Fire prevention plan introduced in Alt Pirineu Natural Park under cross-border initiative

by Featured NewsWildland Fire

Cross-border collaboration for wildfire prevention

Alt Pirineu Natural Park will introduce a fire prevention plan as part of a cross-border initiative with Andorra and the French department of Ariège, according a report by La Vanguardia.

The initiative is part of the POCTEFA programme and marks the first such project within the Three Nations Pyrenean Park.

Fire simulations will be conducted to identify key areas for fire containment.

Prevention zones exceeding 25 metres will also be created around populated areas to reduce risks.

Forest management efforts involving students

Students from the Pyrenees Agricultural School have conducted forest management work in Pallerols de Cantó, Montferrer, and Castellbò in Alt Urgell.

Their objective is to develop a manual of good practices for fire prevention.

The students worked with mechanical tools, such as brush cutters and saws, to clear vegetation in former agricultural and pasture lands.

The plan includes introducing livestock to these areas to maintain clear spaces naturally.

The project involved collaboration with the Ariège Comenge Vocational Training and Agricultural Promotion Centre, which has carried out similar activities for over a decade.

Strategic fire prevention measures

Marc Garriga, director of Alt Pirineu Natural Park, stated that climate change is increasing the risk of wildfires, even in areas previously considered low-risk.

He said: “The most important thing is to protect populated areas, as the mountains are already undergoing their regeneration processes.”

The “Desbosiguem!” project, part of the POCTEFA programme, focuses on restoring former agricultural and pasture areas near villages that have been abandoned over time.

Garriga noted that while the law mandates a 25-metre prevention zone around inhabited areas, wider buffer zones may be needed in the event of large-scale fires.

Future strategic fire prevention plan

The Pau Costa Foundation is set to draft a strategic fire prevention plan for all municipalities within the Alt Pirineu Natural Park.

The plan will assess optimal buffer zone sizes to enhance wildfire containment strategies.

As part of the initiative, former farmland and grazing areas are being considered for clearing to create firebreaks.

The aim is to establish long-term land management strategies that balance fire prevention with ecological conservation.

Fire prevention plan introduced in Alt Pirineu Natural Park under cross-border initiative: Summary

Alt Pirineu Natural Park will implement a fire prevention plan under the POCTEFA programme in collaboration with Andorra and the French department of Ariège.

The initiative involves fire simulations and prevention zones around populated areas.

Students from the Pyrenees Agricultural School have carried out forest management work in Alt Urgell, aiming to develop a manual of good practices.

The project also includes collaboration with a French vocational training centre.

The “Desbosiguem!” project focuses on restoring former agricultural and pasture lands to create firebreaks.

The Pau Costa Foundation will draft a strategic fire prevention plan for the park’s municipalities, assessing optimal buffer zone sizes.

The initiative aims to improve wildfire containment and long-term land management strategies.

Firefly Fire Pumps and Vallfirest partner on forest fire training initiative in India

by Featured NewsWildland Fire

Fire safety training launched for Indian forest personnel

Firefly Fire Pumps has announced a partnership with Vallfirest and the Jharkhand State Forest Training Institute Mahilong to introduce a forest fire management training programme in India.

According to Firefly Fire Pumps, this is the first training of its kind in the country, aimed at equipping forest personnel with advanced skills and tools to manage wildfires.

The programme covers fire suppression techniques, fire behaviour analysis, risk assessment, and the use of specialised equipment.

Rohit Mali, director of Firefly Fire Pumps, said: “Firefly Fire Pumps is committed to protecting our environment and supporting those on the front lines of forest fire defence.

“By partnering with Vallfirest and the Jharkhand State Forest Training Institute, we are proud to bring cutting-edge wildland firefighting expertise to India, empowering our forest personnel with the best tools and strategies available.”

Programme content and training focus

The training programme covers multiple aspects of wildfire management, including the latest fire suppression techniques using modern equipment.

Participants will be trained to predict and control fire spread through fire behaviour analysis.

Risk assessment and prevention strategies will also be addressed, focusing on proactive measures to mitigate the impact of forest fires.

Hands-on training will be provided using specialised wildland firefighting tools supplied by Vallfirest.

Vallfirest’s role in knowledge sharing

Vallfirest, a manufacturer of wildland firefighting equipment, is contributing expertise to the initiative.

The company is providing technical knowledge and equipment to support the training programme.

Juan Carlos, chief sales officer at Vallfirest, said: “Vallfirest is dedicated to providing innovative solutions and training for wildland fire management worldwide.

“We are honoured to collaborate with Firefly Fire Pumps and the Jharkhand State Forest Training Institute to share our expertise and contribute to the protection of India’s forests.”

Jharkhand State Forest Training Institute hosts training

The Jharkhand State Forest Training Institute Mahilong is serving as the venue for the training programme.

The facility provides a platform for capacity building and knowledge exchange in forest fire management.

The initiative is intended to improve wildfire response capabilities across India.

Firefly Fire Pumps, Vallfirest, and the Jharkhand State Forest Training Institute have stated their commitment to continued collaboration in advancing forest fire management practices.

Firefly Fire Pumps partners on forest fire training initiative in India: Summary

Firefly Fire Pumps has announced a partnership with Vallfirest and the Jharkhand State Forest Training Institute Mahilong to launch a forest fire management training programme in India.

The training covers fire suppression, fire behaviour analysis, risk assessment, and the use of specialised firefighting equipment.

Vallfirest is supplying technical expertise and equipment, while the Jharkhand State Forest Training Institute is providing the venue.

The initiative aims to improve wildfire management and response across India.

Firefly Fire Pumps has stated that it will continue working with its partners to enhance forest fire management practices in the country.

Indonesia sets new standards in forest fire management

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Indonesia takes the lead in forest fire prevention

Indonesia is among those at the forefront of combating forest fires, which annually affect approximately 70 million hectares globally.

The United Nations has highlighted an initiative in Indonesia that has significantly reduced forest fires, benefitting both the environment and the economy.

This comes on the International Day of Forests, 21 March, underscoring the efforts made in a country once plagued by devastating fires.

The story of Marlizar and the fight against fires

In 2019, Marlizar, a volunteer firefighter, encountered a peatland fire in Riau province’s Teluk Maranti village.

Despite facing the fire alone initially, Marlizar’s efforts underscore the challenges and dedication of those on the frontline.

However, the fire’s rapid spread to five hectares within hours illustrates the ferocity and speed of such disasters.

The impact of fires in Indonesia

The wildfires of 2019 in Indonesia covered an area larger than Belgium, affecting six other countries with smoky haze, releasing almost 604 million tonnes of CO2, and causing respiratory illnesses in around 900,000 people.

The economic loss amounted to $5.2 billion, highlighting the severe consequences of these fires.

A collaborative approach to fire management

The UN-led initiative, supported by USAID, has introduced an integrated fire management project that leverages a “cluster-based” approach for land management.

This innovative strategy has brought together community fire brigades, government agencies, and private companies to build a more fire-resilient landscape in Indonesia.

Achievements and future plans

Since the introduction of fire prevention clusters in 2021, significant progress has been made in reducing fire incidents in pilot districts.

The approach is now expanding, with the aim of nationwide implementation, demonstrating the effectiveness of collaborative efforts in fire prevention.

IFSJ Comment

The initiative in Indonesia represents a significant advancement in forest fire management, offering a blueprint for other countries facing similar challenges.

The collaborative effort among community brigades, government, and private entities has not only mitigated the immediate threat of fires but also contributed to a broader strategy for environmental protection and economic stability.

Such integrated approaches are crucial in addressing complex environmental challenges, demonstrating the power of cooperation and innovation in achieving sustainable outcomes.

August-September 2022 saw highest number of fires in Brazilian Amazon in over a decade

by Featured News

The number of active fires recorded in the Brazilian Amazon in August-September 2022 was the highest since 2010, according to an article published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, with a record 74,398 fires.

The researchers found, however, these were due not to extreme drought, as in 2010, but to recent deforestation by humans.

According to the research, the number of fires typically rises every year in August and September, when the weather favours fire in about half of the Amazon. Guilherme Mataveli, the first author of the article, said: “The surge in the number of fires in 2010 was due to an extreme drought event that occurred in a large part of the region, whereas nothing similar occurred in 2022, so other factors must have been to blame.”

The researchers also analyzed the locations of the fires detected using data provided by TerraBrasilis. Their analysis showed that 62% occurred in recently deforested areas; that the number of fires in recently deforested areas in August-September 2022 rose 71% compared with the same period of 2021; and that the total deforested area increased by 64% according to the deforestation alerts issued by INPE’s real-time detection system (DETER).

“Alarming results also emerged from our analysis of the type of land on which these fires occurred, classified into public land, smallholdings, and medium to large private properties,” Mataveli said.

More than a third (35%) of the fires detected in August-September 2022 occurred in public areas such as conservation units and Indigenous reservations, and the number of fires in these areas rose 69% year over year. 

“The Amazon has become more vulnerable to grilagem [land grabbing via falsification of title deeds] in recent years, and this sharp increase is one of the results of this process,” he said.

A key source of information for this land use and land cover analysis was TerraBrasilis, much of whose data comes from the Rural Environmental Register (CAR), designed to ensure compliance with the Forest Code.

All landowners and land users are required to register with the CAR. The process is essentially self-declaratory, with the landowner entering environmental information about the property. Registration with the CAR is not required for conservation units, Indigenous reservations and other types of public land.

Climate goals

The researchers pointed out that the advance of fire, deforestation, degradation, illegal mining and land grabbing in the Amazon runs counter to the goals established internationally by Brazil as part of its commitment to combat global warming, such as stopping all illegal deforestation by 2028 and achieving a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 2005 levels.

Besides the negative effect on biodiversity and maintenance of the ecosystem services essential to human life, such as climate regulation, the Brazilian economy is endangered by uncontrolled deforestation and associated activities.

Markets for its exports of commodities, such as the European Union, are in the process of approving new regulatory standards that will prevent the purchase of goods produced in deforested or degraded areas.

Luiz Aragão, last author of the article, said: “The article highlights a systemic problem that must be seriously addressed by society. A reversal of this trend requires punishment of those who break the law, implementation of efficient public policies, communication with society, and a search for alternative solutions based on cutting-edge science and capable of promoting sustainable development in the region. Identifying and prosecuting the people who are illicitly destroying the world’s largest tropical forest is one of the challenging tasks on the environmental agenda to be faced by the incoming federal government.”

The other authors are Luciana Vanni Gatti and Nathália Carvalho, both researchers at INPE; Liana Oighenstein Anderson at the National Centre for Monitoring and Early Warnings of Natural Disasters (CEMADEN); Gabriel de Oliveira at the University of South Alabama (USA); Celso H. L. Silva-Junior at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in the United States, and the Federal University of Maranhão in Brazil; and Scott C. Stark at Michigan State University (MSU).

EU mobilises to join fight against Portugal forest fires

by Featured NewsIndustry SectorsWildland Fire

The European Commission has deployed two firefighting airplanes to support Portugal with the country’s ongoing wildfire emergency.

Following a request for assistance, the EU Civil Protection Mechanism facilitated the immediate pre-positioning and then deployment of two Canadairs from Greece, which are currently operating in the most affected districts in northern Portugal.

On this occasion, Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič said: “As wildfires continue to threaten people and resources across our continent, we need to stay alert and ready to deploy assistance as rapidly as possible from fire breakouts. We stand in solidarity with Portugal facing this emergency and have mobilised planes from Greece who are putting European solidarity into action.” 

The EU’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre is in close contact with Portuguese authorities to support the coordination of firefighting operations in the area and mobilise further assistance in case of need.

In addition, the EU’s Copernicus satellite service has been activated to collect data vital to first responders on the areas burned. 

Equivalent of 16 football pitches lost to forest fires every minute

by Featured NewsIndustry SectorsWildland Fire

Forest fires are burning twice as much global tree cover as 20 years ago according to new data published on Wednesday (17 August) which shows the equivalent of 16 football pitches are now lost every minute.

Researchers from the University of Maryland used satellite imagery to map areas of tree cover lost, including that burned by what are known as stand-replacing forest fires – fires that kill all or most of the forest’s canopy and which cause long-term changes to forest structure and soil chemistry.

The research revealed in great detail how wildfires have progressed over the past two decades with the blazes claiming an estimated three more million hectares each year – an area approximately the size of Belgium – compared with 2001.

The study also showed that the majority of tree cover loss is occurring in the boreal forests that blanket much of Russia, Canada and Alaska.

Around 70% of fire-related tree cover loss over the last two decades occurred in boreal regions, likely because high-latitude regions are warming at a faster rate than the rest of the planet.

Last year, Russia lost 5.4 million hectares of tree cover due to fires, the highest on record at an increase of 31% over 2020.

The study said: “This record-breaking loss was due in part to prolonged heatwaves that would have been practically impossible without human-induced climate change.”

“Forest fires are getting worse worldwide,” James McCarthy, research analyst at Global Forest Watch, told AFP.

“In these boreal regions carbon has accumulated in the soil over hundreds of years and has been protected by a moist layer on top.”

Forest fire devastates Northern Algeria

by Breaking NewsIndustry SectorsWildland Fire

At least 26 people have been killed and dozens more injured on Wednesday in forest fires that decimated parts of northern Algeria, the country’s interior minister Kamel Beldjoud said.

In El Tarf, near the border with Tunisia, 24 people were killed as well as a mother and daughter in Setif. Firefighters, supported by helicopters, were still trying to contain several blazes on Wednesday evening and around 350 residents have been evacuated across various provinces.

Wednesday’s toll brings the total number of Algerians killed in wildfires this summer up to 30.

The civil protection agency said that El Tarf was the worst hit area with 16 fires in progress.

Northern Algeria sees forest fire activity every year with 90 people thought to have died as a result last year and more than 100,000 hectares of woodland burnt.

Last August, Beldjoud blamed a spate of fires in Algeria’s Kabyle region on arson. He claimed “only criminal hands” could explain “the simultaneous outbreak of about 50 fires across several localities”.

UK wildfire numbers more than triple in 2022 so far

by ActiveFeatured News

The number of wildfires in the UK has more than tripled in the year to date compared to the the number that took place in 2021.

So far in 2022, there have been 745 wildfires in the UK – more than three times the total figure of 247 for all of 2021 – including 150 in the past week alone.

Wildfires are classified as being large enough to cover an area the size of at least two-and-a-half football pitches.

Mark Hardingham, chairman of the National Fire Chiefs Council, told BBC Radio 4 on Sunday that hot and dry weather had combined to create the perfect conditions for wildfires and that hundreds of grass and woodland fires happen in the UK every day.

“They are physically exhausting and demanding incidents to deal with,” said Haddington.

“Not only are you turning up as a firefighter in extreme, high temperatures, [but you’re] wearing your firefighter clothing, you’re chasing these fires across fields, you’re dragging heavy equipment, you’re keeping an eye out all the time for your own welfare and safety and those of your colleagues.

“Once you’ve dealt with that fire, more often than not you’re picking up another call to go to the next fire.”

Community Wildfire Defense Grant launched by US Department of Agriculture

by Featured News

The US Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service has announced the availability of up to $1bn in grant funding, appropriated under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, for the establishment of the Community Wildfire Defense Grant (CDWG) Program.

As authorized under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs funds will be made available and distributed to eligible applicants within the footprints of the Western States, Northeast-Midwest States, Southern States, and Indian Tribes/Alaska Native Corporations.

There are two primary project types for which the CDWG provides funding: the development and revising of Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP) and the implementation of projects described in a CWPP that is less than ten years old.

The Act prioritizes at-risk communities that are in an area identified as having high or very high wildfire hazard potential, are low-income, and/or have been impacted by a severe disaster.

The CWDG will help communities in the wildland urban interface (WUI) implement the three goals of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy (Cohesive Strategy):

  • Restore and Maintain Landscapes: Landscapes across all jurisdictions are resilient to fire-related disturbances, in accordance with management objectives. 
  • Create Fire Adapted Communities: Human populations and infrastructure can better withstand a wildfire without loss of life and property. 
  • Improve Wildfire Response: All jurisdictions participate in making and implementing safe, effective, efficient risk-based wildfire management decisions. 

The grants are funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Applications are now available.

FBU calls for government investment as England braces for another heatwave

by Breaking News

A health alert lasting until Saturday has been issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) set to last until Saturday evening.

The alert will be in place from midday Tuesday 9 August to 6pm on Saturday 13 August for all regions of England the UKHSA said.

Whilst Temperatures are not forecast to reach the record-breaking levels of the most recent heatwave but are expected to rise throughout the week, potentially reaching mid-30 degrees Celsius on Friday and Saturday in the South East, London, the South West, and the East and West Midlands.

Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said: “Temperatures will feel very warm again this week, particularly in southern and central parts of the country.

“We want everyone to enjoy the warm weather safely when it arrives but remember that heat can have a fast impact on health. It’s important to ensure that people who are more vulnerable – elderly people who live alone and people with underlying health conditions – are prepared for coping during the hot weather.

“The most important advice is to ensure they stay hydrated, keep cool and take steps to prevent their homes from overheating.”

UKHSA also noted that high temperatures also present a risk of wildfires, especially after long dry periods and that people with pre-existing heart and lung conditions such as asthma are most susceptible as breathing wildfire smoke may worsen their symptoms whilst children and older people may also be susceptible to health impacts.

Firefighter shortages

The Fire Brigades Union has warned that the fire service continues to be understaffed and needs huge investment, with another heatwave set to hit this week.

Andy Dark, Fire Brigades Union assistant general secretary, said: “Just over a fortnight ago firefighters had to deal with many serious wildfires across much of the country. Several firefighters were injured and many people lost their homes.

“Heatwaves have been on the government’s National Risk Register since its first iteration in 2008. Wildfire as a national risk was added to the register in 2013. Instead of improving fire and rescue services we’ve had 11,500 firefighters cut since 2010. Understaffing has been so bad that throughout the last period of wildfires nearly all fire and rescue services in the most severely affected areas had to call up off-duty firefighters and ask them to perform extra shifts.

“If we are to properly protect life and property from wildfires the fire service urgently needs huge investment.”