigilance were launched (particularly in Hautes-Alpes, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Alpes-Maritimes, Var and Charente-Maritime).

And the rest of the world?

Fires are becoming more frequent and increasingly destructive. In 2021, for example, vigorous forest fires were seen in the northern hemisphere (Canada, United States, Russia, etc.). According to the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), record levels of carbon emissions were generated by these fires. 

• July 2021 was a record-breaking month in terms of emissions related to forest fires, with 1,258.8 megatons of CO2 released. 
• That record was in turn broken in August 2021, when CO2 emissions reached 1,384.6 megatons.

In Europe, some 800,000 hectares burned down in July and August, making the summer of 2021 one of the most severe in 30 years.
According to the latest report from the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), meteorological conditions are increasingly conducive to forest fires in many parts of the world.

For summer 2022, the Ministry of Ecology Transition and Territorial Cohesion is launching a new campaign with an emotional stance, based on a thought-provoking but benevolent approach. The aim is to make individuals aware of their responsibility and of the potentially serious consequences of their carelessness. The purpose of this campaign is to communicate widely on the behaviour to be adopted, not only to avoid exacerbating the fire risk, but also to protect ourselves.

Responsible behaviour, spreading the word

The drought that has affected France for several months now exacerbates the risk. The slightest spark can result in a catastrophic fire. The Government has produced a communication kit that is available to all, and offers a quick and easy way to pass on information as to how to react in the event of a fire, and how to avoid starting one.

Engaged alongside us : l'Office national des forêts (ONF), Météo-France, l'Institut national de l'information géographique et forestière (IGN), l'Institut national de recherche pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (INRAE), l'Office français de la biodiversité (OFB), le Conservatoire du littoral, l'association Teragir, l'Association des régions de France, l'Assemblée des départements de France, l'Association des Maires de France, Agrisur, Assurance Prévention, ADN tourisme, les Gîtes de France, NRJ, La Poste, Radio Vinci Autoroutes, le Routard.