It’s not the heat we want

Summer in Italy means blazing sun, high temperatures and, alas, wildfires. Any newscast or headline cannot help showing images of burning forests. As citizens, we hear over and over again that this will be the coolest summer of our lifetime; in short, forecasters do not expect a cool future.

Those who deal with forests in Italy, have to do more and more with wildfires and the need to curb destructive effects of fire, a fascinating element, but that we would like as far away from our forests as possible. Some might object by saying that fire is an integral and natural element in forest life, but we need to clarify this. At our latitudes, wildfires can be triggered naturally by lightning or volcanic eruptions, and although natural fires can also have disastrous effects, some forest ecosystems have evolved to take advantage from the passage of fire. 

What causes forests to burn?

However, wildfires now are not natural or recommended. Man-made action, intentional or deliberate, combined with severe drought, intense wind, and record temperatures result in huge, intense wildfires, often difficult to extinguish. Indeed, the most common causes of the giant headline bushfires can be condensed into a few points:

• Burning of agricultural and forestry plant waste
• Use of agricultural machines or tools that produce sparks and flames
• Lighting fires in equipped (and unequipped) areas
• Parking cars over dry grass or leaves
• Fireworks and lanterns
• Cigarette stubs or lit matches

Even those who are not forestry experts will understand that these factors are intentional, or the result of negligence, but they are manageable. . Despite we could do our part to reduce wildfire causes, our forests keep paying a high price in term of ecosystems and biodiversity loss, along with economic resources. It is worth mentioning that historically in Italy, fires have greater intensity and frequency in some regions of the Mediterranean area, however, the situation is changing. In fact, the number of fires is also increasing in mountain areas, such as the Karst and the high Apennines.

Protect the forests you love with WOWnature

If you’re reading this article, is most likely because you planted or want to plant a tree with WOWnature. What if we’d tell you that from today you can do even more? One of our goal is to support forest managers in researching and implementing measures to protect existing forests. Because of this, we have big news for nature-lovers: from now you can help protecting a forest by countering the threats that affect it! Say illegal cutting, desertification, biodiversity loss, and of course, wildfires. By making a contribution of your choice, you can ease the prevention of these damaging events and ensure that forests grow at their best.