Fire prevention needs more focus

Anne Ganteaume, a research director at Inrae and a fire specialist, highlights the need for increased investment in fire prevention and territorial planning to build resilience against wildfires. She argues that current efforts relying heavily on firefighting resources like Canadair aircraft are not enough to address the growing threat.

Agriculture’s role in fire prevention

Ganteaume emphasizes the role of agriculture in reducing fire risks. She explains that cultivated plots can act as fuel breaks by reducing the amount of biomass available to fires, but only if they are kept clean and dry grass is buried. This approach can help slow the spread of wildfires.

Designing landscapes to stop fires

She also suggests that planting vine rows and trees perpendicular to prevailing winds can prevent the formation of fire corridors. Wind is slowed by the height of trees in forests, but not in vineyards or orchards, which can create pathways for fires to spread more rapidly.

Managing dry grass in high-risk areas

Ganteaume proposes plowing and burying dry grass in areas at high risk of fire. While she acknowledges the benefits of cover crops, she questions their effectiveness if they are burned or grazed. She suggests possible compromises, like leaving grass in place if plots are aligned perpendicular to the wind or using water to maintain greenery.

Climate change extends fire risk

Julien Ruffault, a researcher at Inrae, studied the impact of climate change on fire risk in the Mediterranean region in 2023. He found that the core period of fire risk is now longer, currently spanning from July 16 to August 24, and could extend from late May to late October by the end of the century if global temperatures rise by 4 degrees Celsius.

Future fire risks and new fire zones

Ruffault warns that under this warming scenario, the number of fires affecting at least one hectare could rise by 80%, and those exceeding 100 hectares could increase by 240%. He also notes that fires are increasingly happening in areas previously unaffected, such as western parts of the Mediterranean basin and higher altitudes. These regions have seen less focus on fire prevention due to lower urbanization and associated risks.