Following communications with local council representatives of four grassfire-prone localities in Malta and Gozo − Rabat, Żebbuġ in Malta and Xaghra, Nadur in Gozo; localities that have experienced over 80 grassfires each over the past five summers and a total of 81 grassfires altogether this summer – it was made apparent that grassfire mitigation has not yet been given enough attention around the Maltese islands.

Seeing as grassfire tragedies are taking a central stage this year, both in Malta as well as in other southern Mediterranean countries, with the Maltese islands having already experienced 513 grassfires between 1 June and 10 August this summer − The Malta Independent spoke to the local councils whose localities have witnessed the most grassfires over the past few years, about their current mitigation measures and what more could be done to reduce the risk of grassfires annihilating the contested amount of greenery currently present on the island − this time, by fire.

Despite the government-employed environmental rangers who allegedly maintain the islands main nature sites (through the removal of invasive alien species and re-planting of trees to maintain the natural value of the biodiversity), in speaking to some of the local council representatives of fire-prone localities, they expressed that more needs to be done to protect Malta’s green lands from being further deplenished − especially since this threat is predicted to heighten with the effects of global warming.
On his part, Steve Zammit Lupi, an independent Żebbuġ local councillor, stated: “we need to create more awareness.”

The Rabat and Żebbuġ local council spokespersons were particularly concerned about the amount of fires their localities have been experiencing, and thus illustrated the main grassfire hazards in Malta and how they, with the support of the police and the environment ministry could and should enforce them more proactively.

The main grassfire hazards around the islands are: Arson attacks; Garbage pollution (glass and other reflective materials are prone to ignite a fire); Planned burning on rural land by farmers without adherence to protocols; Invasive plant species (like the giant reed, qassab) found on road sides by rural areas; and fireworks.

What can be done?

Installing CCTV cameras and more explanatory signs about the dangers of wildfires; enforcing fines and increasing education about rubbish tossing and planned rubbish-burning as well as clean ups; Removing some of the fire-prone reeds; removing all of them would in turn negatively impact migratory birds who use this as a source of food, thus by leaving reed interval gaps of around 100 metres when uprooting, if a fire were to break out and these reeds catch fire, there would be a break between reed bushes so that the fire won’t be able to spread as quickly; ensuring that fire-fighters are on-sight when a firework display is planned as well as the pre-removal of dead vegetation on any nearby fields.