After devastating forest fires last summer, France is introducing a forest weather report to warn of the risk of fires in the country’s regions. From the beginning of June until at least the end of September, the weather service Meteo France will publish daily maps showing the risk of fire in the individual departments for the next two days, the broadcaster France Info reported.
The classic color scheme from green for no increased risk to red for a very high forest fire risk is used. To assess the risk of forest fires, Meteo France evaluates rain, humidity, temperature, wind force and also the state of drought of the vegetation, which is referred to as an aggravating factor.
Prevention messages should accompany the highest risk levels, as nine out of ten wildfires are caused by humans. From mid-May, a publicity campaign will also call for avoiding forest fires.
The weather service and the Ministry of the Environment, which accompanies the campaign, named man-made climate change as the cause of the growing risk of forest fires in France. The fire brigade in the south of the country recently had to respond to the first forest fires of the year.
