Météo France unveils its “forest weather forecast”, a new fire prevention tool

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From the rainfall data, but also the air humidity rate, the temperature, the force of the wind and the dryness of the vegetation, the forecaster will produce this new map every day this summer. intended to fight wildfires.

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A fire in the town of Belin-Béliet (Gironde), August 10, 2022. (FABIEN COTTEREAU / MAXPPP)

Beach weather, snow weather… The summer of 2023 will mark the birth of a new tool: “forest weather”. From June 1 until at least the end of September, maps illustrating the level of fire risk by department for the following two days will be communicated daily by Météo France, the Minister for Ecological Transition, Christophe Béchu, announced on Tuesday April 25. , and the CEO of Météo France, Virginie Schwarz.

The color code corresponds to the alert levels traditionally used by the forecaster: green, used when “forecast weather conditions and the latest rainfall mitigate the risk of departure and spread of forest and vegetation fires”to red, when the risk is “very high compared to summer normals.”

Simulation of the "forest weather" for the dates of July 17 and 18, 2022. (METEO FRANCE / MINISTRY FOR ECOLOGICAL TRANSITION AND TERRITORY COHESION)

An increased risk by wind, temperature or dry vegetation

Following the fires that hit France in the summer of 2022 – in Gironde, but also around the Mediterranean and as far as Brittany –, Emmanuel Macron announced the creation of this new tool on October 28, during a speech to the actors mobilized in the fight against fires. Objective : “Prevent, anticipate and inform”had listed the President of the Republic.

Responsible for producing these maps from its meteorological data, Météo France establishes the sensitivity of vegetation to fire by crossing several parameters: rain, air humidity, temperature, wind strength, but also the state of dryness of the vegetation, which refers to “aggravating factor“, detail the forecaster and the ministry. In a joint press release, they recall that climate change caused by human activities is responsible for the“Increase in conditions favorable to forest and vegetation fires throughout the metropolitan territory.”

Finally, prevention messages will accompany the highest levels of risk, continues the press release. While nine out of 10 fire starts are of human origin, a communication campaign entitled “Let’s adopt the right reflexes” will be launched in mid-May.


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