The heatwaves in Spain have started earlier and lasted longer than usual this year. Dry conditions have led fires to break out across the country and about 70,000 hectares have already been scorched away, most of it in the last couple of weeks. If you want to know where these fires are and which areas are at high risk of igniting, NASA, the State Meteorological Agency (or Agencia Estatal de Meteorología, AEMET for short) and the EU, have information to keep you up to date.
There have been about 40 wildfires in Spain so far this year and the sheer number of them is significantly higher than previous years, roughly double. And more than 70,000 hectares have burned so far. The northwest of Spain has been affected the worst but wildfires have taken their toll all around the country.
Satellites along with surface stations provide measurements such as temperature, relative humidity, pressure, rain fall, and wind speed and direction. These measurements, along with high level weather patterns (including ocean temperatures, jet streams etc.), are turned into interpretations of dryness conditions, fire risks, and more for use in agriculture, tourism, boating and more.
NASA´s Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS)
To display current conditions and future risks and predictions, NASA has established its Fire Information for Resource Management System which, with the help of satellites, measure heat signatures (i.e. fires) and geographical data with the help of GPS. The system covers the whole globe.
Agencia Estatal de Meteorología (AEMET)
The Spanish State Meteorological Agency originally named the Agencia Estatal de Meteorología, or AEMET for short) focuses on Spain and using both satellites and ground stations, this weather service collects information needed in order to both report on current conditions as well as predicting what future weather has in store for us. In addition, it tracks conditions on the ground, enabling them to make maps of risk zones of various sorts, including fires. These are essentially heat maps where the redder/darker the color the hotter it is, and the higher the risk of fires starting or spreading more easily. A useful tool for checking what conditions are like, especially before taking a walk or a drive in the country side.
Copernicus Emergency Management Service (Copernicus EMS)
If you are looking for an alternative source to the above mentioned two, the European Union has its own service named Copernicus Emergency Management Service. The system focuses mainly on Europe. Below is an example of the fire map they provide.
Below this map you will also find a table with brief descriptions that you can click on to find out more about what is going on with a particular fire.
When you click on one of these URLs a page containing more details will occur. And you can assess whether or not this fire is cause for alert for yourself or people you know.
Better to be prepared and to know what and where the risks are and what may happen than not.
Stay safe and take care of your health, family, pets, house and other valuables in the heat!
The featured image is by Gerd Altmann, Pixabay.
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