Jesús Santiago Notario del Pino
Professor of the Department of Animal Biology, Edaphology and Geology of the University of La Laguna
With so many days of heatwave and extreme fire risk, is it normal to have so many fires at the same time, or is this unusual?
‘The peninsula has suffered several recent heatwaves, this being the most intense and prolonged. This prepares (i.e. dries out) the fuel, so the ignition of several large fires is not unusual, at least to me.’
What is the outlook for how they will evolve?
‘It will depend, above all, on the weather and the characteristics of the vegetation affected. If the accumulation of combustible material is large enough, the intensity of the fire will generate its own air circulation pattern, making the behaviour of the fire more unpredictable and hindering its extinction and control.’
What is your assessment of the fires so far this summer?
‘Areas in the centre and north-west are burning, which are theoretically less prone to severe fires (compared to the Mediterranean coast, for example). I find this striking. In any case, the conditions of extreme and prolonged heat favour a scenario such as the current one.’