Periodic Reporting for period 1 - FIRE-RES (Innovative technologies and socio-ecological-economic solutions for fire resilient territories in Europe.)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2021-12-01 al 2023-05-31
Fire constitutes an essential and naturally recurrent element of many healthy ecosystems. Nonetheless, recent wildfire events have demonstrated extreme behaviour and unparalleled proportions in terms of magnitude, speed, behaviour and impacts. Extreme wildfire events (EWE) present a substantial environmental, economic and social threat. The current heterogeneity of fire management strategies across EU Member States hinders a concerted and efficient response when a member state finds itself overwhelmed and requires support.
Furthermore, despite advancements in scientific and technological domains aimed at addressing specific fire risk problems, prevention-preparedness, detection-response, and restoration-adaptation activities within as well as across fire management are predominantly executed independently of each other leading to an inefficiency use of resources. A cluster of innovation actions that have the potential to integrate fire and landscape management will be influential to addressing concerns associated with EWE. The primary focus should be on decreasing fire impacts and enhancing post-disturbance forest restoration, while building a more resilient society.
The strategic objective of FIRE-RES is to provide the EU with the capability to avert collapse in the face of EWE. Consequently, the overarching aim of the project is to boost this socio-technological transition by integrating environmental, climate, health & safety/security, cultural and socio-economic aspects within a stream of innovate actions that encapsulates the demonstration and deployment of proactive governance processes, change of forest management practices, comprehensive risk evaluations, promotion of awareness and preparedness, utilization of models, methodologies, technologies and decision support systems to implement a holistic and integrated fire management strategy, thereby effectively and proficiently addressing the challenge of EWE.
Furthermore, despite advancements in scientific and technological domains aimed at addressing specific fire risk problems, prevention-preparedness, detection-response, and restoration-adaptation activities within as well as across fire management are predominantly executed independently of each other leading to an inefficiency use of resources. A cluster of innovation actions that have the potential to integrate fire and landscape management will be influential to addressing concerns associated with EWE. The primary focus should be on decreasing fire impacts and enhancing post-disturbance forest restoration, while building a more resilient society.
The strategic objective of FIRE-RES is to provide the EU with the capability to avert collapse in the face of EWE. Consequently, the overarching aim of the project is to boost this socio-technological transition by integrating environmental, climate, health & safety/security, cultural and socio-economic aspects within a stream of innovate actions that encapsulates the demonstration and deployment of proactive governance processes, change of forest management practices, comprehensive risk evaluations, promotion of awareness and preparedness, utilization of models, methodologies, technologies and decision support systems to implement a holistic and integrated fire management strategy, thereby effectively and proficiently addressing the challenge of EWE.
WP1 designed a framework around EWE knowledge and lessons garnered from events in the context of resilient landscapes. Results include:
- Transfer of Lessons Learned to key stakeholders
- An innovative methodology adapted to enhance decision-making processes during EWE occurrences
- Identification of factors driving resilient forests landscapes to EWE
- Innovative post-fire restoration and adaptation strategies
- Recommendations and novel adaptive management scenarios
WP2 progressed on Wildland-Urban Interfaces evaluation, on forest growth model development, on fire simulation prototypes and forest management decision making. The accomplishments within this WP include:
- A Decision Support System tool to support multicriteria assessment for prioritization of fuel treatment areas
- A prototype of growth simulator able to generate multiple management scenarios
- Three scientific articles
- A Pareto frontier approach for optimized Interactive management maps
WP3 set the basis for the innovative mechanisms that would subsequently be developed throughout the project. This entails the exploration of the current panorama in terms of economic incentives that enable and stimulate the uptake of the landscape management and planning strategies aimed at the minimization of losses from wildfires. The results comprise:
- A database on economic mechanisms
- A Policy Brief on the database analysis
- A set of motivation factors of wine sector agents to engage in wildfire risk management
- A logo for the “fire wine” and “fire products” label
- A website to catalyse the “fire wine” label agents
WP4 was dedicated to deepening the knowledge and level of perception of wildfires risk through the employment of the concept of common culture of wildfire risk for a resilient society through tools such as Fire Forums or the Fire Education Platform.
This effort also included the identification of key definitions and expertise related to Governance, Planning and Policy. Additionally, the identification of needs/gaps for the first responder’s interoperability phases were outlined.
WP5 partners with the participation of local stakeholders set the foundation for the development and integration of advanced technologies, equipment and decision support systems. These systems encompass, for example, forest fire risk assessment, high-resolution weather forecasting, data interoperability among international stakeholders, disaster monitoring or landscape recovery.
WP6 socialised the concept of Open Innovation within the project consortium and local stakeholders, nurturing the capacity for innovation within Living Labs. The outcome of these efforts resulted in the selection of challenges identified by local communities, with the imminent launch of the inaugural Open Innovation Campaign focused on issues related to EWE.
WP7 described the strategy for dissemination and communication outlining the key target audiences and core messages. This included the development of communication tools and materials, as well as active participation of partners in 20+ conferences, 40+ media appearances, and the publication of 9 scientific papers. The promotion of FIRE-RES extended through partner networks and cooperative efforts with analogous projects and initiatives.
Finally, WP8 created the conditions for the successful implementation of Living Labs and Innovation Actions. This work yielded the establishment of 10 Communities of Wildfire Innovation resulting in the formulation of 10 draft roadmaps towards smart fire management. Additionally, a protocol for the assessment of the impacts of innovation actions was drafted, alongside a comprehensive plan for capacity-building and training.
- Transfer of Lessons Learned to key stakeholders
- An innovative methodology adapted to enhance decision-making processes during EWE occurrences
- Identification of factors driving resilient forests landscapes to EWE
- Innovative post-fire restoration and adaptation strategies
- Recommendations and novel adaptive management scenarios
WP2 progressed on Wildland-Urban Interfaces evaluation, on forest growth model development, on fire simulation prototypes and forest management decision making. The accomplishments within this WP include:
- A Decision Support System tool to support multicriteria assessment for prioritization of fuel treatment areas
- A prototype of growth simulator able to generate multiple management scenarios
- Three scientific articles
- A Pareto frontier approach for optimized Interactive management maps
WP3 set the basis for the innovative mechanisms that would subsequently be developed throughout the project. This entails the exploration of the current panorama in terms of economic incentives that enable and stimulate the uptake of the landscape management and planning strategies aimed at the minimization of losses from wildfires. The results comprise:
- A database on economic mechanisms
- A Policy Brief on the database analysis
- A set of motivation factors of wine sector agents to engage in wildfire risk management
- A logo for the “fire wine” and “fire products” label
- A website to catalyse the “fire wine” label agents
WP4 was dedicated to deepening the knowledge and level of perception of wildfires risk through the employment of the concept of common culture of wildfire risk for a resilient society through tools such as Fire Forums or the Fire Education Platform.
This effort also included the identification of key definitions and expertise related to Governance, Planning and Policy. Additionally, the identification of needs/gaps for the first responder’s interoperability phases were outlined.
WP5 partners with the participation of local stakeholders set the foundation for the development and integration of advanced technologies, equipment and decision support systems. These systems encompass, for example, forest fire risk assessment, high-resolution weather forecasting, data interoperability among international stakeholders, disaster monitoring or landscape recovery.
WP6 socialised the concept of Open Innovation within the project consortium and local stakeholders, nurturing the capacity for innovation within Living Labs. The outcome of these efforts resulted in the selection of challenges identified by local communities, with the imminent launch of the inaugural Open Innovation Campaign focused on issues related to EWE.
WP7 described the strategy for dissemination and communication outlining the key target audiences and core messages. This included the development of communication tools and materials, as well as active participation of partners in 20+ conferences, 40+ media appearances, and the publication of 9 scientific papers. The promotion of FIRE-RES extended through partner networks and cooperative efforts with analogous projects and initiatives.
Finally, WP8 created the conditions for the successful implementation of Living Labs and Innovation Actions. This work yielded the establishment of 10 Communities of Wildfire Innovation resulting in the formulation of 10 draft roadmaps towards smart fire management. Additionally, a protocol for the assessment of the impacts of innovation actions was drafted, alongside a comprehensive plan for capacity-building and training.
The FIRE-RES initiative is advancing beyond the current state of art by:
1. Integrating existing research, technological advancements, civil protection strategies, and policy and governance frameworks related to wildfires. This integration is aimed at innovating processes, methodologies, and tools to effectively facilitate the implementation of a more holistic fire management approach and support the transition towards more resilient landscapes and communities to EWE.
2. Developing an ambitious methodology for conducting socioeconomic assessments to identify incentives and disincentives to promote behavioural change as well as to strengthen landowners’ cooperation risk awareness by communities to increase resilience.
3. Evolving a robust integrated strategy for adaptation based on the high spatially and temporally resolved identification of risk populations, combined with the effective quantification of specific health exposure impacts using advanced machine learning tools.
FIRE-RES first periodic report results encompass:
- Risk awareness activities, population behaviour recommendations, smoke plume studies and smoke sensors to create fire-adapted communities
- Recommendations pertaining to the design of Wildland-Urban Interface and forest management strategies to improve security and facilitate suppression considering provision of ecosystem services
- Solutions for insurance products to boost regional economies
- Fire simulators to support safe while effective operation of firefighters as well as the safety of the population
- Technological improvements and trainings for an increased response efficiency during early phases, but also during the whole emergency period
- A new public-private mechanism for participative discussion to analyse policies for an improved fire risk governance
1. Integrating existing research, technological advancements, civil protection strategies, and policy and governance frameworks related to wildfires. This integration is aimed at innovating processes, methodologies, and tools to effectively facilitate the implementation of a more holistic fire management approach and support the transition towards more resilient landscapes and communities to EWE.
2. Developing an ambitious methodology for conducting socioeconomic assessments to identify incentives and disincentives to promote behavioural change as well as to strengthen landowners’ cooperation risk awareness by communities to increase resilience.
3. Evolving a robust integrated strategy for adaptation based on the high spatially and temporally resolved identification of risk populations, combined with the effective quantification of specific health exposure impacts using advanced machine learning tools.
FIRE-RES first periodic report results encompass:
- Risk awareness activities, population behaviour recommendations, smoke plume studies and smoke sensors to create fire-adapted communities
- Recommendations pertaining to the design of Wildland-Urban Interface and forest management strategies to improve security and facilitate suppression considering provision of ecosystem services
- Solutions for insurance products to boost regional economies
- Fire simulators to support safe while effective operation of firefighters as well as the safety of the population
- Technological improvements and trainings for an increased response efficiency during early phases, but also during the whole emergency period
- A new public-private mechanism for participative discussion to analyse policies for an improved fire risk governance