[{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/en\/article\/modal\/8981\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EBattling wildfires from behind the scenes\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBetween 2000 and 2017, 611 firefighters and civilians lost their lives, according to the \u2018\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/info\/publications\/forest-fires-sparking-firesmart-policies-eu_en\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESparking fire smart polices in the EU\u003C\/a\u003E\u2019 report. In this 7-year period, 8.5 million hectares burned, costing over EUR 54 billion to the economy and irreparable damage to the environment. Since then, wildfires have continued to wreak havoc across Europe and in countries around the world. What we are now seeing is a new breed of wildfire: large-scale, unpredictable and intense, often fuelled by climatic conditions due to, amongst other things, climate change.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAs wildfire behaviour changes, so too is the European Union (EU) policy landscape changing. The \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/info\/strategy\/priorities-2019-2024\/european-green-deal_en\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEuropean Green Deal\u003C\/a\u003E and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/info\/law\/better-regulation\/have-your-say\/initiatives\/12674-Forests-new-EU-strategy\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEU Forest Strategy\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;for 2021 that comes under it, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/environment\/strategy\/biodiversity-strategy-2030_en\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030\u003C\/a\u003E and the new \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/clima\/policies\/adaptation\/what_en\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change\u003C\/a\u003E are forward new priorities for better wildfire protection, prevention and recovery.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003EThe fires in Portugal in 2017 and in Greece in 2018, and in Greece 2021 again, and in Turkey and Algeria, with the loss of many lives, reminded us once more about the need to have a different and more science-oriented approach to the problem.\r\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EDomingos Xavier Viegas, project coordinator and professor at the University of Coimbra, Portugal. \u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EResponding to the new priorities, researchers are pushing boundaries to save lives, livelihoods and the environment. For example, a science-based strategy in wildfire management is being developed by the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/101003890\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EFirEUrisk\u003C\/a\u003E project that will shift conventional thinking in the field. FirEUrisk is a precursor to four large-scale demonstrator projects funded under the H2020 European Green Deal: DRYADS, FIRE-RES, FIRELOGUE and SILVANUS, which aim to accelerate the adaptation process to extreme wildfire events.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018The fires in Portugal in 2017 and in Greece in 2018, and in Greece 2021 again, and in Turkey and Algeria, with the loss of many lives, reminded us once more about the need to have a different and more science-oriented approach to the problem,\u2019 explained Domingos Xavier Viegas, project coordinator and a professor at the University of Coimbra, Portugal. \u2018This need is further driven by changes in socio-economic conditions, land use, geopolitical situation and, in particular climate. We have no excuse to continue managing the problem of wildfires as if nothing has changed.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EKey to their success will be the close collaboration between researchers, stakeholders and citizens. \u2018Our goal is to benefit from all the science and knowledge that exists dispersed across so many people and agencies or accumulated in so many research institutions and put it into the service of our communities to make our forest areas free of major fires, and nicer places to visit and live safely,\u2019 noted Viegas.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFocusing on large, high-impact fires where wild landscapes border urban areas scientists will consider fire management as a holistic and integrated approach that links prevention, response and restoration in a common policy framework. It will place particular emphasis on risk assessment, risk reduction and risk adaptation. \u2018To improve fire prevention, a risk assessment will be developed which incorporates several factors that are frequently not considered,\u2019 said Viegas.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThis includes the socio-economic, economic and ecological impact of fires such as the value of properties and natural capital like air, water, soil and ecosystem services. Risk reduction will incorporate knowledge on fire occurrence and evolution to better protect communities and minimise the effects of fire on the environment. Risk adaptation will integrate knowledge and models on climate, land use and socio-economic changes to promote more resilient landscapes and communities, enabling them to adapt to the changing fire risk over the next decades.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We intend to extend the solutions developed by science and good practices to the pan-European level,\u2019 Viegas added.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003EFirefighter operators face several problems: a lack of reliable early-time fire detection tools, the unpredictability of fires and the behaviour of extreme events.\r\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003ERaffaele Bua, software architect at Nurjana Technologies.\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHelp from above\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EResearchers from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/876796\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ES2IGI\u003C\/a\u003E project are also breaking new ground in wildfire management by developing a software decision support system (DSS) that uses satellite data to predict and manage fires. \u2018Firefighter operators face several problems: a lack of reliable early-time fire detection tools, the unpredictability of fires and the behaviour of extreme events,\u2019 said Raffaele Bua, software architect at Nurjana Technologies. The DSS is set to change this.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EProvided as software as a service, or SaaS, the DSS is available via a web platform offered by the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nurjanatech.com\/newmos\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENEWMOS\u003C\/a\u003E framework and supports the three phases of wildfires: strategic, tactical, and post-event. In the strategic phase, which is forest prevention and mitigation, the system provides users with simulation models and risk probability maps that are useful for preparing for a wildfire event. The tactical phase is when there is an actual wildfire. The system supports the user with weather maps and a flame behaviour model. \u2018In the post-event phase, which is recovery, the system provides statistics and information on the burned areas, with tools and a map to estimate the economic damage,\u2019 highlighted Bua.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EWith a 5-minute lag, users are given hotspot early detection information and weather data as well as the ability to run a wildfire simulation showing how the fire would develop over the following hours.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EInitially set up to manage wildfires in Sardinia, Italy, the system can be used in other countries. \u2018We have tested the technology on an area in Australia by exploiting another satellite, Himawari, for wildfire behaviour simulation and detection,\u2019 confirmed Bua. The system has also reached new heights, managing to accurately as well as automatically monitor and detect wildfire hazards from space.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAs for its performance and accuracy, the results are more than promising. The online model has achieved a detection performance of 99.904% with a false positive probability of 0.018%. \u2018We are confident that the performance will be better with a machine learning model,\u2019 added Bua. The system will be able to compute the best routes for\u0026nbsp;emergency vehicles, track emergency vehicles via GPS sensors and produce daily fire probability maps in the future.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOn the ground\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/101020676\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EVALKYRIES\u003C\/a\u003E project is also pushing limits in research to ensure that first responders can reach those caught in disasters such as wildfires. To do this, researchers will standardise and harmonise technologies and procedures for first aid response in disaster management at the European level. This will include procedures for cross-sector and cross-border cooperation.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe team will design and develop a modular, interoperable, scalable and secure platform to aid deployment of emergency services during disasters like wildfires. \u2018The main platform to be developed is SIGRUN: Cognitive communications and resource federation for command and control of first aid responses in mass casualty incidents,\u2019 said Juan-Rom\u00e1n Mart\u00ednez Arranz, project coordinator and project manager at Indra Digital Labs. \u2018The combination and interconnection of the harmonised solutions within the project will make up the platform, providing advanced communications, information sharing, and tactical command and control services for first aid responders.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003EThe platform will support the systematic and homogeneous gathering of relevant information to improve every stage of the intervention. In other words, it will generate truthful and real-time information for the first responders\u2019 teams to make informed decisions.\r\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EJuan-Rom\u00e1n Mart\u00ednez Arranz, project coordinator and project manager at Indra Digital Labs \u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen a wildfire starts, there is no time to lose. Coordination between different stakeholders is crucial to minimise human and material damages. What role will the platform play? \u2018Based on one of the use cases of the project, located between Spain and Portugal, the 112 emergency coordinator centre (CCU) in Badajoz, Spain, receives multiple calls about fires in areas near the border between Spain and Portugal,\u2019 explained Mart\u00ednez. \u2018The platform will support the systematic and homogeneous gathering of relevant information to improve every stage of the intervention. In other words, it will generate truthful and real-time information for the first responders\u2019 teams to make informed decisions.\u2019 Thanks to this information, those on the frontline will have a greater understanding of the geolocation of victims, emergency services will be positioned tactically, and further resources and hospitals will be on standby.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile the platform will not be immediately useable in countries outside the EU, its expansion is on the horizon. \u2018This is of great interest and would allow for a very desirable intercontinental interoperability when it comes to health emergencies,\u2019 outlined Mart\u00ednez. In the future, the VALKYRIES solution could be used in other areas such as transport, defence and telecommunications.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EDisasters like wildfires are inevitable, but our response to them is not. Researchers are working across borders to prepare and respond, as best we can, to these increasingly severe fire events, ultimately saving lives and minimising the losses from them.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research in this article was funded by the EU. 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