Posted on 23 August
2010
Rare palm forest of Preveli
in Crete, an early victim of resurgent forest
fires in Greece. Neglect of forest management
was a key factor turning wildfire to wildfire
disaster in Russia and in past catastrophes
in Greece.
Moscow & Athens – Analysis of catastrophic
wildfires in Russia and Greece has highlighted
a deadly combination of climate change impacts
and the neglect of forest management, WWF
offices in the two fire-prone countries
said today.
In the joint statement,
WWF-Russia and WWF-Greece highlighted common
elements of the catastrophic wildfires that
hit Russia during the first two weeks of
August and the tragic Greek "black
summer" of 2007.
While the Russian fires
have been brought under control, fires are
now flaring up in Greece where the national
budgetary crisis has seen fire defences
downgraded.
“Although the weather
did not favor mega-wildfires during June
and July, as the 2010 summer ends Greeks
witness once more the dramatic ecological
consequences of forest fires, " said
Demetres Karavellas, Director of WWF Greece.
"Yesterday, we
lost to the flames one of the most important
forest ecosystems in the Mediterranean,
the rare and endemic palm forest of Preveli
in Crete.”
Key factors turning
wildfire into wildfire disaster
The analysis of key
contributing factors that turn wildfire
into wildfire catastrophe highlighted gaps
in national forest legislation, understaffed
and under-equipped forest management and
fire suppression authorities, little emphasis
on cost effective prevention measures and
poor mobilization of public support for
forest protection.
“According to the official
data, this summer about 1 million hectares
of forests were burnt, 14 natural protected
areas of federal importance are burning
at this very moment, at least 127 villages
turned into ashes and 52 people were killed
because of forest fires,” said Dr Evgeny
Shvarts, conservation policy director for
WWF-Russia.
“Most of forests and
villages destroyed by fire were located
in the most heavily populated European part
of Russia, where forests have a special
social and ecological value.
“This catastrophic situation
has roots in recent thoughtless administrative
reforms of forest management, resulting
in decreased federal control over forest
resources planning and use, elimination
of the federal forest rangers service and
decreased potential from specialized forest
fire monitoring and fire fighting centers.
“We believe that urgent
measures are needed by the Government of
Russia to revise results of the forest management
changes made since the year 2000.”
Deadly gaps
A similar message is
now coming from Greece as the threat of
end of summer fires rapidly worsens.
“The financial crisis
that looms over Greece has resulted in decimating
the already scant funding for forest management
and protection,” said Demetres Karavellas,
Director of WWF Greece.
“The memory of the tragic
summer of 2007, when over 270 thousand hectares
of precious Mediterranean forest land was
burned and more than 80 human lives were
lost, should teach us that the cost of prevention
and integrated management is always a cheaper
and more effective solution, compared to
the real cost of environmental crises, such
as wildfires."
The two branches of
WWF called on their governments to address
numerous and deadly serious gaps in the
national forest legislation.
“Forests need to be
managed and protected primarily as vulnerable
ecosystems, which are vital for human survival
through climate change and not as land offered
for easy profit,” they said.
Emphasis should be put
on prevention, rather than fire suppression.
Integrated management of forests as dynamic
ecosystems throughout the year is cheaper
and more effective than the army of aerial
and land-based fire fighting means needed
to combat mega wildfires.
“Public participation
and constant alert is crucial securing a
better future for forests,” WWF said. “Volunteer
fire fighting teams and organized social
mobilization have on numerous occasions
averted forest disasters.”
