Periodic Reporting for period 1 - PyroLife (PyroLife - training the next generation of integrated fire management experts) Reporting period: 2019-10-01 to 2021-09-30 Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project 2018 was a glimpse of the future: deadly mega-fires in Mediterranean and numerous wildfires in temperate and boreal regions. Traditional mono-disciplinary attitudes cannot solve this challenge: there is a critical need to change management paradigms from fire resistance to landscape resilience: Living with Fire. PyroLife trains the new generation of interdisciplinary experts in holistic integrated fire management, through knowledge transfer between South and NW Europe and application of lessons learned in prevention of floods and other risks. Our unique integrated training program, crucially developed with industry, provides 15 ESRs the in-depth, interdisciplinary, integrated and transferable knowledge and skills required to complete their research and maximize future employability.Individual projects target risk quantification (fire danger, vulnerability, (mega)fire behavior, environmental and economic impacts), risk reduction (fire resilient home, garden and landscape design, prevention and governance), and risk communication (stimulating stakeholder and community resilience and preparedness). PyroLife is original for its inter- and transdisciplinary, intersectoral, cross-risk, and cross-climate approach to training doctoral students and tackling wildfire challenges, connecting 21 diverse partners. Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far The PyroLife project has launched with a successful first two years, and the COVID challenges are currently easing. COVID-19 forced the PyroLife consortium to find flexible measures to limit impacts on the project. This included adapting start dates, moving training and networking activities online, and working with each ESR to determine their needs and concerns. We have had many successes already, for example transitioning our initial PyroLife conference to an online symposium with over 450 registrants from all over the world, seeing the PyroLife selection guidelines and rubric we developed for an open, fair and transparent hiring process being used for other recruitment processes, internally and externally, and lively and engaging training activities organized both online and in-person.Regarding our training and outreach activities, we organised an online international fire symposium, an interactive network-wide training course on the biophysical drivers and impacts of fire, two workshops and six monthly webinars, attended by PyroLife ESRs and external participants. The first in-person training was organized after the current reporting period (October 2021) and we are currently finalizing the plan for all training and networking activities for the remainder of the project. PyroLife is present on four social media networks (Youtube, Linkedin, Instagram, Twitter) with active involvement of ESRs. Through our project activities, social media and regular media, the project has reached 7005 people in the scientific community, 156 policy makers, 103 people in the industry community, 613 from civil society organisations, 471 from the general audience, and 45 actors from the media field. The first scientific publications arising from PyroLife research are currently being submitted, such as a commentary submitted to the open access journal Earth’s Future that sets out the PyroLife approach in a manuscript titled ‘Living with Fire and the need for diversity’ (Stoof and Kettridge, submitted). Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far) The project structures doctoral training by being the first large and integrated doctoral training program on wildfires globally, being a leading example for training of our future leaders. With an exemplary gender balance and diversity in industry and academia, PyroLife combines excellent research and supervision to make an impact on society and economy, through broad dissemination and communication. With the Commission’s Nov 2018 call for integrated fire management to ‘tackle the global EU wildfire problem’, the timeliness of PyroLife cannot be overstated. Funding of PyroLife provides the diverse fire experts Europe urgently needs in academia and practice. pyrolife-kickoff-meeting.jpg valtorto-fire-side.jpg
