This article was automatically translated from HIBAPRESS, the Arabic version:
Heba Press – Abdel Latif Baraka
Forest fires constitute one of the most significant environmental challenges facing Morocco, particularly in light of climate change and rising temperatures.
In recent years, the country has witnessed an increase in the number and scale of forest fires that have destroyed large areas of vegetation, threatening biodiversity and contributing to worsening the problem of desertification.
To combat this phenomenon, Morocco has adopted a set of strategies and measures, but there are many gaps and inadequacies that will need to be addressed.
1. Morocco’s strategy to combat forest fires:
A. Legal and institutional framework:
Government policies and the legal framework constitute an essential element of the Moroccan strategy to combat forest fires. The most important of these policies are:
The National Forest Fire Prevention Plan: this is a set of preventive measures that include clearing forests of weeds and dry trees, as well as building fire barriers.
Coordination of institutions and agencies: There is coordination between a group of government institutions such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, the Ministry of the Interior and local agencies that participate in the response to these disasters. International experiences in the field of firefighting are also used.
For. Prevention and awareness:
The national strategy aims to reduce the incidence of forest fires through awareness campaigns aimed at local residents and forest visitors. These campaigns focus on the risks associated with fires and how to deal with them, as well as raising awareness among residents of the importance of following fire laws.
C. Preparation and intervention:
Strengthening civil protection capacities: training efforts and equipment have been intensified to respond to fires quickly and effectively. These efforts include providing trained firefighting teams and equipping them with necessary equipment, such as floatplanes.
Operational plans: include identifying areas most vulnerable to fires, developing emergency plans, and specifying safe evacuation routes for citizens and vital facilities.
D. Financial and human resources:
Funding: Annual budgets are allocated to finance firefighting programs. Financial support is also intended for certain local projects, such as the construction of protective walls and the opening of regional roads to facilitate access to the most affected areas.
Labor: Seasonal labor teams are assigned, particularly in summer, made up of local firefighters and volunteers from civil society.
2. The deficiency occurring in this file:
Despite the efforts made to combat forest fires, several shortcomings hinder the effectiveness of this strategy:
A. Lack of specialized human resources:
A shortage of trained firefighting crews: Although there are seasonal crews, there is a shortage of crews trained continuously on how to deal with major fires that are difficult to control.
Lack of specialized volunteers: In remote areas, it is often difficult to mobilize local volunteers with sufficient firefighting skills.
For. Insufficient funding:
Lack of funding: Although budgets are allocated for some programs, firefighting funding does not meet needs in many cases, particularly in emergency situations where urgent funding is needed to support firefighters and purchase new equipment.
Limited dependence on modern technology: Fighting forest fires requires modern techniques to monitor forests in real time using drones or satellites. But Morocco still needs more investment in this advanced technology.
C. Climate and environmental changes:
Climate Change: Morocco is witnessing the negative effects of climate change, such as rising temperatures and weather fluctuations, which increase the risk of fires in areas that were not previously exposed to them.
Drought: Drought is one of the main reasons for escalating wildfires, as forests are more susceptible to burning due to low humidity.
D. Poor infrastructure:
Roads and transport: In some mountainous and rugged areas, there are no good roads facilitating access to fire sources, which increases the difficulty of rapid intervention.
Lack of early fire detection stations: Some regions still lack advanced fire early detection systems, making it more difficult to manage them at an early stage.
3. Suggestions for improving the strategy:
A. Increase investments in equipment and technology:
Abdelwafi El-Fetit, Moroccan Minister of the Interior, announced a global government strategy to combat forest fires over the period 2023-2030, costing 1.5 billion dirhams.
The plan provides for the strengthening of the initial intervention fleet through the purchase of 29 new vehicles for the National Agency for Water and Forests and 90 civil prevention vehicles, in addition to the use of “canadur” aircraft and drones to monitor fires.
A Moroccan digital model was also developed to predict fires, in addition to setting up regional and central committees to ensure a rapid response. The program aims to reduce environmental damage and protect biodiversity through effective regulation and cutting-edge technology.
Greater investments should be made in modern technologies such as satellites and drones to track fires more closely.
Provide more seaplanes and helicopters to limit the spread of fires.
For. Strengthening training and human resources:
Train more specialized firefighting teams and provide ongoing training to existing teams.
Launch programs to qualify and train local volunteers on how to respond to fires.
C. Improvement of infrastructure:
Build roads and logistics facilities in mountainous and remote areas to facilitate access to fire sites.
Establish early warning stations in forests and integrate them with weather monitoring systems.
D. Strengthen joint work with civil society:
Strengthen partnerships with local associations and civil society to organize joint awareness campaigns and organize teams of volunteers in threatened areas.
Despite Morocco's efforts to combat forest fires, the current strategy still requires more human and financial resources, as well as the development of early monitoring techniques and the modernization of infrastructure.
By strengthening cooperation between all parties concerned and expanding prevention programs, Morocco can improve its effectiveness in the face of this environmental disaster.
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