Adaptation of fire management plans

In Europe, most fires occur in southern countries characterized by a Mediterranean climate. Southern France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain are the most hit regions by fire. They account for about 75% of the number of fires and for 90% of the total burned area in Europe (San-Miguel-Ayanz et al., 2019). Even if the burnt area of these countries shows a slightly decreasing trend since 1980 (see EFFIS “European Forest Fire Information System” on total burnt areas), with the exception of Portugal, a large variability from one year to the next is observed, due to seasonal meteorological conditions: for example 2017 was the second year on record for increased burnt area, due to unprecedented forest fires in Portugal, while 2018 was the lowest on record. However, more European countries suffered from large forest fires in 2018 than ever before, not only in the Mediterranean area (e.g. Sweden experienced its worst fire seasons ever in 2018). Both 2017 and 2018 fire seasons were related to records in droughts and heatwaves occurred during spring and summer in the most affected regions. Even if burnt area decreased since 1980, fire danger showed an increase over the same period, especially in southern and eastern Europe (see the indicator on forest fire danger developed by the JRC PESETA III project), suggesting that fire management (both in prevention and suppression) plays a crucial role in containing fire impacts.

Climate change is expected to further aggravate fire risk, especially in the Mediterranean region, where scenarios project an increase in the number of years with high fire danger, an increase in the length of fire season and larger, more intense, and more frequent fires. Climate projections, both at low and high emission scenarios, show marked increases in fire danger in most European regions, especially in western central Europe, by expanding the area with moderate fire danger towards north. Portugal, Spain and Turkey still remain the countries with the highest absolute danger (see the JRC PESETA III indicator on forest fire danger).

The interactions of climate change with vegetation cover and fire regimes should be fully understood and properly considered in fire management, to enable adapting related plans and policies taking into account changes in fuel and vegetation type, changes in burning conditions and additional fire risk.

Fire management plans provide actions for a specific area, aimed at: (i) preventing fires, (ii) protecting people, property and forests from fire events, (iii) and using fire to accomplish forest management and other land-use objectives. Any effective fire management programme must take in consideration the ecology and fire history of the considered area, as well as the knowledge of fire regimes, probable fire effects, values at risk, level of forest protection required, cost of fire-related activities, and prescribed fire technology.

Fire management can be pursued through different techniques, ensuring the safeguarding of life, property and resources through the prevention, detection, control, restriction and suppression of fire in forest and other vegetation in rural areas. Fire management activities include:

• Early warning and detection systems;
• Mobilization and suppression of unwanted and damaging fires;
• Use of fire to reduce the accumulation of natural fuel and residues from commercial or non-commercial activities;
• Appropriate use of natural or human caused fire in maintaining ecological values and integrity of certain ecosystems;
• Rehabilitation of ecosystems damaged by or dependent on fire.

Forest fire is a process with unpredictable behaviour, and fire detection, monitoring and forecasting are crucial phases in prevention measures, to be taken into account in any fire management plan. Early warning systems (EWS) can play a crucial role in supporting the detection of potential fires, as earliest as possible. Some experiences are already in place, as the Global Fire EWS developed by the Global Fire Monitoring Centre (GFMC) or the prototype of the Fire Weather Alert System (FWSA) in the US. Technology for fire monitoring and detection is greatly improved and different tools are available for warning about fire in about “real-time” conditions, both at large scales based on satellite imagery and fire information systems (e.g. EFFIS, part of the Copernicus Emergency Management Service), and at local scale using smoke detectors, drones, etc. The use of drones is especially acquiring growing interest in different fields, due to the high-resolution data they can acquire in short time and at a relatively low price. Drones can provide information on forest structure, composition, volume or growth, and biomass, and give precise information on fire location, dimension, and evolution to be most effectively prepared for fire suppression and identify areas to be evacuated.

Other fire management actions are related to the reduction and rearrangement of combustible materials (e.g. biomass from litter, death trees or branches). Some sectors also use prescribed fire, the deliberate use of fire to meet management objectives, as in the case of agriculture, forestry, and pastoral and wildlife management. Prescribed fires are a very effective way to remove unwanted vegetation for a variety of objectives, including fire prevention because they help in reducing combustible materials more prone to burn in case of favourable conditions (e.g. drought or heat waves). The presence of a high level of combustible materials can also be favourable to extend fire in large areas, since it accelerates fire propagation velocity. So, reducing combustible materials (by using prescribed fires) can be a useful fire management strategy. A critical issue of any planned burning programme is, however, the mitigation of the effects of smoke. An effective smoke management programme is then necessary when prescribed fires are applied, such as applying fire during right weather conditions (e.g. low level for particulate matter in the air, wind not in the direction of urban centres, right conditions for wind speed and atmospheric stability).

Rehabilitation and restoration actions are part of a long term process focused on repairing infrastructure and natural resource damages caused by fire events and can take many years. Actions include: planting trees, re-establishing native species, repairing damage to facilities such fences, restoring habitats and treating invasive plants. Other sustainable forest management practices aiming to reduce fire risk and fire impacts are: (i) the establishment and maintenance of fire breaks, forest tracks and water supply points, (ii) the appropriate choice of tree species, and (iii) fixed forest fire monitoring facilities and communication equipment to prevent catastrophic fire spread.