Characterisation and Analysis of Large Forest Fires (LFFs) in the Canary Islands, 2012–2024

In recent decades, forest fires have become one of the most disruptive and complex natural hazards from both environmental and territorial perspectives. The Canary Islands represent a particularly suitable setting for analysing wildfire risk. This study aims to characterise the Large Forest Fires (LFFs) that occurred across the archipelago between 2012 and 2024 through an integrative approach combining geospatial, meteorological, and socio-environmental information. A total of 13 LFFs were identified in Tenerife, Gran Canaria, La Palma, and La Gomera, affecting 55,167 hectares—equivalent to 7.4% of the islands’ total land area. The results indicate a temporal concentration during the summer months and an altitudinal range between 750 and 1500 m, corresponding to transitional zones between laurel forest and Canary pine woodland. Meteorological conditions showed average temperatures of 24.3 °C, minimum relative humidity of 23.7%, and thermal inversion layers at around 270 m a.s.l., creating an environment conducive to fire spread. Approximately 81% of the affected area lies within protected natural spaces, highlighting a high level of ecological vulnerability. Analysis of the Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR) index reveals a growing trend in fire severity, while social impacts include the evacuation of more than 43,000 people. These findings underscore the urgency of moving towards proactive territorial management that integrates prevention, ecological restoration, and climate change adaptation as fundamental pillars of any disaster risk reduction strategy.