Burns and fires are the main source of rural fires registered this year, representing 62% of the established causes, while 14% of the fires were caused by arsonists, revealed this Wednesday the Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF).
The ICNF, which this Wednesday released this year’s rural fire report with data as of Friday, indicates that the different types of burning and burning represent 62% of the total causes of fires registered this yearthe most frequent sources being the burning of forest or agricultural surpluses (28%) and burning for the management of pastures for cattle (19%).
According to the document, 14% were caused by arsonthat is, of people attributable, 8% were due to accidental causes, such as the use of machinery and transport and communications, 4% to restarts and 2% to lightning strikes.
The ICNF highlights that 68% of the rural fires verified this year were investigated and the investigation process has concluded. Of these, the cause could be attributed to 70%, that is, of the 6,164 fires registered until July 15, the investigation allowed the cause to be attributed to 2,942.
The document establishes that, between January 1 and July 15, a total of 6,164 fires resulted in 40,102 hectares of burned areabetween settlements (21,288 hectares), forest (14,328 hectares) and agriculture (4,486 hectares).
However, the latest data from the ICNF already indicates that the area burned until this Wednesday is 57,940 hectares, which means that in four days more than 17,000 hectares were burned.
“Comparing the figures for 2022 with the history of the previous 10 years, it is observed that there were 5% fewer rural fires and 89% more area burned compared to the annual average” of the last decade, the document reads, that the fires that have occurred in recent days in the municipalities of Chaves and Murça, both in the district of Vila Real, do not stand out.
According to the ICNF, the year 2022 “presents, until July 15, the fifth highest value in number of fires and the second highest value of burned area since 2012”, being only surpassed by 2017, when the Pedrógão fire occurred. Great.
The report also indicates that up to July 15 there were eight fires with a burned area greater than or equal to 1,000 hectares, with the fire that started on July 8 in Abiul, in the municipality of Pombal (Leiria), consuming the largest area up to that date, for a total of 4,467.
The fire that started on July 13 in the municipality of Oliveira de Azeméis and then spread to Albergaria-a-Velha (Aveiro) consumed 3,510 hectares, followed by the one in Carrazeda de Ansiães (Bragança), with 3,330, and the one in Ourém (Santarém), with 3,330.
Large fires are considered as long as the total area burned is equal to or greater than 100 hectares. As of July 15, 2022, there were 40 fires classified in this category, resulting in 30,671 hectares of burned area, about 76% of the total burned area”, he explains.
According to the ICNF, the largest number of fires has occurred in the districts of Porto (1,211), Braga (599) and Vila Real (588), but in any of the cases they are mostly small and do not exceed one hectare of surface. burned.
The district most affected by area burned up to July 15 is Leiria, with 9,185 hectares, about 23% of the total area burned up to Friday, followed by Bragança with 5,138 hectares (13% of the total) and Aveiro with 4,097 hectares ( 10% of the total).
The ICNF also highlights that July is the month with the highest number of rural fires to datewith a total of 1,570 fires, which corresponds to 25% of the total, and this month is also the month with the largest area burned since 28,771 hectares were consumed by the flames, which corresponds to 72% of the total registered this year.
The report also concluded that this year’s burned area “is considerably less than the expected burned area, taking into account the observed meteorological severity.”
Weather severity levels are measured by taking into account temperatures, wind, precipitation, and humidity, which define fire risk.
Continental Portugal is on alert, the lowest level of response provided for in the Basic Civil Protection Law, from Monday to Thursday, due to fire risk, after having been in contingency, intermediate level, for seven days.
Source: Observadora
