FCT promotes session on "Rural Fires: Better management based on scientific evidence

FCT, together with ForestWISE - Collaborative Laboratory for Integrated Forest and Fire Management and the Agency for Integrated Management of Rural Fires (AGIF), will organize a session on "Rural Fires: Better management based on scientific evidence"(program) on 27 November, from 9:30 to 18:00, in the Auditorium of the Portuguese Institute of Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), in Algés. In the event will be presented and discussed the projects supported by the FCT under the Call of Projects of Scientific Research and Technological Development within the scope of Prevention and Fight Against Forest Fires.

The Call already has two editions completed, having funded 37 research projects in various scientific areas, for a total amount of 10 million euros. The opening of this Call, which will have a third edition, was determined by Resolution No. 159/2017 of the Council of Ministers, which, among a wide range of measures to improve the prevention and fighting of rural fires, included the creation of a mobilizing program of Research and Development oriented to these purposes. The need to promote scientific research and innovation in this area was a need identified by the Independent Technical Commission created by Parliament to analyze the fires that occurred in June 2017.

This event is intended to stimulate interaction between researchers who, in different scientific areas, work on the subject of rural fire prevention and fighting, seeking the establishment of scientific cooperation networks, the promotion of multidisciplinarity and the identification of knowledge gaps. The goal is to contribute to design and implement ways of rural fire risk governance and management that are based on scientific knowledge.

The initiative is open to the entire scientific community and all interested parties, and participation is free with prior registration. FCT has produced a brochure with the IC&DT Projects in the scope of Forest Fire Prevention and Fighting, from Calls 2017 and 2018, which can be consulted here.

Program and Registration.