Forest fires in Dalmatia

Abstract

Every year the Republic of Croatia, especially in its south part in Dalmatia, faces forest fire risks. The weather is exceptionally conducive to fires, so the main period of fire occurrences is between June and October, characterized by long lasting dry and warm weather with temperatures over 30°C. Research carried out by the authors in 1997 and 2012 have pointed to the fact that human impact is the main cause of ignition. This paper presents an overview of the total number of fires in the period from 1998 to 2012, with the emphasis on forest and woodland fires in the Croatian region of Dalmatia. Data on the situation in Dalmatia refer to the situation in the areas of responsibility of four Dalmatian Police Administrations. Analysis is based on official data of the Croatian Ministry of the Interior and the report of the National councillor for managing and controlling forest fires. The authors have analysed the frequency of forest fires in Dalmatia in a period of fourteen years (1998-2012) comparing it with the previous period, 1989-1996. The results that the authors have obtained reveal how forest fires most commonly (2/3) break out during the warm part of a day, from 09.00 until 18.00 hours in the warm period of the year. Particularly vulnerable are the forests of Aleppo pines and maquis being mostly thermal forests, whilst in the south of the country the forests of Holm oak (Quercus ilex) and English oak (Quercus robur) are at the highest risk. Reforesting of burned areas is very slow and Croatia has been far behind in reforesting in the continental part of the country.

Atmospheric deposition of biologically relevant trace metals in the eastern Adriatic coastal area

“…The region is generally characterized by extensive tourism and mariculture. The climate is Mediterranean, with mild, wet winters and warm to hot, dry summers, and the middle Adriatic coastal area is permanently exposed to from high to very high fire risk, with a long history of extreme forest fires (Šiljković and Mamut, 2016).…”

Sources, Ionic Composition and Acidic Properties of Bulk and Wet Atmospheric Deposition in the Eastern Middle Adriatic Region

“…In the past, metalworking activities were strong in Šibenik (iron alloys, aluminum production), but reduced after the war in the 1990s. Moreover, in the past 15 years the territory of the Šibenik-Knin County was an area on the Adriatic coast most affected by local wildfire events, especially during summer [ 44 ]. The eastern middle Adriatic region has a Mediterranean climate with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers with a high solar radiation index.…”

Heat–induced changes in soil properties: fires as cause for remobilization of chemical elements

“…Furthermore, the concentration of a large number of people in the coastal areas due to touristic activities increases the possibility of fire occurrence. According to the EFFIS (European Forest Fire Information System) annual fire reports, 113 forest fires were registered by satellite imagery in Croatia in the year 2021, with 3 779 ha of burned forest area (out of the total burned area of 10 074 ha), mostly in southern Dalmatia, the region most frequently exposed to fires (Šiljković and Mamut, 2016).…”

“…A typical forest soil from northern Dalmatia (Croatia), characterized by a mild Mediterranean climate and a dominant vegetation of Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis Mill) (Tekić et al, 2014), was sampled (location coordinates: N43°55'43.62" and E15°29'27.83"), defined as Csa climate type according to the Köppen-Geiger climate classification (Nimac and Tadić, 2016). The Aleppo pine is among the most important species in the Mediterranean, covering an area of more than 25,000 km 2 (Šiljković and Mamut, 2016). The sampled soil was classified as terra rossa, shallow and medium deep (Bogunovic et al, 2011), not affected by wildfires in the recent years before sampling.…”