King’s College London designing better methods to mitigate wildfire

by Featured NewsIndustry SectorsWildland Fire

As parts of Europe face their worst ever wildfire season, experts at King’s College London are working with partners across the continent to design and implement better methods for mitigating this threat.

King’s experts from the Department of Geography and the Leverhulme Centre for Wildfires, Environment and Society are working on improved detection and monitoring of fires as well as helping estimate the effect of the smoke on air quality and people’s health.

The work falls under FirEUrisk, a European-funded project that fosters knowledge transfer between European countries, with the aim of preventing and managing the threat posed by major wildfires. The project is a multi-million Euro project made up of 39 expert partners which aims to develop guidelines, directives and recommendations that can be adopted by all European countries.

Professor Martin Wooster said: “This project aims to deliver a step-change in how wildfires are managed across Europe. Particularly bad fires are unfortunately quite frequent in parts of southern Europe such as Portugal and Spain, but hotter, drier conditions in the UK and Northern Europe may see more fires in those environments as well.

“With the wealth of expertise at King’s in this area, we’re able to contribute vital capabilities such as how to use satellites for the early detection and ongoing monitoring of wildfire events. Working with others, we can also better understand how the smoke from these fires affects the health of the location population, which can be quite significant even hundreds of kilometres downwind.”

Aided by European satellites, the King’s team use algorithms to translate the raw satellite data into digestible information and support the early detection and ongoing monitoring of fires across Europe.

They are also able to use the satellite data to estimate the amount of smoke released by the fires the impact this has on the quality of the air people breathe and how this air pollution affects people’s health.

American Red Cross seeks volunteers for wildfire season

by Featured NewsIndustry SectorsWildland Fire

Due to the ongoing threat from wildfires, the American Red Cross North Texas Region has put out a call asking for individuals to become Red Cross volunteers and take part in future relief efforts.

Since March 1, the Red Cross has responded to more than 160 wildfires in greater North Texas. Red Crossers provided immediate and long-term aid, staff shelters and evacuation points and set up canteen services for firefighters. Disaster Action Team, Disaster Recovery Casework, Mass Care Team and Shelter Services volunteers are on the frontlines of recovery response, and they are especially needed now.

Katrina Farmer, Red Cross North Texas Disaster Officer said: “Our volunteer workforce is critical in carrying out the mission of the American Red Cross. Volunteers respond to house fires, tornadoes, floods and more, offering the immediate assistance that our neighbours need. Please join our more than 1,600 North Texas volunteers and support your community.”

Carla Signoret, Red Cross Disaster Action Team volunteer commented: “The way the Disaster Action Team works is we wait for a call or a text letting us know we are needed. When a fire happens, we get the address and relevant details about the event. We try to reach the client within the first couple of hours. Our job is to be there, offer support and get their information so that those affected can get assistance.”

Wildfire prevention

The American Red Cross also issued some advice on preventing wildfires, pointing out that people cause 85 percent of wildfires by burning debris, using equipment improperly, discarding cigarettes carelessly, leaving campfires unattended and by arson.

It advised:

  • Don’t drive your vehicle onto dry grass or brush. Hot components under your vehicle can spark fires.
  • Use equipment responsibly. Lawn mowers, chain saws, tractors, and trimmers can all spark a wildfire.
  • Use caution any time you use fire. Dispose of charcoal briquettes and fireplace ashes properly, never leave any outdoor fire unattended, and make sure that outdoor fires are fully extinguished before leaving the area.
  • If residential debris burning is allowed – use caution! After obtaining any necessary permits, ensure that burning is not currently restricted in your area.
  • Store combustible or flammable materials in approved safety containers away from the house. 
  • Keep the gas grill and propane tank at least 15 feet away from any structure. Do not use the grill during potentially dangerous fire weather conditions. Always have a fire extinguisher or hose nearby.

Record summer for wildfire activity in southwestern Europe

by Featured NewsIndustry SectorsWildland Fire

Scientists from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) have reported a record for summer wildfire activity in southwestern Europe amid heatwaves and dry conditions. The latest data shows that increasing wildfire emission in western France and the Iberian Peninsula while Europe continues to experience extreme and prolonged hot and dry conditions.

The data shows France recording the highest estimated carbon emissions from wildfires for June, July and August since 2003 in the Global Fire Assimilation System (GFAS) dataset as of 11 August 2022.

GFAS is based on satellite observations of active fires and Fire Radiative Power (FRP), which is a measure of fire intensity, to estimate emissions of carbon and a wide range of other air pollutants that make up smoke, and provides a 20-year dataset.

CAMS, which is implemented by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts on behalf of the European Commission with funding from the European Union, continues to monitor wildfires following the ongoing heatwave and prolonged dry conditions in the region.

Mark Parrington, Senior Scientist from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, commented: “We have been monitoring an increase in the number and resulting emissions of wildfires as heatwave conditions have exacerbated fires in southwestern France and the Iberian Peninsula.

“The very extreme fire danger ratings that have been forecasted for large areas of southern Europe mean that the scale and intensity of any fires can be greatly increased, and this is what we have been observing in our emissions estimates and the impacts it has on local air quality”.