Wildfires on the Rise in Romania

Romania is facing a rise in wildfires in 2022, reaching an alarming number compared to 2021.

In comparison to 98 fires during the same period last year, more than 700 fires have been reported during the first half of this year in woods controlled by Romania’s National Forest Authority – Romsilva.

Wildfires on nearby agricultural lands were the primary cause of the fires. Due to the extreme heat and dryness, the fires quickly moved from the fields and crops to the forests. Due to the continuous drought, dry vegetation is still a problem. Tanczos Barna, Romania’s minister of the environment, urged farmers to either use fire sparingly or refrain from using it completely.

We are not allowed to end up in the situation of Spain, Greece, France and so on. Our forests are of a different type, there is no danger of having extensive surface fires, but even in these conditions, they can catch fire and spread out.

Tanczos Barna, Romania’s Minister of the Environment

Most of the fires were litterfall fires that damaged more than 10,000 hectares of land. 1,129 cubic meters of wood were also destroyed, along with about 285,000 saplings. In the first half of 2022, vegetation fires in state-managed forests resulted in losses of over EUR 202,000.

Romania is facing a severe drought and lack of water, so the authorities are warning about the significant risks that Romania can face if farmers or citizens are not careful when using fire. The climate has become a subject of considerable importance in Romania, affecting agriculture, vegetation and people equally.