A new “forest weather” alerting residents to fire risks will be broadcast by Météo-France daily from 1any June until at least the end of September, announced on Tuesday, April 25, Minister of Environmental Transition Christophe Picchut.
This new forecast map, announced by the President of the Republic in October after a near-record burning area in the summer of 2022, will display the degree of danger at the departmental level through a color code ranging from green (low) to red (very high) to yellow ( medium) and orange (high).
sequel after announcement
This will enter daily communication during the summer period, along with beach weather or marine weather and justified by the sharp increase in risks associated with global warming. In the daily life of the FrenchThe minister commented.
interesting”
“It will help everyone pay attention and better understand any local decisions to ban forest walks, for example, when the stakes are too high.”Christophe Picchu explained during a press briefing at the Ministry in the presence of Météo-France’s Executive Director, Virginie Schwartz. “90% of fires are of human origin and more than half are caused by stupid gestures: cigarette butts, barbecues, treadmills”said the minister.
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Forecasts will be made, in collaboration with the National Office of Forests (ONF), from data such as the drying of vegetation cover, together with the Forest Meteorological Index (IFM) which measures the tendency of fires to spread and intensify according to various weather parameters (temperature, wind, humidity, etc. ).
This tool, revealed before the summer that promises to be very dry again, in addition to other preventive measures: We just sent 2.3 million flyers home. People who live at the edge of forests and are affected by applicable legal netting obligations for decades But only 30%, on average, respected it, according to the minister. Satellite maps should be sent to mayors to indicate risk areas in their municipality.
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At the same time, the Forest Fire Weather Forecast, a more accurate tool intended for firefighters and authorities, will be extended this summer from 15 to 35 departments, and then 55 in 2024, thanks in particular to the creation of 17 dedicated positions in Météo-France, according to Virginia Schwartz. in 2022, “72,000 hectares, including 60,000 hectares of forest, have turned to smoke.” In France, Christophe Picchu is mentioned.
