In the midst of the heatwave and active fires, mainly in Nahuel Huapi, there are areas on alert due to fire risk in different parts of the country.
This was reported by the National Meteorological Service (SMN), based on evaluations carried out with the FWI (Fire Weather Index), a meteorological index for the danger of forest fires developed in Canada.
Fire risk: areas with the highest danger
Amid the intense heatwave affecting several provinces, with temperatures exceeding 35°C and scarce chances of rain, the work of firefighting teams intensifies in different fire spots.
In addition to the active fires in the Nahuel Huapi National Park, with over 3500 affected hectares, several locations in Santa Fe and the city of Tandil in Buenos Aires are also affected.
In this regard, the SMN is sharing a map detailing which regions are at the highest risk of fires based on meteorological conditions.
Currently, most of the country is under “extreme” risk, according to the agency’s assessments.
Risk maps: what each alert indicates
As reported by the National Fire Management Service, this index has been implemented in Argentina since the year 2000.
“It is the result of the “combination of codes that estimate the state of dead fuels of different diameters, and indices that represent the speed of spread of forest fires and the fuel load, medium and large, available to burn,” they explain.
It is updated daily, based on data from the 12 PM temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and accumulated precipitation over the last 24 hours.
It represents the potential behavior a forest fire could have at the most critical time of the day, estimated to be at 4 PM.
The colors
These risk classes generally indicate the likelihood of a fire starting and the degree of difficulty in controlling it:
- Green: it is unlikely that the fires that start can remain active. However, ignition can occur in proximity to heat sources such as bonfires or burns.
- Blue: the vegetal fuels are considered dry enough to sustain ignition and combustion. Although fire control is relatively easy, it can become problematic if not addressed immediately.
- Yellow: any fire that starts poses a serious problem. Fire control gradually becomes more difficult if not achieved in the initial stage of fire development.
- Orange: burning conditions are critical, crown fires and intermittent canopy fires can occur in forests.
- Red: the situation should be considered potentially “explosive” or extremely critical.
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