The State Committee for the Coordination and Direction of Forest Fires (CECOD) analysed the evolution of the 2023 forest fire campaign, following the closure of the highest risk period, reporting on such impacts as property and infrastructure damage, the environmental impact, and the effect the season has had on the population.
According to the information preview of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, from the beginning of 2023 and until October 15, the forest area affected by fires in Spain rises to 84,478.35ha, which represents a decrease 68% compared to the same period in 2022 (260,240.57ha) and 9% compared to the average of the last 10 years (92,591.00).
On the other hand, the total number of registered fires (7,320) is 20% lower than the average for the decade for the same dates (9,139) and 24% lower than the 2022 record (9,596). Most of them are small fires, with an area of less than one hectare (5,100 outbreaks).
In total, 19 large fires have been recorded (affected area greater than 500 ha), a figure that is well below the figure recorded in 2022 (56). Compared to the average of the last 10 years, the figures are quite similar (22).
Regarding the incidents recorded with relevance to Civil Protection, those related to damage to people stand out due to their severity or amount (1 death and around 70 minor injuries), as well as preventive evacuations of the population (more than 25,000 people) due to the proximity of the fire to populated areas.
Along with paying attention to forest fires in the national territory, Spanish teams have supported other third States in the fight against fire since the beginning of 2023, either through bilateral collaboration agreements (France and Portugal) or through the EU European Civil Protection Mechanism. In accordance with this instrument, assistance has been provided in the fight against fire in Chile, Canada, Tunisia and Greece. In addition, on several occasions, images from the Copernicus Satellite Observation System (EU) have been supported.
For their part, and by virtue of bilateral cooperation agreements, the teams from Portugal and France have worked on five occasions together with the Spanish firefighting teams located near their respective borders.
The annual number of fires and the extent of the affected areas continue to represent a recurring threat, in an adverse climate context. Furthermore, the increasing degree of urban development in forest environments means that fires that occur in these areas represent a particularly serious risk due to the difficulties involved in extinguishing them due to the greater capacity to affect people, property and infrastructure.
Finally, the high response capacity and high preparation of the Spanish teams, together with the growing need for collaboration between States, places Spain as an actor committed to global security in transcendental areas such as emergencies and catastrophes.
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