Forest fires are a threat for the forest and natural areas in Europe. Over 65 000 fires take place every year in the European Union, burning, on average, half a million hectares of the European landscape. Economic losses due to forest fires in the European Union territory are estimated in over 2 billion Euro every year. Areas protected under the Natura 2000 scheme are no exception to the damage caused by forest fires. Every year, approximately 80 000 ha are burned within the Natura 2000 sites. In the study period of this report, between the years 2000 and 2012, 1 044 917 ha of Natura 2000 protected areas were burnt, corresponding to 3.28% of the total Natura 2000 area in the affected countries. The environmental and economic damage of these fires is difficult to estimate, since often fires affect protected and endangered species living in these protected habitats. The current report analyses the impact of forest fires in Natura 2000 sites during the period 2000 to 2012. Special emphasis is put on the analysis of damages caused by large fires in the EU Mediterranean region, where most of these fires occur.JRC.H.3-Forest Resources and Climat
