Forest fires in Europe: "We see fires that can no longer be extinguished"

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Forest fire in the south-west of France: »In principle, there is always a fire somewhere«

Photo: Jerome Gilles / NurPhoto / Getty Images

SPIEGEL:

Mr. Goldammer, the summer that was coming to an end was full of reports about droughts, heat waves and countless forest fires all over Europe.

As an internationally renowned expert, what do you say: is the season at least over now?

Goldammer:

No, not at all.

The forest fire season we used to know is no longer there.

In principle, there is always a fire somewhere.

The current year shows that very clearly.

We already had the first fires in northern Portugal in January.

By mid-August alone, 660,000 hectares of land had been destroyed in Europe, which is 56 percent more than in the previous record year of 2017. And I fear that there will be more major fires in the coming weeks.

So we are currently experiencing a turning point – also in dealing with forest fires.

The fire danger is far from over.

SPIEGEL:

What fueled the fires this summer?

Goldammer:

This year we had three specific causes that drove up the number of fires: heat, strong wind and little rain.

This has ensured that large parts of the continent have been exceptionally dry.

The result was longer and more intense fires like those in France, Spain or Portugal.

SPIEGEL:

How did the affected countries deal with it?

Goldammer:

It wasn't a completely new situation on the Iberian Peninsula.

But in France it was sometimes really difficult.

The structures there are very centralized, the French fire brigade is actually considered to be well organized and powerful.

Usually the French help others.

This year, however, the company's own resources were no longer sufficient.

When I heard that the fire brigade from Bonn had been called to Bordeaux at short notice to provide support, it was a signal to me that something had really changed here.

SPIEGEL:

How does this change manifest itself specifically?

Goldammer:

We see more and more fires that cannot be stopped.

In the meantime there are also fires in western Europe which, at best, can still be controlled but can no longer be extinguished.

At some this year, firefighters faced 15 to 30 meter high flames.

There is no longer a hose or a normal fire engine.

Such fires are becoming more frequent.

At the same time, the burden on the emergency services increases.

If they have to put out fires in temperatures above 40 degrees, they won't last long.

Sometimes they tip over.

Firefighters I spoke to told me, "It's never been this bad.

We are now reaching our limits more often.« The way we deal with forest fires will therefore have to change fundamentally.

MIRROR:

What could that look like?

Goldammer:

We already know how helpless people are against hurricanes, tsunamis and earthquakes - in future we in Europe will have to learn to accept fire as a force of nature and to live with it.

At the same time, we need new forms of firefighting and prevention.

SPIEGEL:

Are there already examples of such changes?

Yellowhammer:

I was in Greece for a long time this year.

There, more and more young people are founding NGOs to fight fires.

In a way, this is a modern form of voluntary fire brigade.

In many European countries something like this was unknown for a long time.

There were only professional fire brigades.

Recently, however, more and more people have realized that this is not enough.

We are now trying to promote these local structures.

It is always easier to avoid fires together than to push the fire back in an emergency.

In an emergency, the most important goal must be that people are informed early and do not have to be rescued at the last minute.

Conversely, you could also learn something new in the north.

There are already good warning apps and information systems in southern Europe.

They also know there

how to stop large fires with targeted return fire.

This experience is still lacking in Germany.

SPIEGEL:

And technically?

Yellowhammer:

The water supply at the fire site is often extremely critical.

Due to the drought, it is sometimes no longer possible to pump extinguishing water from rivers and wells.

So we have to transport it further and use it more efficiently.

In addition to airplanes and helicopters, there are now also fire engines that use turbines to create a fine, high-pressure mist.

In this way, the fire temperature can be reduced with less water.

This high-tech can be used where you can drive close to the scene of the fire on forest roads.

On the other hand, more options are needed to get into the terrain as mobile as possible.

In Mediterranean areas like the maquis, small vehicles are often more practical.

We have just developed a device that can be coupled to tractors and uses power transmission to generate water pressure.

It is low budget compared to other solutions.

But it works with almost every tractor.

With such concepts, you can also achieve a lot in the area.

But none of this replaces prevention.

SPIEGEL:

Awareness of the consequences of global warming has increased significantly in recent years.

There were large protests for a more decisive climate policy.

Does that also change our relationship to the forest?

Goldammer:

There is certainly more attention, but I have the feeling that there is a sometimes very glorified image of nature.

On the one hand, many wish for natural forests in which nobody interferes.

On the other hand, much more should be built with wood than before, because it is so beautifully natural and ecological.

That doesn't add up.

The forest that we know in Europe has always been a cultural space for humans.

Of course we have to preserve biodiversity.

But if I leave everything as it is, I shouldn't be surprised if it catches fire.

SPIEGEL:

To what extent does the type of forest affect the risk of fire?

Goldammer:

Quite significantly.

Trees like the eucalyptus, which is massively cultivated especially in Portugal, burn like torches.

The fire races up the loosely hanging bark into the crown of the tree.

Due to the warm updraft, the glowing pieces of bark are often spread for kilometers.

Other tree species are not quite as dangerous, but as dry deadwood every tree becomes a hazard.

You know, when it's burning in the grassland, the fire reaches a temperature of 200 to 300 degrees Celsius, but only for seconds or minutes above the ground.

With dead wood it is 600 to 800 degrees, and the fire often eats deep into the ground for days.

SPIEGEL:

Has the forest been neglected for too long?

Yellowhammer:

I think people have lost sight of the forest throughout Europe.

In the past 20 years, forest administrations have been saved in many countries.

This was certainly also politically desired.

They wanted fewer civil servants and more market economy in the forest.

But the forest is an ecosystem that can neither be managed purely commercially nor simply left to its own devices everywhere.

There is also a need for investments that do not directly generate income, but pay off in the long term.

There are now EU subsidies for just about everything.

I wish there was something like that for the forest too.

It is about increasing the resilience of our nature in times of climate crisis.

If we were to promote grazing and forestry in Europe, that would contribute to revitalization and innovation in rural areas.

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