Harmonizing wildfires risk assessment is the central topic of this scientific publication.

Abstract

Wildfires risk assessment plays a key role in each phase of the wildfire cycle, enabling the shift from fire suppression to prevention activities while improving decisions for response and restoration activities. Moreover, it enables synergies between fire and landscape management for achieving an integrated fire management approach. Because wildfires’ complexity depends on different meteo-climatic, physics and human aspects, wildfire risk assessment and mapping still lack a consolidated science-based methodology as it is for other natural hazards. Such a gap limits its adoption across all different authorities involved in wildfire management, for local, national and regional governments. Moreover, it affects the capacity to properly handle transboundary aspects, considering that wildfires are not limited by national borders. The IPAFF project proposes an approach to develop a common methodology, starting from evaluating wildfires risk assessment capacities in Western Balkans and Turkey. Leveraging the European guidelines on risk assessment and tightening the focus on wildland fires, the analysis assesses capacities considering the following aspects: i) the legal and institutional framework shaping roles and responsibilities of authorities for fire and landscape management at different governmental levels; ii) coordination mechanisms and procedures; iii) data, methods, and tools; iv) mobilization of technical and managerial expertise. Each aspect is broken down into diverse criteria ranked through qualitative structured interviews addressed to a panel of key stakeholders and decision-makers in each country, identifying weaknesses and threats to be handled for developing and implementing wildfire risk assessment. Results are elaborated in the formulation of a regional technical guideline, consolidated through focus groups, calibrating and harmonizing the guideline’s content, considering the results of the capability assessment conducted in each country. The set of recommendations for elaborating the guideline, will contribute in developing a common regional approach for wildfire risk mapping in Western Balkans and Turkey, considering EU and international standards.

How to cite

Reference – Fiorucci, P., Pernice, U., Cvetković, V. M., & Rajkovcevski, R. (2022). Harmonizing wildfires risk assessment in Western Balkans through the IPAFF project.