Open data on forest fires

Forest fires cause significant damage, as seen in the recent fires that occurred in various countries during July 2023. Open data can play a crucial role in monitoring these fires, assessing the extent of damage and supporting firefighting efforts. The European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) uses data for several specific applications to support forest protection services in the EU and neighbouring countries with their firefighting efforts.

EFFIS, set up by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the European Commission in 1998, focuses on the development and implementation of advanced methods for the evaluation of forest fire danger and mapping of burned areas at a European scale. Over the years, various apps have been developed to contribute to these efforts. For example, the Current Situation Viewer provides an overview of ongoing fires in the EU and neighbouring countries. Filters enable users to specify their search based on criteria like the utilized data.

Another example is the Wildfire Risk Viewer, a mapping tool that provides an overview of the wildfire-risk levels ranging from high to intermediate to low. Through a variety of filters such as the vulnerability of the population, ecological or economic factors, users can customise the results displayed on the map. This tool can facilitate risk modelling, providing an integrated view on fire likelihood and potential consequences.

Do you want to know more about open data’s role in monitoring forest fires and supporting firefighting efforts? Read our comprehensive data story on High-value datasets on forest fires in the EU.

For more news and events, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, or subscribe to our newsletter.