The Challenge

Protect against forest fires

Environment

Security

Protect against forest fires

Forest fires are now a major risk for many regions in Germany. Current studies assume that the fire risk will continue to increase due to declining rainfall in spring, summer and fall as well as rising temperatures. Depending on their intensity and duration, forest fires are not only destabilizing for the forest ecosystem: due to the dioxins and particulate matter released, the health of people living in the vicinity is also endangered. The cause of the increasing number of forest fires is, in addition to increasing drought, primarily the establishment of coniferous tree monocultures, as these ignite more easily and have poorer soil quality with less humus.

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In order to contain fires more quickly or prevent them from starting in the first place, a number of protective and preventive measures can be taken: In addition to establishing physical measures, (real-time) air quality data can provide important information for early warning systems. Supplemented by precipitation and other weather data, cities and municipalities can identify risk areas on this basis and take early action.

Approaches

Monitoring of weather conditions, drought and air quality
Identification of risk areas using the digital forest fire atlas as a basis
Awareness campaigns among the population - human errors are the most common cause of forest fires
Establishment of protective strips and firebreaks to prevent the spread of fires
Longer-term measures such as the establishment of mixed deciduous forests, which are better able to regulate themselves

Opportunities

Mitigate damage by intervening earlier in the event of fires
Better understanding of local weather conditions
Protection of the population from damage to health and immediate danger caused by fires

Solution(s)

Data

Data and Facts about this topic

Which SDGS are addressed?

In order to create globally sustainable structures, the member states of the United Nations have set themselves 17 goals by 2030, which are set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.