One of the problems that our country must take on every year is that of fires. According to the NGO WWF Spain, an average of 16500 are produced per year, and nearly 90% are man-made.
Researchers from the CSIC, the University of Lleida and the University of Alcalá, have created a fire risk map in which you can have an estimated idea of which communities are most likely to be the scene of an accident.
The map is the result of having analyzed the data of more than six thousand municipalities in a large part of the territory (Only the Canary archipelago and Navarra were excepted for not having sufficient data) between 1988 and 2000. The scientists used 60% of the information obtained to calibrate the model, and 40% to verify it; with everything a very remarkable reliability was obtained: 85%.
The areas with the highest risk are those where the climate is drier and warmer during the summer, such as in the Mediterranean region, various parts of the interior and especially in Galicia.
Although humans cause the most fires per year, this factor has not been taken into account in this model, according to the researchers. However, You have to know that there are people who are unemployed who see a fire as a job opportunity; This could be one of the reasons why we have to see how these catastrophes happen.
Fires are something natural to the ecosystem, as they keep it balanced. But as in everything, excesses are very harmful and should not be caused because when that happens, according to the WWF, 60% of the affected area is burned. And that can mean hectares of forest burned with the consequent great emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.