1. Forest fires 2011 season in Romania l Ministry of Environment and Forests l Bucharest, Romania *Septimius Mara, * The Ministry of Environment and Forests, Bucharest

2. METEOROLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ROMÂNIA In România, during 2011 was recorded an increased soil moisture deficit in the country (Fig). Extreme severe drought years in Romania during the 20th century: Decade 1901-1910: 1907-1908 Decade 1911-1920: 1917-1918 Decade 1921-1930: 1923-1924, 1927-1928 Decade 1931-1940: 1934-1935 Decade 1941-1950:1945-1946, 1947-1948, 1949-1950 Decade 1951-1960: 1952-1953 Decade 1961-1970: 1962-1963, 1964-1965 Decade 1971-1980: 1973-1974, 1975-1976 Decade 1981-1990:1982-1983,1985-1986,1987-1988 Decade 1991-2000: 1992-1993, 1999-2000 Extreme severe drought years in Romania during the 21st century: Decade 2001-2010: 2000-2001, 2001-2002, 2002-2003, 2006-2007, 2008-2009, 2011

3. 3 1881 - 1893 1918 - 1930 1906 - 1917 1982 - 2003 1969 - 1981 1954 - 1968 1931 - 1941 1942 - 1953 1894 - 1905 PERIOD 2002 No. of years 14 12 13 11 15 13 21 LEGEND RAINY REGIME NORMAL REGIME DROUGHTY REGIME THE PERIODICITY OF THE METEOROLOGICAL AND HYDROLOGICAL REGIME IN ROMANIA 188118931905 1917 19301941195319681981 2004-2006 2007 2008 11 2 2009 Fig. 2010 2011 111

4. 4 Fig. Surface water run-off regime for the summer (June-August) of 2011 Legend: >100% of the normal monthly values 80%-100% of the normal monthly values 50%-80% of the normal monthly values 30%-50% of the normal monthly values 10%-30% of the normal monthly values

5. 5 Fig. Water soil reserve at the beginning of September 2011 in the depth layer of 0-20 cm

6. 6 B. 2011 FOREST FIRE SEASON IN ROMANIA l Because of the relatively low precipitation values, the year 2011 could be considered as a whole drought compared with other previous years, because was recorded not so frequent precipitation and increased soil humidity deficits. l Therefore, the climatologically and hydrological conditions in 2011 led to a an increased number of forest fires and burnt surface all over Romania (as seen in the figures), higher than previous year.

7. Fig.

9. The economical losses due to forest fires aren’t very high, because the population and the authorities intervene for extinguishing the forest fires in early phase. The low economical losses are also determinate by the geographic condition from our country, but also by the forests composition. The economical losses assessed are relatively small because the damages are calculated only for substitution forest value and timber values, and also because young forests were most affected by fires. Fig.

10. 10 Causes of the forest fires in Romania l During 2011, the major cause of forest fires, as in the recent years was represented by the agricultural practices of the people from the rural area, represented by the cleaning of the fields by uncontrolled ignition of the dried plant wastes.

11. 11 Acknowledgements l We thank to ROMSILVA for the updated inventory of the forest fires during 1986- 2011

12. 12 Forest fire situation in Danube Delta during 2011 l Ministry of Environment and Forests l Bucharest, Romania

13. Danube Biosphere Reserve (Ua) Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve (Ro) Case study: Danube Delta reed fire from Vadu-Corbu area during 20-21 august 2011 Localization of the fire vegetation area

14. 14 Fig. Uncontrolled burnt of the surface vegetation in Danube Delta could spread all over the meadow surface area

15. 15 Fig. Difficult intervention of the firefighters in the humid reed areas during fire event

16. 16 Fig. Large smog quantities emitted during the vegetation fires in Danube Delta

17. 17 Fig. Aftermath of the vegetation fire in Danube Delta: the burnt areas are difficult to access

18. 18 Fig. Aftermath of the vegetation fire in Danube Delta: the humid reed areas are difficult to access by firefighter heavy equipment

19. 19 Fig. Aftermath of the vegetation fire in Danube Delta: patches of green reed remained untouched by the fires

20. 20 Fig. Aftermath of the vegetation fire in Danube Delta: the road acted as a barrier against the spreading of the fires

21. 21 Impact of the vegetation fires on the reed area of Danube Delta l The only interventions were took place just on Constanta county, where the military firefighter units intervened in the affected area of Vadu-Corbu. For the remote areas of Danube Delta, the vegetation fires were extinguished by themselves.

22. 22 Prevention measure for the vegetation fires on the reed area of Danube Delta In case of prescribed burning of the reed, weren’t recorded damages for the biodiversity protected areas, just stressed avifauna migrated from the burnt areas in other safe zones. - Campaign: Stop the illegal burning of the reed areas!” which emphasize the use of alternate harvesting of the reed instead of illegal burning ( in the previous years the number of the reed fires were reduced by 30%).

23. 23 Acknowledgements l We thank to Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Administration – ARBDD, for the updated inventory of the reed fires during 2008-2011