GLOSSARY

FIRE-RES is built around several key concepts. In this section, we present some of them, defined by our consortium partners.

Extreme Wildfire Events

Wildfires where large-scale complex interactions between fire and atmosphere occur, generating pyro-convective behaviour and coupling processes that result in fast, intense, uncertain, and fast-paced changing fire behaviour.

Unlike very large wildfires, the key parameters defining EWEs include fire line intensity exceeding 10,000 kW/m, rate of spread surpassing 50 m/min, spotting distances extending beyond 1 km, and the manifestation of prolific to massive spotting. Concurrently, EWE exhibit an extraordinary growth rate, measured in surface per hour (ha/h). To delve deeper into FIRE-RES definition of EWE, read “FIRE-RES Transfer of Lessons Learned on Extreme wildfire Events to key stakeholders. Deliverable D1.1″¹ or “Defining Extreme Wildfire Events: Difficulties, Challenges, and Impacts”². This definition refers only to the event, without contemplating the consequences of an EWE.

Imagine a fire so powerful and whose spread is so rapid that it grows faster the deploying capacity of the emergency system. The intensity prevents firefighters from working in its proximity. Such extreme wildfires overwhelm the decision-making capabilities of the emergency system. The fire becomes so fast and intense that it poses a significant threat to firefighters, communities, and the environment. The unpredictability of such events makes it difficult for emergency responders, decision-makers and inhabitants to effectively manage and respond, leading to potential risks for people, property, and natural surroundings. In short, Extreme Wildfire Events are not just regular fires; they’re highly dangerous, fast, and challenging to control, with the potential for severe impacts on both the environment and society.

¹Castellnou, M., Nebot, E., Estivill, L., Miralles, M., Rosell, M., Valor, T., Casals, P., Duane, A., Piqué, M., Górriz-Mifsud, E., Coll, L., Serra, M., Plana, E., Colaço, C., Sequeira, C., Skulska, I., Moran, P. (2022). FIRE-RES Transfer of Lessons Learned on Extreme Wildfire Events to Key Stakeholders. Deliverable D1.1 FIRE-RES Project. 119 pages. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10260790.

²Tedim, F., Leone, V., Amraoui, M., Bouillon, C., Coughlan, M.R., Delogu, G.M., Fernandes, P.M., Ferreira, C., McCaffrey, S., McGee, T.K., et al. (2018). Defining Extreme Wildfire Events: Difficulties, Challenges, and Impacts. Fire, 1(1), 9. https://doi.org/10.3390/fire1010009.

Fire-resilient landscape

This concept encompasses both the ecological and social dimension of a landscape, accepting the fire presence.

A fire resilient landscape is “a socio-ecological system that accepts the presence of fire, whilst preventing significant losses through landscape management, community engagement and effective recovery” ³. The architecture of a fire-resilient landscape thus extends beyond ecological considerations to embrace the entire socio-ecological system, including physical, ecological, economic, and social elements, as graphically illustrated here. To operationalize the concept, FIRE-RES proposes a multidimensional approach, where each dimension (e.g., infrastructure capacity, emergency management, economic factors, social and individual aspects, physical landscape configuration, and forest/ecological functioning) is assessed through monitoring parameters and corresponding thresholds.

A fire-resilient landscape is like a community that is well-prepared to handle wildfires and bounce back afterwards. In simple terms, we want our landscapes to be ready for the unexpected, like wildfires. This readiness involves looking at everything – from the environment and economy to how people live and work in an area. This includes for instance: infrastructure, emergency plans, the local economy, social factors, how the land is structured, and the health of the forests.

We need not just healthy ecosystems but also good emergency plans and policies. To achieve a fire-resilient landscape, we might need to change how we use the land, how we behave, and even how we manage forests. It is about finding a balance that works for each community while making sure everyone benefits. And it is not a one-size-fits-all – different regions may need different approaches.

³ Thacker, F.E.N., Ribau, M.C., Bartholomeus, H., et al. (2023). What is a Fire Resilient Landscape? Towards an Integrated Definition. Ambio, 52, 1592–1602. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-023-01891-8.

Integrated Fire Management

An approach which addresses the challenges and considerations posed by both damaging and beneficial fires. It considers the natural environments and socio-economic systems in which these fires occur.

IFM provides a conceptual framework for planning and operational systems that encompass social, economic, cultural and ecological assessments with the objective of minimizing fire damage and maximizing its benefits (Rego et al. 2010 ⁴; Faivre et al. 2018 ⁵). The strategy involves evaluating and balancing the risks associated with fire, while also recognizing the potential ecological and economic benefits that it may play in specific areas, landscapes or regions (Myers 2006⁶). IFM represents a comprehensive planning and operational strategy that incorporates social, economic, cultural, and ecological dimensions to effectively address the impact of wildfires. The primary goal is to minimize wildfire damage while maximizing associated benefits. In the pursuit of an Integrated Fire Management approach, FIRE-RES focuses on four key pillars: 

  • Understanding Extreme Wildfire Behaviour and Drivers, by analysing the unique and insufficiently known behaviour of Extreme Wildfire Events (EWE), investigating the specific drivers influencing the trends and behaviour of EWE.

  • Emergency Management: evaluating how emergency management services respond to Extreme Wildfire Events.

  • Landscape and Economy: recognizing the pivotal role of landscape management and the economic viability of resilience measures and striving to create fire-resilient territories and communities through strategic interventions.

  • Governance, Society, Communication and Risk Awareness: examining the roles of governance and society in the context of Extreme Wildfire Events as well as adopting and developing a proactive governance approach to enhance societal resilience, improve risk awareness, and streamline communication strategies. 

FIRE-RES, in aligning with these pillars, aims to advance the understanding of Extreme Wildfire Events, optimize emergency response, enhance landscape resilience, and foster effective governance and societal engagement. This integrated approach seeks to create a framework that not only mitigates the impact of wildfires but also contributes to sustainable and resilient communities, by using fire not only as a tool but as a way to restore the role of fire in the ecosystem.

There are complementary definitions proposed by the project FirEUrisk, such as “Holistic Landscape Fire Management” and “Integrated Wildfire Risk Management” ⁷. 

IFM is like having a smart plan to restore the role of fire, taking into account everything – how people live, how the land is managed and even the economy. The main goal is to make sure wildfires don’t cause too much harm and, if possible, bring some benefits. FIRE-RES is all about getting to know extreme wildfires better, making sure emergency teams can handle them well, keeping our homes and workplaces ready, and improving how we all work together when wildfires happen. The aim is to create safer and stronger communities that incorporate the role of the fire and that can bounce back from wildfires.

⁴ Rego, F., Rigolot, E., Fernandes, P., Montiel, C., Sande Silva, J. (2010). Towards Integrated Fire Management. European Forest Institute, 16 p. ISBN 978-952-5453-48-5. ffhal-02823739f.

⁵ Vallejo Calzada, V., Faivre, N., Cardoso Castro Rego, F. (2018). Forest Fires: Sparking Fire-Smart Policies in the EU. In N. Faivre (Ed.), European Commission, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, Publications Office. https://doi.org/10.2777/181450. 

⁶ Myers, R.L. (2006). Living with Fire—Sustaining Ecosystem and Livelihoods Through Integrated Fire Management. Global Fire Initiative, The Nature Conservancy, Tallahassee, Florida, USA.

⁷ Eftychidis, G., Viegas, D., Chuvieco, E., Doerr, S., Gitas, I. (2023). Advancing Wildfire Management in a Climate Change Context: A Call for the Integration of Holistic Ecosystem and Landscape Management Frameworks in EU Policies. FirEUrisk Project. FirEUrisk Steering Committee Policy Brief. https://fire-res.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/RISE-FIREURISK-BRIEF_V2a.pdf.

Fire-smart Territory

The synergy of economic and social endeavours in a fire-prone area to reduce the risk of wildfires.

Following Tedim et al. (2016) ⁸, an FST is a fire-prone territory in which the integration of economic and social activities aimed at risk reduction and conservation of natural values and ecosystem services is accomplished by aware and well-trained empowered communities, able to decide the objectives and practices for preventing, controlling or utilizing fire.

A later definition by Leone et al (2020) ⁹acknowledges FSTs as having a shared governance model, in which empowered communities with high levels of knowledge and skills are able to decide and manage wildfire risk to keep it very low, through economic and social activities that not only can contain (in the end eliminate) wildfire hazard but promote the benefits of fire use.

You can picture a community where everyone is aware and well-trained to handle wildfire risks. In these places, people work together to reduce the dangers of wildfires while also protecting the environment and the benefits it provides us, like clean air and water. This is not just about reacting to fires when they happen – it is about being proactive. People in these communities decide how to prevent fires, control them when they occur, and even use fire in beneficial ways. It is like having a team effort where everyone plays a part in keeping the area safe and thriving.

⁸ Tedim, F., Xanthopoulos, G. (2016). A Wildfire Risk Management Concept Based on a Social-Ecological Approach in the European Union: Fire-Smart Territory. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 18, 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2016.06.005.

⁹ Leone, V., Tedim, F., Xanthopoulos, G. (2020). Fire-Smart Territory as an Innovative Approach to Wildfire Risk Reduction. In Extreme Wildfire Events and Disasters (pp. 213-235). ISBN 9780128157213. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-815721-3.00011-4.