First Call of Projects for Research on Forest Fires

Today, December 28th, FCT opened its first Call for funding for research projects aimed at preventing and fighting forest fires. The 2017 Call has a financial envelope of 5 million euros. Applications are open until February 28, 2018.

This is the first of three Calls, the following of which will open until July 2018 and July 2019, under the R&D Mobilization Programme for preventing and fighting forest fires, created by Council of Ministers Resolution no. 159/2017 of 21 October, following the recommendations of the report by the Independent Technical Commission that investigated the Pedrógão Grande fires. Total funding of 15 million euros is planned for research projects selected under the three Calls.

The Call aims to promote scientific research and innovation, strengthening scientific and technical skills and capabilities, ensuring the appropriation and incorporation of scientific knowledge into decision support in operational systems, as well as the production of new knowledge aimed at solving problems. The research areas will include:

- Governance of forest resources; Post-fire restoration and forest management; Planning and preventive forestry models; Models for the organization and management of forest areas, in terms of protection, conservation, silvopastoralism, recreation, leisure and production; management and recovery of biomass in rural areas;

- Fire management and extreme fire behavior; Attitudes and behavior towards fire prevention, firefighting and land management; Occupational health and safety of firefighting technicians;

- Meteorology, forecasting and risk management, including ignition detection and optimization of early warnings and development of intelligent observation and decision support systems; Sensing, information and emergency communications systems and their integration into decision-making processes.

For more information, see the Call page .