(FULL) WA Regional News Network

As every year, the typical scorching heat of summer back to bite one of his most serious and pressing: forest fires.
The European forests, despite the high Urbanized of the nation, is still very big and important.
Important not only from the point of view ambiantale, given the wide variety of fauna and flora, but also from the point of view of tourism.
Many people visit each year, the vast forests and large national parks, which give a strong boost the tourist economy.
But every year acres and acres of forest go up in smoke, because of the fire.
Fire leaving only ashes on the ground, destroying flora and fauna, and often also kill people.
The areas hit by fires take a long time to recover from the environmental point of view, and most are subject to landslide risk.
The causes may be natural, such as lightning, spontaneous combustion or volcanic eruptions, but this is rarely done.
Most often they are due to human factors arson, that even if unintentional, causing massive damage.
For example the abandonment of lit cigarette butts, or the elimination of weeds from agricultural fields through the use of fire.
Or there are the cases of pyromania real.
There are also predisposing factors, such as poor maintenance of the woods
That is why the fight against forest fires.


This year's scorching temperatures, especially those of the south of the European continent and the colonies (especially New Europe and part of the New European Islands) are favoring the fires.
Already, hundreds of hectares of forest have gone up in smoke, and the whole thing does not seem to stop.
For this reason, from the month of June, the government launched a plan to combat fires strong and efficient.

The plan launched by the government has a budget of 1 billion and 900 million euro.
An exorbitant amount, but many feel well spent.
Subject to applicable law, prevention activities are undertaken by the regions, but are funded and coordinated by the central government.
The active struggle is the responsibility of the Department of Civil Protection (framed in the Ministry of Interior), which coordinates the activities of the Fire Department, the Forest Guard and voluntary associations.
Controls and coordinates the air force fire fighting.
Coordinates the activities of prevention of the Regions.
The plan will solve the pressing problem of fires.

Funding for the prediction
The first step was funded prediction, made ​​by the Civil Protection.
It has funded the "Functional Centre for Forest Fire Risk", with over 14,000 field offices.
This center and its field offices process bulletins fire risk and fire risk maps relating the different areas of expertise (at regional, provincial and national scale).
The bulletins are daily, the maps are always up to date.
It represents the national fire fighting information system.
The special funding will make it more efficient.
Furthermore, it was also refinanced the network of satellites (about 20), which controls the forests of the nation, always under the control of Civil Protection.

Funding for prevention
The bulk of funds went to prevention, operated by the regions and coordinated by the Civil Protection.
Prevention consists in action, directed to the forest and humans, which can reduce the risk of forest fire.
Actions concerning the forest are those operations that serve the maintenance of forests to avoid the creation of fire.
Main actions are the regulations on tourism, sustainable exploitation of resources, the maintenance of facilities and infrastructure (facilities such as tourist buildings, infrastructure such as power lines).
First maintenance are the introduction of plant species not flammable.
The second operation consists in thinning (reduction in the density of plants), and partitioning of the forest, dividing it into zones separated by artificial barriers fender (fender avenues etc.) or natural (rivers, etc.).
This especially along the edges of roads.
To reduce the risk of fire there is also a preventive silviculture.
Actions related to man are actions to eliminate the human factor that causes fires.
Main actions are a frequent inspections of the woods, and above all, a great control of the recreational and tourist activities.
Then there is the provision of information and awareness, especially relating children and farmers.
These activities and works, thanks to major funding, may be enhanced, improved and extended to all the forests of the nation (which is already happening).

Funds for the active struggle
Special emphasis is given to the active struggle.
It can happen through spontaneous sightings of citizens who alert the authorities to intervene.
But also through networks of automatic detection, consisting of sensors and cameras scattered in the forests that are owned trading desks and workstations lookout site in the woods.
Surveillance, through the ground teams and aerial teams is important.
The regions coordinate and process at the local level activities with fire fighting "Control Rooms Unified Permanent" scattered throughout the nation.
They make use of state structures (Fire, Forest Guard etc..).
Everything is coordinated by the civil protection at national level.
With funding, sensing networks and regional bodies will become more efficient, and will be expanded.
Will also be expanded with the staff of voluntary organizations, the Forest Guard, Civil Protection and Fire Department, through the purchase of new equipment and materials and new vehicles, naval, air and land.
There is talk of at least 34,000 new vehicles will be delivered, but it may be even longer.
Things that are already in place.