1

Why the project matters

Wildfires in the Mediterranean region are increasingly recognized as a critical aspect of climate change adaptation and disaster risk prevention. The area burned by forest and wildland fires in the Mediterranean basin in 2023 alone exceeded 490,000 hectares. The situation is expected to deteriorate due to rapidly rising temperatures, leading to heatwaves, extended droughts, and consequently increased risk and scale of wildfires. The current approaches to manage wildfires in the Mediterranean basin invest heavily in trying to combat fires with fire brigade resources, rather than preventing them through better protection of ecosystems and inclusion of local communities and forestry agencies in a standardized manner during the prevention phase. There is also a significant gap between research and operation in disaster risk prevention and management.

2

What it aims to achieve

• To develop a science-policy framework for fire management regarding prevention, response, and post-fire restoration strategies.
• To simulate prevention, response, and restoration exercises in selected pilot areas.
• To implement pilot activities in Greece (prescribed burning), Cyprus (Volunteer Group for prevention issues), Jordan (grazing), Palestine (Community training on prevention and response) and Lebanon (volunteer training on post-fire assessment). Each pilot will be co-designed by at least 2 partners or associated partners.

3

Expected change

• Improved the efficiency and effectiveness of wildfire management while reducing risks to firefighters and communities.
• Enforced adoption of nature-based solutions, such as green infrastructure, ecosystem restoration, and natural firebreaks, to enhance ecosystem resilience and reduce wildfire risk.
• Restored degraded landscapes.
• Improved water retention.
• Habitat provided for biodiversity while reducing fire spread.

4

What the project delivers

• Inventory of scientific tools in fire management including, software, and applications utilized in the prevention, monitoring, analysis, and response to wildfires, predicting fire behaviour, satellite imagery for early detection and monitoring.
• Development of a science-policy framework for fire management regarding prevention, response, and post-fire restoration strategies.
• Implementation and evaluation of the developed SIMMER framework and selected technologies for prevention, response, and restoration in five pilot regions in Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine.
• Creation of a comprehensive online platform for fire management that serves as a central hub for stakeholders.
• Establishment of a comprehensive training framework for wildfire management professionals and engage communities in wildfire prevention, post-fire landscape restoration and safety education.

5

Who benefits

• Public administrations (20).
• Fire services and emergency services (15 organizations and 500 individuals).
• Local authorities (200).
• Environmental organizations (20).
•  NGOs and Communities and (30 organisations and 100 000 people).
• Private sector (300 organisations).