The paper presents the occurrence of forest fires in Poland in the years 1990- -2003 and factors controlling their spatial distribution. The analysis was conducted by voivodeship. A study was also made of changes that had taken place in the area of fires and their underlying causes. The research showed the number of fires to have an upward rather than downward tendency from year to year. Fire intensity differs spatially. The high fire risk is a result of the increasing penetration of woodland by people and their careless handling of fire in a forest or land bordering a forest. Besides, the predominance of coniferous habitats in forests with their easily drying plant matter lying on the forest floor and the dominance of conifers are favourable to the start and rapid spread of a fire.

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