Knowledge and
Applied Science
We facilitate projects that integrate the entire spectrum of wildfires: Research, emergency services and society.
EduFire Toolkit
EduFire Toolkit is a project coordinated by the Pau Costa Foundation, within the framework of the EU Erasmus+ programme. Its objective is to provide knowledge and raise awareness among secondary school teachers and students, about challenges related to climate change and wildfire risk reduction.
Period: 2022-2024
Funding: EC Erasmus+ Programme
Coordination: Pau Costa Foundation
Web page: edufiretoolkit.eu
In April 2022, the kick-off meeting of EduFire Toolkit was held in Can Jaumandreu (Barcelona). This project wants to develop a set of multidisciplinary teaching resources, following a project-based learning methodology. In addition, it proposes activities aimed at promoting community participation (school, family, environment) in the project.
Edufire Toolkit has a transversal approach, tackling concepts around fire, wildfires and climate change, adapted to school curricula with regard to different disciplines (STEAM). In fact, the project plans to carry out pilot tests at four schools, one school in the country of each of the partners, to apply the developed materials and obtain the assessment of students and teachers, and then adapt what is necessary to guarantee meaningful learning.
Together with Pau Costa Foundation, also partners of Edufire Toolkit are: Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), Leitrim County Council, Ireland and Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Portugal.
Other projects, seminars and conferences
ResAlliance
Period: 2022-2025
Founding: Horizon CSA Programme, call Horizon-CL6-2022-Governance-01
Coordination: European Forest Institute (EFI)
Web page: resalliance.eu
ResAlliance wants to facilitate the flow of information and knowledge, and increase the awareness, understanding and capacity of farmers and foresters on landscape resilience in Mediterranean countries. ResAlliance will gather and assess knowledge and practice needs, gaps, barriers, solutions and good practices to achieve resilient landscapes in a climate change context. The project proposes interactive and innovative participatory methods, and will activate regional governance of landscape resilience, with special emphasis on five Mediterranean regions.
SEMEDFIRE
Period: 2022-2025
Funding: Horizon Europe, call HORIZON-WIDERA-2021-ACCESS-03
Coordination: European University Cyprus (Cyprus)
Web page: semedfire.eu
In line with WIDERA requirements, SEMEDFIRE (South Eastern Mediterranean Excellence Development in Fire Research) aims to enhance the capabilities and knowledge acquisition of the European University Cyprus (EUC) in Research and Innovation (R&I) and Research- Management-Administration (RMA) in matters of Safety and Fire Management. The aim is to raise the profile and reputation of EUC to a level of excellence that will allow it to become the beacon of the dissemination of wildfire science in Cyprus and the Southeastern Mediterranean.
FIRE-IN
Period: 2017-2022
Funding: EU Horizon 2020 Programme
Coordination: Safe Cluster – Association PEGASE (France)
Web page: fire-in.eu
The main objective of FIRE-IN is to improve the national and European capacity of firefighting services by promoting innovation, and providing pioneering solutions that significantly increase the effectiveness of EU emergency services to raise the level of safety of its citizens. The expected result of the project will be a broad network of professionals and researchers in emergencies.
PyroLife
Period: 2019-2024
Funding: EU Horizon 2020 Programme
Coordination: Wageningen University & Research (The Netherlands)
Weeb page: pyrolife.lessonsonfire.eu
International Training Network (ITN) that funds 15 Early Stage Researchers to carry out interdisciplinary research on wildfires, and create the new generation of experts in Integrated Fire Management (IFM) worldwide. The Foundation hosts researcher Kathleen Uyttewaal for three years, while she develops her doctorate at Wageningen University (The Netherlands). PyroLife wants to advance in the field of IFM from different perspectives.
SAFERS
Period: 2020-2023
Funding: EU Horizon 2020 Programme
Coordination: LINKS Foundation (Italy)
Web page: safers-project.eu
The project aims to develop a complex Emergency Management System (EMS) to support the entire emergency management cycle. That is, a Big Data information system that integrates Earth observation data and services offered by the EU Copernicus programme, crowdsourcing data from social networks and other applications used by both citizens and emergency personnel, and real-time data provided by sensors to detect smoke or fires.
RESPOND-A
Period: 2020-2023
Funding: EU Horizon 2020 Programme
Coordination: European University Cyprus (Cyprus)
Web page: respond-a-project.eu
The RESPOND-A project aims to develop holistic and user-friendly solutions for firs responders. It joins efforts of researchers in 5G wireless communications, virtual and augmented reality; autonomous robots and coordination of unmanned aerial vehicles; smart wearable sensors and monitoring intelligent, geovisual analytics and immersive geospatial data analysis; passive and active localization and tracking; and 360º multi-view interactive video streaming.
FIRElinks
Period: 2019-2023
Funding: EU Horizon 2020 Programme
Coordination: Universitat de València (Spain)
Web page: firelinks.eu
FIRElinks is a COST Action of the European Union, developing a network of scientists and professionals involved in wildfire research and land management across the EU. Likewise, it connects communities of different scientific and geographical origins, allowing the discussion of different experiences and the emergence of new approaches to fire investigation.
AFAN
Period: 2021-2022
Funding: UCPN Programme, EU Horizon 2020
Coordination: Pau Costa Foundation
Web page: fireanalysisnetwork.eu
AFAN, Advanced Fire Analysis Network, has the objective of consolidating a European knowledge exchange network of wildfire experts, focused on fire analysis. The project also aims to expand and share existing regional, national and international knowledge and capabilities. All of this must serve to create an operational coordination network, based on capabilities, to respond to the wildfires affecting Europe.
Firelogue
Period: 2021-2025
Funding: EU Horizon 2020 Programme
Coordination: Fraunhofer Institute for Technological Trend Analysis (Germany)
Web page: firelogue.eu
The Firelogue project aims to create a network and platform that facilitates debate and knowledge exchange between institutions and organisations involved in wildfire risk management. The objective is to jointly develop integrated strategies to reduce mortality, accidental ignitions and emissions derived from wildfires. The final result will be intersectoral fire risk management recommendations in Europe, for a 2030 roadmap.
NEMAUSUS
Period: 2021-2023
Funding: UCPN Programme, EU Horizon 2020
Coordination: Ministère de l’Intèrieur (France)
Web page: project Nemausus
NEMAUSUS (Network of European Multihazard Capacities Hub of Scientists Understanding and Sharing) will provide the bases of the European Center of Expertise (CoE) focused on forests and wildfires. The already existing base in Nimes (France) of the French civil protection service is the starting point of the future center. The project will allow the design, development and implementation of the necessary actions in order to create a European knowledge network that will serve to create the CoE.
The Foundation organizes in-person and virtual events so that the wildfire community can share and learn about progress and new perspectives, nationally and internationally. These are forums designed to promote future collaborations, and to expand our target audience and thus reach more sectors of society.
The organization of seminars, conferences and congresses allows us to collaborate with other entities in the field of wildfires and disseminate operational, scientific and social knowledge. Likewise, we encourage the participation of members of the Foundation’s executive team and members of our network of experts as speakers at conferences and congresses.
I Jornades Universitàries d’Incendis Forestals: Reptes i oportunitats de la gestió del paisatge
Date: March and April 2
Location: Sciences Faculty of Universitat de Girona (UdG)
Organization: Universitat de Girona (UdG) and Pau Costa Fundation
The objective of the conference was to expand general knowledge about wildfires, the use of fire and landscape management, and to raise awareness of the impact of wildfires in Catalonia and the tools used for their management. The target audience was students of Environmental Sciences, Geography, Biology and Agricultural Engineering, and from the master degree in Environmental Change: Analysis and Management, and the Interuniversity in Mountain Management.
In addition to the different presentations given by researchers, representatives of the operational world and administration, a field trip was carried out to Torroella de Montgrí (Girona), to the area affected by the 2021 fire.
Fire Ecology across Boundaries: Connecting Science and Management
Date: October 4-7
Location: Florence (Italy) and online
Web page: fireacrossboundaries.org
Organization: Association for Fire Ecology (AFE) and Pau Costa Foundation
Together with the Association for Fire Ecology, AFE, and the collaboration of Regione Toscana and the University of Florence, we organized this conference which featured plenary sessions dedicated to three general themes: indigenous and local ecological knowledge; rewilding, ecological restoration and fire management; and advances in fire ecology, international research, and management. In addition, various workshops, oral presentations, and debates were scheduled.
VII Jornadas Técnicas de Incendios Forestales: los incendios del próximo decenio
Date: December 14-15
Founding: Red Eléctrica
Web page: paucostafoundation.org
Organization: Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha (JCCM) and Pau Costa Foundation
Annual conference that aims to be a space for debate for professionals from all sectors involved in the management and management of emergencies related to wildfires. In 2022, it focused on presenting, analyzing and providing solutions to the problem of large wildfires in a context of climate change. The Conference, organized by the la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha and the Pau Costa Foundation, is sponsored by Red Eléctrica (REE) and has the collaboration of the Colegio de Ingenieros y Técnicos Forestales de Castilla-La Mancha.
Participation of PCF Members in seminars and conferences
Webinar Conservatorio Internacional
Date: March 3
Location: online
Organization: Instituto Forestal Provincial Misiones, Pau Costa Foundation
Mercedes Bachfischer, member of the Foundation, and Felipe Borderas, training technician at PCF, participated in this webinar entitled “Wildfires, their global and Southamerican dimension.”
6th International Safety Education Seminar
Date: March 24-25
Location: Dublin (Irland)
Web page: ises2021.eu
Organiza: Chief Fire Officers Association, FEU (UE), European Fire Safety Alliance
Celia Conde, communications at PCF, deliver the talk “Wildfire Education” about the Foundation’s programme and activities on environment education.
Fire&Climate 2022
Date: May 23-27
Location: Pasadena (USA)
Web page: fireandclimateconference.com
Organizzation: International Association of Wildland Fire (IAWF)
Núria Prat-Guitart, head of Knowledge and Applied Science at PCF, presented “Towards enhanced emergency response capacities: empowering fire analysts and advisers through”.
Kathleen Uyttewaal, predoctoral researcher from Pyrolife project, talked about “Adapting to Wildland Fire: Lessons from Rural Mediterranean Social Contexts”.
David Martín, Knowledge and Applied Science area at PCF, presented “FIRELOGUE – Cross-sector dialogue for Wildfire Risk Management”.
FIRElinks Summer School: Bridging the gap between fire ecology and fire behaviour
Date: July 13-17
Location: Barcelona (Spain)
Web page: firelinks.eu
Organization: FIRElinks project (COST-EU)
Núria Prat-Guitart and David Martín, Knowledge and Applied Science area at PCF, participated in this school and led a field trip to the area affected by the Santa Coloma de Queralt fire in 2021.
8 Congreso Forestal Español
Date: June 27-July 1
Location: Lleida (Spain))
Web page: 8cfe.congresoforestal.es
Organization: Sociedad Española de Ciencias Forestales (SECF)
Guillem Canaleta, PCF’s Knowledge and Applied Science, presented the “Ramats de Foc” project.
Rewildfires: Rewilding, wildfires and grazing
David Martín, Knowledge and Applied Science area at PCF, delivered the webinar entitled “Fire Ecology, Silvopasturalism and Sustainable Land Management.”
I Observatorio del ODS
Luis Berbiela, member ob PCF’s Board of Trustees, participated in the round table on “La trashumancia y la tradición son las claves para prevenir incendios y recuperar la biodiversidad.”
Congreso sobre Prevención, Modelo Forestal y Usos del Suelo
Date: December 12
Location: Pontevedra (Spain)
Web page: depo.gal
Organization: Proyecto Interlumes, Programa de Cooperación Interreg V a España-Portugal (POCTEP)
Virginia Carracedo, member of PCF’s Board of Trustees, delivered the seminar “Despoblación Rural, Cambio Climático y Combustibles Forestales.”