engleski

Forest/bush fire risk products in Croatia

The mid-Adriatic region in Croatia is the most vulnerable to wildfires due to the joint effects of weather conditions, easily flammable Mediterranean vegetation (pine forests and Mediterranean shrubs) and an increase in population during the tourist season in summer. Wildfires inflict serious damage to agricultural sites and forestland and endanger settlements and human lives. Therefore, since 1981 the Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service (DHMZ, http://meteo.hr) has started the fire warning system using the Canadian model Fire Weather Index (FWI) for determination of the fire weather indices once a day. The predicted indices for the following two days are based on the products of the ALADIN/HR limited area numerical weather prediction model. The early warning system in Croatia could not be based only on satellite data, since the probability of wildfire detection is too low, especially for small fires up to 15 ha. The impact of climate change on wildfire risk in Croatia is reflected: - in the tendency of the fire season to start earlier (in May), as well as the possibility for the fire season to extend until October, particularly along the Adriatic Coast and islands. - spreading of high wildfire risk from the mid-Adriatic to the northern Adriatic but also to inland and the eastern part of Croatia. A long-lasting dry and warm period before the wildfires and a very steep terrain along the coast helped in fire rapid spreading. However, the many fire weather analyzes in mid-Adriatic also present that two meteorological indicators: a low-level jet and the approaching of a cold front can be an indication of specific behaviour in a forest fire. One of measures of forest protection against fire is a good education of the youngest. As the animated film is the most popular medium in children's lives, Croatia Agrometeorologica Society (HAgMD, http://www.en.hagmd.hr) produced the film and comic strip Fire is no joke with motto: “Do not play with flame and smoke, fire is no joke!" More than hundred Little School Fire is no joke in the different part of Croatia were organized for the children between three and eleven years. The kids were interested and watched the movie very carefully and after the conversation they asked us to show it again. Indeed, sometimes children are more responsible than us and we can learn something from them.

EUMETSAT/FAO/WMO training course for drought monitoring and agricultural meteorology

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