Environmental Risks: Forest Fires and Water Scarcity

Primary Causes of Forest Fires

• Drought: Mediterranean summers suffer from a precipitation deficit, causing a large and prolonged lack of rain. This results in especially serious conditions in areas of high evaporation where woody vegetation is dry and temperatures are high.
• Increase in Forest Area: Following the abandonment of unprofitable farms, forested areas have increased. The decrease in rural population involves the neglect of these forest areas. The fact that there are continuous, neglected forests enables very large fires, known as mass fires, which can raise the air temperature to 700-1000°C.
• Poor Forest Management: For years, forest management in Spain consisted of replacing deciduous Atlantic forests (like oak, beech, and chestnut) with pines and eucalyptus. These are faster-growing species used for paper pulp and cellulose. As a result of this policy, wildfires now also affect oceanic climate areas of Spain that were previously less prone to this risk, such as Galicia, Montes de León, and the Cantabrian region.
• Intentional Fires: This class of fire is motivated by a number of reasons. Some are explained by the fact that cattle passage is not allowed through reforested areas, offering no alternatives to the shepherds who traditionally used them as pastures. Other times, they respond to real estate speculation interests. Another source of concern is the action of arsonists—mentally ill people whose obsession is to light fires.

Exploitation of Water Resources

The limited availability of water has led to what might be termed a "well culture." Since surface water is sparse and poorly distributed, the operation and management of aquifers is very important. Mediterranean countries have developed techniques for the obtaining and distribution of scarce water resources through wells, canals, and ditches.

To regulate and utilize rivers and their waters, dams and reservoirs have been built. Although their construction is very expensive, their maintenance is relatively economical. Over the years, sedimentation of the materials transported by the water can lead to the silting and filling of the reservoir vessel.

Water Quality and Environmental Impact

Water quality is usually good at the river's source but deteriorates downstream as it passes through areas of intensive livestock farming, mining, or industrial and urban areas where, until recently, wastewater was poured uncontrollably.

Agricultural use, due to its extent and the quantity of water used, is the most significant source of water contamination. Industrial use may trigger catastrophic processes because some discharges contain very serious pollutants, such as traces of lead and mercury. Finally, water for household and urban use presents a dual problem: the need for a clean drinking supply and the challenge of evacuation once the water has been used.