16 out of 20 regions affected

Online Ecosystems and forest fires in Italy

During 2024, Italy was affected by forest fires covering a total area of ​​514 km2 (almost half the area of ​​the municipality of Rome Capitale). Of these, 20% (about 103 km2 - an area almost comparable to the size of Lake Bolsena) were composed of forest ecosystems. 46% of the burned forests were evergreen broadleaf trees, such as holm oaks and Mediterranean scrub, 37% deciduous broadleaf forests (which lose their leaves in the cold season and regain them in spring) and 14% coniferous forests.

The fires that occurred in Italy in 2024 were less serious in terms of the extension of the areas affected compared to previous years; the overall extension of the areas affected by fire in 2024 is in fact equal to approximately 2/3 of the average value calculated in the period 2018-2023. The total surface area burned in Italy in 2024 is higher only than that burned in 2018 and 2019, but decidedly lower than all the years between 2020 and 2023. The numbers are significantly lower than in 2023 both for the total surfaces burned (-52%), and for the forest surfaces burned (-34%).