September 2015: The European Commission (EC) Joint Research Centre (JRC) released its annual technical report, titled ‘Forest Fires in Europe, Middle East and North Africa,’ which shows that the fire season in 2014 was extraordinarily quiet, with fire events being well under the historical average.

The report notes that the area burned by forest fires in 2014 in the five largest countries in southern Europe (Italy, France, Greece, Portugal and Spain) was about 30% of the average, the lowest on record. However, critical events happened in unusual periods and areas, like in northern Europe. Major fires occurred in Norway and Sweden in 2014, probably the most catastrophic in the history of the two countries. The results are considered to be an example of new and emerging challenges related to forest protection.

In general, the report includes information on the fire danger, the damage caused, and the fire conditions during the 2014 fire season in the countries that are currently part of the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) network. [Publication: Forest Fires in Europe, Middle East and North Africa 2014] [FOREST EUROPE press release]