ESTONIAN ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW 2009

3.3.5. Forest fires
One of the extensive types of damage to forest caused
by humans is a forest fire. The number and area of forest
fires depends significantly on the weather during the
period of fire danger F . The overwhelming majority of
forest fires are caused by human activity. The greatest
number of forest fires is seen in forests situated close
to larger cities and towns in Harju County and Ida-Viru
County. Natural factors such as lightning are the cause
only in isolated cases. The majority of forest fires are
caused by careless visitors (vacationers, berry pickers,
children etc). Arson is also seen; forest fires also occur
during forestry work, among other causes.
The occurrence of forest fires depends greatly on
weather conditions. During a long dry spell, the forest
fire danger is very high. For example, 2006 was a very
dry year and an average of over 12 hectares of forest was
destroyed per fire – this is much more than in any other
year in the last 16 years (figures 3.15 and 3.16).
number
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
number of forest fires
total area
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
area, hectares
1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Figure 3.15. Number of forest fires and area, 1991–2007. Data: Rescue Board, Ministry of the Environment.
15
12
12.4
9
6
5.1
8.5
4.4
5.9
4.3
area, hectares
4.6
3
0
1.5
3.1
1.6
1
2.1
3.2
0.9
0.7
1.9
1.3
1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Figure 3.16. Average area of forest destroyed per fire, 1991–2007. Data: Rescue Board, Ministry of the Environment.
F
Areas with a fire hazard are specified on the fire hazard map situated on the Estonian Meteorological and Hydrological Institute’s website, http://www.emhi.ee/index.php?ide=14,93.
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