Technical Report: Mediterranean wildfires

Abstract

In summer 2021, drought and low humidity combined with record-breaking heat of up to 48.8°C (119.8°F) led to fire outbreaks across the Mediterranean countries, killing more than 100 people and burning more than 620,000 ha of land in July and August. As forests are often fiercely protected areas, the common approach to wildfire management in the Mediterranean is to extinguish every fire as it appears, but counterintuitively this supports the formation of “mega-fires” that burn beyond our capacity to control. Fires are not yet seen as integral to ecosystem functioning, and the management of fires and fires are often disconnected. This technical background report for the 2021/2022 edition of the Interconnected Disaster Risks report analyses the root causes, drivers, impacts and potential solutions for the Mediterranean wildfires through a forensic analysis of academic literature, media articles and expert interviews.