Attica: A Hot Spot for Forest Fires in Greece
(1) Background: Forest fires are widespread in Mediterranean-climate regions and are becoming very common in urban and peri-urban areas. (2) Methods: Wildfires in Attica since 1977 are mapped and types of vegetation burned are reported. (3) Results: Fires are becoming larger. During the period of st...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-12-01
|
| Series: | Fire |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/7/12/467 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850036580394205184 |
|---|---|
| author | Margarita Arianoutsou George Athanasakis Dimitrios Kazanis Anastasia Christopoulou |
| author_facet | Margarita Arianoutsou George Athanasakis Dimitrios Kazanis Anastasia Christopoulou |
| author_sort | Margarita Arianoutsou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | (1) Background: Forest fires are widespread in Mediterranean-climate regions and are becoming very common in urban and peri-urban areas. (2) Methods: Wildfires in Attica since 1977 are mapped and types of vegetation burned are reported. (3) Results: Fires are becoming larger. During the period of study (1977–2024), 45% of the burned area was covered with <i>Pinus halepensis</i> forests, 1.4% with <i>Abies cephalonica</i> forests, and 18.5% with shrublands. A relatively high percentage of the burned area (BA) affected more than once consisted of pine forests (65%). Ten percent of the total BA lies within the boundaries of the Natura 2000 network, Europe’s most important network of protected areas, of which 38.9% was burned. At the interannual scale, the BA in Attica is negatively correlated with relative humidity, while reduced precipitation may contribute to the expansion of wildfires. (4) Conclusions: Fires are becoming larger over time, with low humidity increasing the higher fire risk. Since the changing climate is expected to create more severe and uncontrollable conditions, mitigation and adaptation measures should be planned and be introduced immediately. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b0f37dc5f2c64494b16f6b9df715e744 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2571-6255 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Fire |
| spelling | doaj-art-b0f37dc5f2c64494b16f6b9df715e7442025-08-20T02:57:07ZengMDPI AGFire2571-62552024-12-0171246710.3390/fire7120467Attica: A Hot Spot for Forest Fires in GreeceMargarita Arianoutsou0George Athanasakis1Dimitrios Kazanis2Anastasia Christopoulou3Section of Ecology and Systematics, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15784 Athens, GreeceSection of Ecology and Systematics, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15784 Athens, GreeceSection of Ecology and Systematics, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15784 Athens, GreeceSection of Ecology and Systematics, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15784 Athens, Greece(1) Background: Forest fires are widespread in Mediterranean-climate regions and are becoming very common in urban and peri-urban areas. (2) Methods: Wildfires in Attica since 1977 are mapped and types of vegetation burned are reported. (3) Results: Fires are becoming larger. During the period of study (1977–2024), 45% of the burned area was covered with <i>Pinus halepensis</i> forests, 1.4% with <i>Abies cephalonica</i> forests, and 18.5% with shrublands. A relatively high percentage of the burned area (BA) affected more than once consisted of pine forests (65%). Ten percent of the total BA lies within the boundaries of the Natura 2000 network, Europe’s most important network of protected areas, of which 38.9% was burned. At the interannual scale, the BA in Attica is negatively correlated with relative humidity, while reduced precipitation may contribute to the expansion of wildfires. (4) Conclusions: Fires are becoming larger over time, with low humidity increasing the higher fire risk. Since the changing climate is expected to create more severe and uncontrollable conditions, mitigation and adaptation measures should be planned and be introduced immediately.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/7/12/467wildfires<i>Pinus halepensis</i><i>Abies cephalonica</i>shrublandsNatura 2000 sitesclimate change |
| spellingShingle | Margarita Arianoutsou George Athanasakis Dimitrios Kazanis Anastasia Christopoulou Attica: A Hot Spot for Forest Fires in Greece Fire wildfires <i>Pinus halepensis</i> <i>Abies cephalonica</i> shrublands Natura 2000 sites climate change |
| title | Attica: A Hot Spot for Forest Fires in Greece |
| title_full | Attica: A Hot Spot for Forest Fires in Greece |
| title_fullStr | Attica: A Hot Spot for Forest Fires in Greece |
| title_full_unstemmed | Attica: A Hot Spot for Forest Fires in Greece |
| title_short | Attica: A Hot Spot for Forest Fires in Greece |
| title_sort | attica a hot spot for forest fires in greece |
| topic | wildfires <i>Pinus halepensis</i> <i>Abies cephalonica</i> shrublands Natura 2000 sites climate change |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/7/12/467 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT margaritaarianoutsou atticaahotspotforforestfiresingreece AT georgeathanasakis atticaahotspotforforestfiresingreece AT dimitrioskazanis atticaahotspotforforestfiresingreece AT anastasiachristopoulou atticaahotspotforforestfiresingreece |