forestfire 2016...forestfire 2016 book of abstracts | 5 preface organizing an international...

FORESTFIRE 2016 International Conference on Forest Fires and WUI Fires

May 25-27 mai, 2016 - Aix-en-Provence (France)

Presented by Irstea Aix-en-Provence

(Risks Ecosystems Vulnerability Environment Resilience Research Unit, Mediterranean

Ecosystems and Risks Team)

French Southern Zone Fire Fighting Defense and Security Service

Innovation Cluster for Risk Management CLUSTER SAFE

Organisers

Sponsors

Irstea Aix-en-Provence

RECOVER

Etat Major Interministériel de la zone de défense et de sécurité Sud

SAFE CLUSTER

International Association of Wildland

Fire Centre d’Aix-en-Provence

Le laboratoire OT Med

(Objectif Terre bassin

Méditerranéen)

Région Provence-Alpes-Côte

d’Azur

Ministère de l’Environne-

ment, de l’Energie et de la Mer

Ministère de la

Culture et de la Com-munication

In partnership with

http://www.bouches-du-rhone.gouv.fr/Services-de-l-Etat/Prefecture-et-sous-prefectures/La-zone-de-defense-et-de-securite-sud

http://www.bouches-du-rhone.gouv.fr/Services-de-l-Etat/Prefecture-et-sous-prefectures/La-zone-de-defense-et-de-securite-sud

http://www.pole-risques.com/

Table of contents

Preface ..................................................................................................... 5

About Irstea .............................................................................................. 6

About the conference .............................................................................. 7

Location .................................................................................................... 8

Conference committees ........................................................................... 9

Featured speakers .................................................................................. 10

Oral Abstracts ......................................................................................... 20

Posters Abstracts .................................................................................... 72

Index of oral presentations and posters ................................................ 88

Index of authors ..................................................................................... 91

FORESTFIRE 2016 Book of Abstracts |

5

Preface

Organizing an international conference on forest fires with a particular focus on wildland urban interface became a requirement these last decades, due to the increasing spread of periurban areas within wildland and the induced risk in all the Mediterranean regions. New research questions related to forest fires have risen, including fire behavior at the interface, specificity of the vegetation features, ignition likelihood, vulnerability of human values, specific constraints for fire fighting and suppression, urban land management and planning for risk mitigation. Even more than for wildland fires, the human question is the central concern of WUI fires. This led to WUI thematic sessions in most forest fire conferences. A first edition of the ForestFire conference was held in September 2013 in Aix-en-Provence. It focused on the assessment and mapping of the fire risk at the interface. In addition to its ambition to draw a new appraisal of the current scientific knowledge produced by the research institutions, this 2016 edition also tried to propose some new solutions to the stake holders, including land and risk managers, houses designers as well as fire suppression and security services.

In this perspective, the ForestFire 2016 conference was organised by Irstea Aix-en-Provence in collaboration with the Safe Cluster and the "Etat major interministériel de la zone de défense et de sécurité sud" and in partnership with the International Association of Wildland Fire". The conference allowed high level scientific exchanges and also profitable exchanges between researchers, forest and land managers, fire fighters, all of them working for the protection of the Mediterranean territories.

The conference gathered 118 people from 18 different nationalities and included 38 oral presentations, 2 workshops and a poster session with 13 presentations. The opening ceremony featured the talks of Alan Goodwin, representative of Victoria State Fire Services (Australia), Denise Blankenship and Gordy Sachs, representatives of the US Forest Services (USA) and Lieutenant-Colonel Jean-Jacques Bozabalian, representative of the "Etat-Major Interministériel de la Zone de Défense et de Sécurité Sud".

The closing ceremony featured the talks of Eric Martin, regional manager of Irstea Aix-en-Provence and of Pr. Thierry Tatoni head of the Mediterranean Institute of marine and terrestrial Biodiversity and Ecology (Aix-Marseille University). During the field trip the attendees were presented the most recent technics in terms of simulation of risks and of firefighters training as well as the firefighting means implemented during a fire.

We warmly thank the institutions that sponsored this conference: Région Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Aix-Marseille University in the framework of Labex OTMed, Irstea, Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Environment. We are also grateful to those who helped to spread the information regarding this conference, and to the people who helped for its organization. We also thank the "Service Départemental d’Incendie et de Secours des Bouches-du-Rhône (SDIS 13)" and the "Entente pour la forêt méditerranéenne" for their interventions during the field trip.

Thank you!


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About Irstea Irstea: a targeted research institute aimed at decision and action

Irstea, the National Research Institute of Science and Technology for Environment and

Agriculture (formerly Cemagref), is a public scientific and technical institute in joint

supervision with the Ministry of Research and the Ministry of Agriculture. The institute

is composed of 9 sites spread over the French territory.

Irstea has built a multidisciplinary and systemic approach to three domains – water,

environmental technologies and land – which today form the basis of its strength and

originality.

Irstea contributes to public debate through its areas of expertise by disseminating its

scientific and technological results in a wide variety of ways (publications, newsletters,

patents, expert reports, etc.). It aims at spreading knowledge to a large audience using

suitable communication activities.

The institute is heavily involved with training through research by hosting doctoral and

post-doctoral students every year in collaboration with universities and higher

education institutions.

The Team EMR

Mediterranean ecosystems and risks in Aix en Provence

A part of the work in EMR focuses on the frequency and intensity of forest fires that pose a

permanent threat to public safety and environment quality. Global change, resulting from

climate change and land use change (in particular due to the expansion of the urban area and

the decline of agriculture) is especially significant in the Mediterranean area. Understanding the

fire risk in wildland-urban interfaces, analyzing and managing the capacity of Mediterranean

forests to cope fires and climatic stress, as well as analyzing the spatio-temporal variation of

fires that will shape landscape and biodiversity are among the main topics of our team.

Within this context, the EMR team's aim is to develop sustainable development, decision-

making support tools for public, policy makers and land planners in the Mediterranean area.


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About the conference Purpose

WUI management for wildfire mitigation has become an increasingly critical stake these last

years in many Mediterranean regions in the world, including Europe, Northern Africa,

California, South America, Australia, Southern Africa, but also in areas with up to now

temperate or tropical climate, as a result of both climate change and land cover change.

But the same fire process affects wildlands and the wildland-urban interfaces, although fuel

types, fire behavior, fire fighting strategies, vulnerability and values, and even fire micro-local

weather conditions may radically differ. The high density of anthropogenic ignitions within the

WUI areas threatens wildland areas, while the great intensity emitted by large wildland fires

contributes to their destructive power when arriving at WUI.

Following the first ForestFire conference focused on WUI fires in 2013, this second conference

will try to sum up the scientific knowledge related to the relationship between WUI fires and

wildland fires, and will favor exchanges between researchers and risk managers, security

services and general decision-makers on this topic.

Conference objectives

To foster new collaborations among managers, researchers, firefighters, residents, educational institutions and others in different regions and countries.

To create a forum where presenters and participants can integrate across the topic.

To describe lessons learned and discuss development of innovative and contemporary fuels management programs that reduce risk to communities and improve/ maintain ecosystem health.

To raise awareness of the diversity of approaches, issues and ideas nationally and globally in wildland fire management.

To showcase and promote development of innovative management and research ideas.

Target Audience

Researchers and scientists

University students

Fire, forest and land managers

Fire management consultants

Agency fire administrators

Decision makers and local authorities

Firefighters, etc.


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Language Both French and English talks with simultaneous translation.

Contact [email protected] ; http://forestfire.irstea.fr

Location

The conference took place in Aix-en-Provence, France at the National School for Firefighter

Officers (ENSOSP).

About Aix en Provence

Town of water, town of art… Everyone knows that Aix was built and has developed around this

dual identity.

But the town also knows how to blend different eras and culture. Open to the world, it is a city

of human dimension where the preserved heritage and the city of tomorrow blend perfectly.

Here, all is colour and sensation: the light of the sky, the golden stone of the facades, the

transparent green of the fountains, the shade of the plane trees, surprises held by the festival

nights…

Aix en Provence gives you a warm welcome.

Aix en Provence tourist office : Les allées provençales, 300 av. Giuseppe Verdi, BP 160, F-13605 Aix-en-Provence cedex 1 TEL. : +33 4 42 161 161 FAX: +33 4 42 161 162 Website: www.aixenprovencetourism.com E-Mail : [email protected]

Municipality of Aix en Provence The website of the Aix en Provence municipality provides some cultural information relating to cultural infrastructures, heritage, cultural events, Provencal culture, etc. http://www.aixenprovence.fr/Culture News in « Pays d’Aix « The Pays d’Aix website provides some information about news and events occurring in the region. http://www.aixpaysdaix2013.com/

mailto:[email protected]

http://forestfire.irstea.fr/

http://www.aixenprovencetourism.com/

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.aixenprovence.fr/Culture

http://www.aixpaysdaix2013.com/


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Conference committees

Scientific committee 2016

Blanchi Raphaele CSIRO Melbourne, Australia

Bouillon Christophe Irstea Aix en Provence, France

D’Avezac de Castéra Hubert MTDA Aix en Provence, France

Galiana Luis Universidad Complutense Madrid, Spain

Ganteaume Anne Irstea Aix en Provence, France

Jappiot Marielle Irstea Aix en Provence, France

Kocher Susan University of California Cooperative

Extension

USA

Leonard Justin CSIRO Melbourne, Australia

Maillé Eric Irstea Aix en Provence, France

Mantzavelas Antonis OMIKRON ltd Thessaloniki, Greece

Rigolot Eric INRA Avignon, France

Santoni Paul-Antoine Université de Corse Pascuale Paoli Corte, France

Sauvagnargues-Lesage Sophie Ecole des Mines Alès, France

Salis Michele CMCC, Sassari University Sassari, Italy

Sirca Constantino DIPNET, IAFENT-CMCC, Sassari

University

Sassari, Italy

Organizing committee 2016

Bouillon Christophe IRSTEA/RECOVER/EMAX

Breil Dominique IRSTEA

Dumaz Jean-Michel CLUSTER SAFE

Frerson Christophe French Southern Zone of Defense and Security

Ganteaume Anne IRSTEA/RECOVER/EMAX

Jappiot Marielle IRSTEA/RECOVER/EMAX

Kocher Susie French Southern Zone of Defense and Security Service and

University of California)

Maillé Eric

Morge Denis

IRSTEA/RECOVER/EMAX

(IRSTEA/RECOVER/EMAX)


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Featured speakers

Dr. Donatella Spano - Full Professor, Biometeorologist at the University of Sassari (Italy) - Regional Minister for the Protection of the Environment – Sardinia.

Advances in the application of wildfire spread modeling for risk assessment and management in the Mediterranean area. Wildfires represent a substantial threat to Southern European forests and ecosystems and every year cause extensive losses to anthropic infrastructures and values. On average more than 500,000 hectares of land burn every year in Europe, with large spatial and temporal variability, and with the largest area burned and impacts concentrated in Mediterranean countries. Although the economic investments in wildfire suppression, training and education have progressively increased during the last decades, extreme weather events facilitated the incidence and the behavior of large forest fires in Southern Europe, that overwhelmed suppression capabilities. Large wildfire spread represents the primary contributor to wildfire losses, forest disturbances and area burned, and also led to an enormous amount of atmospheric trace gas concentrations and CO2 emissions, impacting on air quality and human health. It is also known that in the future decades the impacts of large wildfires in Southern Europe may be exacerbated by climate change. All the above points have led to extensive research and development of tools for operational and decision-making purposes. As part of efforts to improve risk estimation and prevention efforts, we here present the advances in the use of wildfire simulation models to investigate spatiotemporal patterns in fire behavior and risk and to evaluate fuel treatments and risk mitigation strategies. A key component of these advances is related to the application of a fire simulation algorithm (minimum travel time, MTT) that makes computationally feasible the simulation of thousands of fires and characterize fire behavior and exposure profiles over large areas. The simulation outputs take into account wildfire tipology on complex landscapes under variable weather and fuel conditions, as well as the uncertainties associated with wildfire events in terms of likelihood, location, timing, and behavior. In conclusion, wildfire spread modeling can provide data and information for a range of wildfire-related issues including climate and land use changes, fuel treatment strategies, identification of priorities for risk management, hydrological impacts, habitat and biodiversity conservation, carbon offsets, and WUI protection. For these reasons, such approach has been successfully implemented in many areas of Southern Europe to support wildfire policy, management and mitigation issues.

Publications

1. MANCOSU N., SNYDER R.L., SPANO D. (2014). Procedures to Develop a Standardized Reference Evapotranspiration Zone Map.. JOURNAL OF IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE ENGINEERING, ISSN: 1943-4774, doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0000697

2. AGER A. A., PREISLER H., ARCA B., SPANO D., SALIS M. (2014). Wildfire risk estimation in the Mediterranean area. ENVIRONMETRICS, ISSN: 1180-4009, doi:10.1002/env.2269


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3. ARCA B, SALIS M, AGER AA, PELLIZZARO G, PINTUS GV, ALCASENA F, SPANO D, DUCE P (2014) Temporal patterns of wildfire probability and intensity in Northern Sardinia, Italy. Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 16, 13179 p. ISSN 1607-7962

4. SALIS M, AGER AA, ARCA B, FINNEY MA, ALCASENA F, BACCIU V, DUCE P, MUNOZ LOZANO O, SPANO D (2014). Analyzing wildfire exposure on Sardinia, Italy. Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 16, 11596 p. ISSN 1607-7962

5. SIRCA C, SALIS M, SPANO D (2014) A regional estimate of soil organic carbon content linking the RothC model to spatialised climate and soil database. Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 16, 9923 p. ISSN 1607-7962

6. BACCIU V, MASALA F, SALIS M, SIRCA C, SPANO D (2014) Analysis of weather conditions influencing fire regime in Italy. Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 16, 14640 p. ISSN: 1607-7962

7. BLECIC I., CECCHINI A., FALK M., MARRAS S., PYLES D., SPANO D., TRUNFIO G.A., 2014. Urban metabolism and climate change: a planning support system. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, Volume 26, February 2014: 447–457

8. NOLÈ A., COLLALTI A., MAGNANI F., DUCE P., FERRARA A., MANCINO G., MARRAS S., SIRCA C., SPANO D., BORGHETTI M., (2013) Assessing temporal variation in primary and ecosystem production in two Mediterranean forest types using a modified 3-PG model. Annals of Forest Science: vol.70, Issue 7(2013), pp. 729-741, doi:10.1007/s13595-013-0315-7

9. MANCOSU, N., SNYDER, R. L., SPANO, D. 2013. Procedures to develop a Standardized Reference Evapotranspiration zone map. Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering (under review).

10. SALIS M., AGER A.A., FINNEY M.A., ARCA B., SPANO D., (2013) Analyzing spatiotemporal changes in wildfire regime and exposure across a Mediterranean fire-prone area. Natural Hazards. DOI: 10.1007/s11069-013-0951-0

11. CARDIL A., SALIS M., SPANO D., DELOGU G., MOLINA D. (2013). Large wildland fires and extreme temperatures in Sardinia (Italy). IFOREST, ISSN: 1971-7458, doi:10.3832/ifor1090-007

Bio

Since 2001Full professor in Science and technology of tree and forest systems, Department of Sciences of Nature and Territory, University of Sassari.

Research interests: Modeling of the exchange processes in the agricultural and forestry systems; Analysis and management of risks relating to forest fires, drought and climate change; Ecophysiology of tree species; Climate change impacts and adaptation strategies.

He served, among others, the following roles: Member of the Coordinating Committee of the Project EU FUME; Member of the Scientific Committee of the Project PO Maritime PROTERINA-C; Member of the Scientific Committee of the EU project Bridge.

In 2012 he received the Medal of the University of Sassari for the scientific production and in 2001 was co-recipient of the Award of the American Society of Civil Engineers' Best Practice Paper "for a work published in the Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering. Elected president of the Italian Society for the Climate Sciences. It was member of the Commission Major Hazards of the National Civil Defence.

Since 2014 : Commissioner of the Environmental Defense of the Rgione autonoma della Sardegna


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Dr. Alexandra Syphard Conservation Biology Institute, La Mesa California, USA

Balancing fire risk reduction with biodiversity conservation: lessons from Southern California

Recent increases in large wildfires at the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) have resulted in enormous social and ecological impacts across the globe. If trends in land development or climate change continue, this issue may become even more serious in the future. In southern California, large fires at the WUI have been occurring for decades, with an average of 500 homes lost per year in the last 50 years. Therefore, lessons learned from this region could potentially inform decision-making in other fire-prone areas, especially other Mediterranean-type ecosystems. We developed a research program in southern California in which we are asking why some homes burn in wildfires and others don’t; and, we are investigating which actions can maximize human welfare while minimizing harm to biodiversity. Research results have shown that vegetation management in terms of prescribed fire and fuel breaks provide little benefit for controlling the most damaging weather-driven fires. However, strategically placed fuel breaks are important for safe firefighter access to defend communities during wildfire. Given that vegetation management in non-forested landscapes negatively impacts ecological resources, trade-offs should be considered. We also found that homeowner property preparation in terms of building construction and design and defensible space may significantly reduce the risk of a home being destroyed in a wildfire. However, while defensible space does provide significant protection, there is no added benefit of treating areas farther than 100m from the property, even on steep slopes. Furthermore, when considering both local- and landscape-scale factors relative to their role in home loss, we found that the most significant factor explaining whether a home is destroyed is its location and arrangement relative to other homes on the landscape. Therefore, land use planning may be the most effective long-term solution for preventing house loss. Simulation studies also showed that land use planning decisions could also result in mutual benefits for biodiversity conservation. In particular, both home loss and ecological impacts are likely to be most effectively minimized if future development is designed to be compact and clustered, with development restricted in either high-fire-hazard or species rich areas (which tend to occur in the same areas). Ignition prevention efforts may also be highly effective as part of a comprehensive fire management program. In conclusion, the sprawling development pattern in southern California is largely responsible for the regions’ extensive home loss to wildfire, and this is why land use planning for the future may provide the most effective, albeit difficult, long-term solution. Decision-makers in other less-developed fire-prone regions have the opportunity now to plan wisely for the future.

Publications

McCullough, I.M., Davis, F.W., Dingman, J.R., Flint, L.E., Flint, A.L., Serra-Diaz, J.M., Syphard, A.D., Moritz, M.A., Hannah, L., Franklin, J. 2016, in press. High and dry: high elevations disproportionately exposed to regional climate change in Mediterranean-climate landscapes. Landscape Ecology.

Serra-Diaz, J.M., Franklin, J., Sweet, L., McCullough, I.M., Syphard, A.D., Regan, H.M., Flint, L.E., Flint, A.L., Dingman, J.R., Moritz, M.A., Redmond, K. Hannah, L., Davis, F.W. 2015. Averaged 30-year climate change projections mask opportunities for species establishment. In press. Ecography.


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Serra-Diaz, J.M., Dillon, W.W., Franklin, J., Syphard, A.D., Davis, F.W., Meentenmeyer, R.K. 2015. Divergent signals in early indicators of tree species range change under global change. Global Ecology and Biogeography. In press. Alexandra D. Syphard Page 3 12/16/2015 Conservation Biology Institute

Alexandre, P.M., Stewart, S.I., Mockrin, M.H., Keuler, N.S., Syphard, A.D., Bar Massada, A., Clayton, M.K., Radeloff, V.C. 2015. The relative impacts of vegetation, topography and spatial arrangement on building loss to wildfires in case studies of California and Colorado. Landscape Ecology. DOI 10.1007/s10980-015-0257-6.

Hannah, L., Flint, L., Syphard, A.D., Moritz, M.A. and Hall, A, Buckley, L.B. 2015. Place and Process in Conservation Planning for Climate Change: a reply to Keppel & Wardell-Johnson. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 169: 5347.

Serra-Diaz, P., Scheller, R.M., Syphard, A.D., Franklin, J. 2015. Disturbance and climate microrefugia mediate tree range shifts during climate change. Landscape Ecology 2015: 1-15.

Conlisk, E., Syphard, A.D., Franklin, J., and Regan, H.M. 2015. Predicting the impact of fire on a vulnerable multi-species community in a dynamic vegetation model. Ecological Modelling 301: 27-39.

Syphard, A.D., Keeley, J.E, 2015. Location, timing, and extent of wildfire varies by cause of ignition. International Journal of Wildland Fire 24: 37-47.

Keeley, J.E., and Syphard, A.D. 2015. Different fire-climate relationships on forested and non-forested landscapes in the Sierra Nevada ecoregion. International Journal of Wildland Fire 24: 27-36.

Moritz, M.A., Batllori, E., Bradstock, R.A., Gill, A.M., Handmer, J., Hessburg, P.F., Leonard, J., McCaffrey, A., Odion, D., Schoennagel, T, Syphard, A.D. Learning to coexist with fire. 2014. Nature 515: 58-66.

Penman, T.D., Collins, L., Syphard, A.D., Keeley, J.E., Bradstock, R.A. 2014. Relative influence of fuels, weather and the built environment on the exposure of property to wildfire in San Diego, California. PLoS ONE 10):e111414

Syphard, A.D., Brennan, T.J., Keeley, J.E., 2014. The role of defensible space for residential structure protection during wildfires. International Journal of Wildland Fire 23: 1165-1175.

Hannah, L., Flint, L.,Syphard, A.D., Moritz, M.A. and Hall, A, Buckley, L.B. 2014. Fine-scale modeling of vegetation response to climate change. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 29: 390-397.

Syphard, A.D., Bar Massada, A., Butsic, V., and Keeley, J.E. 2013. Land use planning and wildfire: development policies influence future probability of housing loss. PLoS ONE 8(8): e71708.

Franklin, J., Regan, H.M., and Syphard, A.D. 2013. Linking spatially explicit species distribution and population models to plan for the persistence of species under global change. Environmental Conservation 41: 97-109.

Syphard, A.D., Regan, H.M., Franklin, J., Swab, R.M., and Bonebrake, T.C. 2013. Does functional type vulnerability to multiple threats depend on spatial context in Mediterranean-climate ecosystems? Diversity and Distributions 19: 1263-1274.

Beltran, B.J., Franklin, J., Syphard, A.D., Regan, H.M., Flint, L.E., Flint, A.L., 2013. Effects of climate change and urban development on the distribution and conservation of vegetation in a Mediterranean Type Ecosystem. International Journal of Geographical Information Science 28: 1561-1589

Bonebrake, T.C., Syphard, A.D., Regan, H.M., Franklin, J., Anderson, K.E., Mizerek, T., Winchell, C. 2014. Fire management, managed relocation and land conservation options for a rare shrub species under global change. Conservation Biology 28: 1057-1067.


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Bio

Alexandra Syphard is a research ecologist who investigates landscape change that results from the

interplay between human and natural disturbances, especially wildfire, urban development, and climate

change. She uses a variety of spatial analytical and modeling methods to investigate how change has

occurred in the past, how it is likely to occur in the future, and what types of ecological impacts are

likely to result. She also envisions how alternate management scenarios may differentially impact the

biological and social integrity of different landscapes. Alexandra works on issues related to vegetation

dynamics and wildfire in Mediterranean ecosystems; fire science and ecology; effects of multiple threats

to native vegetation communities; biogeography and species distribution modeling; land use / land

cover change; and the influence of humans on fire regimes.

Before joining CBI in 2007, Alexandra earned her PhD in Geography from San Diego State University and

the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2005. Alexandra also received a BA in English from the

University of Mary Washington, a Masters of Public Health at the Medical College of Virginia, and a

Masters in Environmental Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University. She also completed a

postdoctoral research fellowship in the Department of Forest Ecology & Management at the University

of Wisconsin, Madison and a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Biology at San Diego State.


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Pr. Domingos Xavier Viegas ADAI, University of Coimbra, Portugal

Extreme Fire Behaviour and Communities Protection

In inhabited regions like those of Southern Europe threatened by forest fires the problem of the Wildland Urban Interface is a major issue. When persons or assets are in danger the first priority is to save them and the fire suppression effort receives much less attention from stretched fire fighting forces. These situations are even more important when fire spreads with great intensity in what is commonly perceived as Extreme Fire Behaviour (EFB).

According to our research we propose the following definition for EFB: Extreme fire behaviour is the set of forest fire spread characteristics and properties that preclude the possibility of controlling it safely using available present day technical resources and knowledge (cf. Viegas, 2012). This definition recognises the relative and subjective character of EFB and includes the fact that there are physical limits to suppress fires safely. There are several form of EFB that can be dangerous in the context of the WUI. Eruptive fires in canyons are associated to many fatal accidents in the past therefore canyons should be completely avoided for the location of houses and other settlements (cf. Viegas, 2005). Junction fires that result from the merging of two fire lines making a small angle between them were studied at laboratory and field scales showing that extremely high values of the rate of spread can be reached in these fires (Viegas et al., 2012). Spot fire are particularly dangerous in threatening the lives of firefighting personnel and the integrity of houses (cf. Viegas et al., 2014). Even if the vegetation around the houses is cleaned spot fires can reach the house and destroy it if there are weak points in its outer envelope. Conflagrations in which very large fires spread out of control under strong wind conditions are associated to large losses of lives and houses in various parts of the World.

It is recognised that in some cases there is no possibility to reach every settlement and house to protect it from a very large fire. In these cases, the population need to know if they should leave as early as possible or if there are conditions to stay and defend the houses. Given the type of house construction in Southern Europe it is found that a house is generally a good shelter for persons during the passage of the fire. Besides if there are capable persons in the house they can protect it from any starting fires and avoid its destruction.

Some cases in which fires threatened the WUI were considered. The recent conflagration of Fort McMurray fire in Canada (2016) and the large fire of Tavira in Portugal (2012) were analysed illustrating two different realities. The accidents of Águeda (1986) and Caramulo (2013) in Portugal in which 18 firefighters lost their lives to stop fires that were threatening rural settlements were described.

In concluding we can say that the problem of the WUI is particularly important in situations of EFB. This type of fire behaviour does not require extreme meteorological conditions to occur in mountainous regions. Conflagrations are by far the most dangerous situations of fire control and fire safety at the WUI.

Better policies to improve protection of people at their homes are required. In principle I recommend that people that are able and have experience remain at home to protect and defend their homes. Large scale evacuations should be done with great anticipation.

Incorporation of new ideas and knowledge in training and in operations is necessary to avoid repeating mistakes. Collaboration between operational and scientific communities is the way to achieve this.


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Publications

Viegas, D.X., 2012. Extreme Fire Behaviour. In: Armando C. Bonilla Cruz and Ramona E. Guzman Correa (Ed.), Forest Management: Technology, Practices and Impact. Nova Science Publishers, Inc. ISBN 978-1-62081-359-1.pp: 1-56.

Viegas D.X., 2005. A Mathematical Model for Forest Fires Blow-up. Combustion Science and Technology, 177: 27-51.

Viegas D.X., Raposo J.R., Davim D., Rossa C.G., 2012. Study of the Jump Fire Produced by the Interaction of Two Oblique Fire Fronts. Part 1: Analytical Model and Validation with No-slope Laboratory Experiments. International Journal of Wildland Fire 21, 843-856. Doi:10.1071/WF10155

Viegas D.X., Almeida M., Raposo J., Oliveira R., Viegas C.X., 2014. Ignition of Mediterranean Fuel Beds by Several Types of Firebrands. Fire Technology. January 2014, Volume 50, Issue 1, pp 61-77.

Bio

Domingos Xavier Viegas has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Instituto Superior Técnico in and doctorate in Aerodynamics at the University of Coimbra. Since 1992 is Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Coimbra. In 1990 he founded the Association for the Development of Industrial Aerodynamics (ADAI), which is a research unit recognized by the Foundation for Science and Technology integrated in the Laboratory for Energy, Transport and Space. Under the ADAI coordinates the Research Centre on Forest Fires (CEIF), for research, advanced training and services in the management of forest fires. Coordinated the participation of CEIF team a large number of projects financed by national and European authorities, in collaboration with various scientific and operational institutions. He is director of the Laboratory of Forest Fires. He developed research in Wind Engineering, Aerodynamics of Vehicles and Industrial Aerodynamics. Since 1986 it has been devoted to investigating the issue of forest fires (specialty Natural and Security Risk). He is the author of many articles in international journals and mentored several graduate works on the theme of forest fires. It has given lectures in various National and International Scientific Meetings on Forest Fires.


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Dr. Owen Price University of Wollongong, Australia

Wildland Urban Interface Fires in Australia: A Holistic Approach to Estimating Risk

In Australia, fire frequency is highest in the tropical savannas that comprise the northern third of the continent. However, impacts on human assets is highest in the forested regions of the southeast and southwest because of a conjunction of forest fuels, high population and occasional extreme weather. Notable recent fires include the 2009 Black Saturday fires in Victoria which killed 173 people and destroyed 2000 houses, and the 2003 Canberra fire that killed 4 people and destroyed 400 houses. Data from 1951 to 2015 shows that forest fires comprise 45% of fires that burnt houses and 52% of losses, compared to grass fires that comprise 38% of fires but only 7% of losses. Mixed grass and forest were only 9% of fires but caused 33% of losses.

In order to fully quantify risk to houses in the WUI, we must combine research into the determinants of four risk areas: ignition, initial spread (i.e. escaping initial attack), spreading to the WUI and impacts on houses.

1) Ignition. In Sydney, 40% of ignitions occur within 2 km of the WUI. Ignition points have been

used to develop a spatial statistical model to map

the risk of ignitions. Powerline ignitions are more

risky than other causes.

2) Initial Spread. Initial attack is successful in ~50% of

cases, depending on weather, fuel loads and

response time. This result has been shown in

empirical and simulation studies.

3) Spread to the WUI. The likelihood that a fire will

reach the WUI once it has escaped initial attack can

be estimated from empirical study of past fires or

from simulation. Empirical studies of fires in Sydney

show that distance is the biggest factor, followed by

weather and vegetation type. Recent burning has a

small but potentially very useful effect on reducing

the likelihood of spread. Simulation studies suggest

that treating fuels near the WUI is the most cost

effective way of implementing prescribed burning.

4) Impact on Houses. Research in Australia and the

USA shows that:

a. Planning new suburbs to reduce forest

exposure is very effective.

b. Ember attack is the main cause of loss so house construction is less important than

preventing embers entering the house.

c. Defending the house is effective if the householders are well prepared.

Figure 1: The risk of fires igniting and spreading to WUI areas around Sydney (derived from Price et al. 2015)


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d. Low garden cover and the use of exotic plants helps. Trees in the garden are bad.

e. Houses themselves are an important source of fuel for further fire spread.

Combining statistical models from this research can be used to predict and map the full risk from wildfires and to test alternative management options (Figure 1).

Reference: Price, OF, Borah, R, Bradstock, R, Penman, T (2015) An empirical wildfire risk analysis: the probability of a fire spreading to the urban interface in Sydney, Australia. International Journal of Wildland Fire 24, 597-606.

Publications

Driscoll, D. A., Bode, M., Bradstock, R. A., Keith, D. A., Penman, T. D. & Price, O. F. (2016). Resolving future fire management conflicts using multicriteria decision making. Conservation Biology, 30 (1), 196-205.

Collins, L., Penman, T. D., Price, O. F. & Bradstock, R. A. (2015). Adding fuel to the fire? Revegetation influences wildfire size and intensity. Journal of Environmental Management, 150 196-205.

McLean, C. M., Bradstock, R., Price, O. & Kavanagh, R. P. (2015). Tree hollows and forest stand structure in Australian warm temperate Eucalyptus forests are adversely affected by logging more than wildfire. Forest Ecology and Management, 341 37-44.

Penman, T. D., Nicholson, A. E., Bradstock, R. A., Collins, L., Penman, S. H. & Price, O. F. (2015). Reducing the risk of house loss due to wildfires. Environmental Modelling and Software, 67 12-25.

Oliveira, S. L. J., Campagnolo, M. L., Price, O. F., Edwards, A. C., Russell-Smith, J. & Pereira, J. M. C. (2015). Ecological implications of fine-scale fire patchiness and severity in tropical savannas of Northern Australia. Fire Ecology, 11 (1), 10-31.

Price, O. F. (2015). Potential role of ignition management in reducing unplanned burning in Arnhem Land, Australia. Austral Ecology: a journal of ecology in the Southern Hemisphere, 40 (7), 857-868.

Price, O. F., Pausas, J. G., Govender, N., Flannigan, M., Fernandes, P. M., Brooks, M. L. & Bird, R. Bliege. (2015). Global patterns in fire leverage: the response of annual area burnt to previous fire. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 24 (3), 297-306.

Price, O., Borah, R., Bradstock, R. & Penman, T. (2015). An empirical wildfire risk analysis: the probability of a fire spreading to the urban interface in Sydney, Australia. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 24 (5), 597-606.

Price, O. F., Penman, T. D., Bradstock, R. A., Boer, M. M. & Clarke, H. (2015). Biogeographical variation in the potential effectiveness of prescribed fire in south-eastern Australia. Journal of Biogeography, 42 (11), 2234-2245.

Collins, K. M., Price, O. F. & Penman, T. D. (2015). Spatial patterns of wildfire ignitions in south-eastern Australia. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 24 (8), 1098-1108.

Penman, T. D., Bradstock, R. A. & Price, O. F. (2014). Reducing wildfire risk to urban developments: simulation of cost-effective fuel treatment solutions in south eastern Australia. Environmental Modelling and Software, 52 166-175.


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Rees, M. J., Jordan, A., Price, O. F., Coleman, M. A. & Davis, A. R. (2014). Abiotic surrogates for temperate rocky reef biodiversity: implications for marine protected areas. Diversity and Distributions: a journal of conservation biogeography, 20 (3), 284-296.

Price, O. F., Borah, R. & Maier, S. W. (2014). Role of weather and fuel in stopping fire spread in tropical savannas. Austral Ecology: a journal of ecology in the Southern Hemisphere, 39 (2), 135-144.

Bradstock, R., Penman, T., Boer, M., Price, O. & Clarke, H. (2014). Divergent responses of fire to recent warming and drying across south-eastern Australia. Global Change Biology, 20 (5), 1412-1428.

Benali, A., Lopez-Saldana, G., Russo, A., Pinto, R., Nikos, K., Price, O. & Pereira, J. M. C. (2014). The potential of satellite data to study individual wildfire events. Geophysical Research Abstracts of EGU General Assembly 2014 (pp. 1-1). UK: ADS.

Price, O. & Bradstock, R. (2014). Countervailing effects of urbanization and vegetation extent on fire frequency on the Wildland urban interface: disentangling fuel and ignition effects. Landscape and Urban Planning, 130 (1), 81-88.

Bradstock, R., Matthews, S., Penman, T., Price, O., Watson, P. & Williams, D. (2014). Modelling the response of surface fuel to climate change across south-eastern Australia: consequences for future fire regimes. Geophysical Research Abstracts of EGU General Assembly 2014 (pp. 1-1). UK: ADS.

Bradstock, R. A. & Price, O. F. (2014). Logging and fire in Australian forests: errors by Attiwill et al. (2014). Conservation Letters, 7 (4), 419-420.

Thomas, P. B., Watson, P. J., Bradstock, R. A., Penman, T. D. & Price, O. F. (2014). Modelling surface fine fuel dynamics across climate gradients in eucalypt forests of south-eastern Australia. Ecography: pattern and diversity in ecology, 37 (9), 827-837.

Rees, M. J., Jordan, A., Price, O. F., Coleman, M. & Davis, A. R. (2014). Abiotic surrogates for temperate rocky reef biodiversity: implications for Marine Protected Areas. GEOHAB 2014: Abstract Volume (pp. 85-85). Australia: GEOHAB.

Bradstock, R. A., Price, O., Penman, T. D., Penman, S., Gill, N., Eriksen, C., Dun, O., Brennan-Horley, C. & Wilkinson, C. (2014). Social construct of fuels in the interface: final report for the social construction of fuels in the interface (project one). Melbourne, Australia: Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre. http://www.bushfirecrc.com/publications/citation/bf-4513

Bio

23 years as a research ecologist, mostly in conservation biology. Projects included regional conservation planning, movement patterns and resource use by frugivorous birds, impacts of habitat fragmentation, impacts of mining, declining mammals, weed management, population modelling, spatial simulation modelling.


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Oral Abstracts

SESSION 1

Fuels in WUI

Oral Presentations


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O10 – Flammability of dead shrub twigs – SANTONI Paul-antoine P-A Santoni, V Tihay, T Barboni, L Leonelli SPE UMR 6134 CNRS, Université de Corse, Campus Grimaldi, France

Type of presentation: oral Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: Flammability, ignition, heat release rate Abstract: This experimental study shows the influence of the characteristic thickness of plants particles on their flammability. Dead twigs of Cistus monspeliensis with different diameters were exposed to a radiant heater in a cone calorimeter until autoignition. The ignition and burning properties of the twigs were analyzed through the ignition time, surface temperature before ignition, flame residence time, smoldering time and mass loss as well as heat release rate and smoke production rate. The particles were classified into two groups based on their ignitability and combustibility. The first group contained the most flammable twigs, which had diameters smaller than or equal to 4 mm, along with leaves. The second one included twigs with diameters equal to or larger than 5 mm. The 4-mm value appeared to be the upper limit for the size of the particles potentially involved in the spread dynamics of wildfires for radiant heat flux of 50 kW/m2. However, bark detachment was observed on the thickest twigs, which greatly decreased their ignition time. Two ignition criteria were investigated: the ignition temperature and critical mass flux. The ignition temperature increased with the twig diameter, showing that this quantity should be carefully considered in ignition models (see Fig. 1). The critical mass flux appeared to be fairly constant for any fuel diameter and could also be convenient for modeling the ignition of shrub fuels. The ignition temperature, the critical mass flux and the size of 4 mm diameter for dead fuels are direct input data that must be considered in the current physical and semi-empirical fire spread models used in fire prevention. Consummability and sustainability were also investigated through the observation of respectively the mass lost and the ratio between smoldering and flaming combustion. Author’s presentation: Paul-Antoine Santoni is currently Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Combustion at the University of Corsica, France. He is director of a research team on forest fire at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). He is an active member of the forest fire science community. His fields of research interest concern heat and mass transfer, combustion modelling, numerical simulation, experiments at laboratory and field scales and devolvement of measurement facilities.


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O27 – Application of Terrestrial Laser Scanning to estimate tree and crown attributes in evergreen broadleaf trees – FERRARA Roberto G. Pellizzaro1, R. Ferrara1, T. Ghisu2, A. Ventura1, A. Arca1, P. Masia1, P Duce1

1 National Research Council - Institute of Biometeorology (CNR IBIMET), Italy 2 University of Cagliari, Italy

Type of presentation : Oral presentation Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: voxel, canopy structure, wood-leaves segmentation, Quercus suber Topic: Fuel - Biomass assessment. Remote sensed approaches Abstract: Several environmental and forest applications require detailed information on forest canopy structure. In particular, a correct characterization and classification of fuel needs accurate estimates of tree and crown attributes. Many fuel characteristics are often hard to measure operationally requiring manual field measurements and cutting. Terrestrial Laser Scanner (TLS), based on Lidar technology can be an effective alternative to overcome the limitations of the conventional ground based forest inventory techniques: time consuming, limited accuracy, destructive measurements. Lidar instruments emit laser beam and record the three-dimensional (3D) position of every laser pulse intercepted by plant material. This information is used to product a geo-referenced point cloud that can be used to generate three-dimensional (3D) representations of plants. The high-density 3D point data, can give information on vegetation structure and tree attributes more detailed than field-based measurement. Recent applications of TLS have been directed to detailed description of the canopy structure. However, the accuracy and applicability of TLS techniques for canopy characterization of broadleaf evergreen forests needs further investigations. In particular, estimation of tree attributes such as, canopy density, crown bulk density, branch size distribution etc. in non deciduous plants presupposes a correct separation between points representing woody material, leaves and small branches. The main objective of this research was to improve the estimate of both canopy density distribution and woody material volumes in evergreen broadleaf tree species by developing a semi-automatic segmentation method for separating wood points from leaf points. In the present work we tested the effectiveness of this method using cork oak trees. TLS data sets were collected in field by multiple scanning on six cork oak trees. After using noise reduction filters, the 3D point clouds were processed to obtain voxel based models of each tree. Voxels were used as input to generate clusters through a point density algorithm. Clustering process led to the identification of wood and leaf voxels. Points belonging to each voxel were then classified and quantified as wood, foliage and noise. Experimental results show that the semi-automatic segmentation algorithm can accurately discriminate wood and foliage clusters and consequently give the points of cloud associated to foliage, trunk and main branches.


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SESSION 2

Prevention, land and ecosystem preventive management

Oral Presentations


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O13 – Transformations territoriales et gestion du risque incendie dans le massif des Landes de Gascogne : une affaire de forestiers ou un enjeu d’aménagement du territoire ? – VANNEUFVILLE Simon Christine Bouisset1, Simon Vanneufville2, 1 Maître de conférences en géographie 2 Doctorant en géographie Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour, Laboratoire PASSAGES, UMR 5319 CNRS. Domaine universitaire, Institut Claude Laugénie, 64000 PAU (FRANCE)

Type of presentation : présentation orale Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: incendie, interface, PPRIF, urbanisation, aménagement du territoire, Landes de Gascogne Abstract: Le massif des Landes de Gascogne figure parmi les régions françaises à risque important d’incendie. Artificielle, cette forêt de production de pins maritimes est très majoritairement privée. Les feux catastrophiques qui avaient ravagé le massif en 1949 ont été à l’origine de la mise en place d’une organisation de DFCI basée sur l’implication des propriétaires forestiers à travers la mise en place d’une redevance et d’associations syndicales autorisées (ASA). La pérennité de ce dispositif est donc étroitement dépendante de l’économie forestière. Or, aujourd’hui, dans un contexte où les changements climatiques risquent de conduire à une aggravation de l’aléa, l’espace landais, entre Bayonne et Bordeaux, est soumis à une forte pression en matière d’urbanisation. Cette urbanisation se fait principalement par étalement urbain sous forme pavillonnaire au détriment des espaces forestiers. Dans les zones concernées, elle conduit à la multiplication des zones d’interface amenant des populations d’origine urbaine au contact de la forêt et fait parfois obstacle à l’exploitation et à l’entretien de la forêt (morcellement, restrictions de circulation, stratégies foncières d’attente de plus value…). Nous nous sommes donc interrogés sur les conséquences de ces processus : comment les responsables de la gestion du risque prennent-ils en compte ces transformations territoriales ? Le risque est-il intégré dans les politiques locales d’aménagement et de planification ? A partir d’un travail d’enquêtes par entretiens semi-directifs et de l’analyse de documents opérationnels et réglementaires (PLU, PPRIF…) dans les départements des Landes et de la Gironde, nous montrerons la lente prise en compte de la question du risque d’incendie dans la gestion des zones d’interface. Les deux départements se sont dotés d’outils différents (PPRIF en Gironde, guide de bonnes pratiques dans les Landes). Nous montrerons que ces outils se heurtent à des difficultés d’application d’ordre technique mais aussi politique en raison de deux obstacles majeurs : 1) la réticence des forestiers à faire évoluer un système qu’ils maîtrisent et qu’ils jugent efficace ; 2) L’absence de prise de conscience des élus locaux et de la population : peu conscients des évolutions à l’œuvre et traditionnellement peu impliqués dans la gestion du risque, ils considèrent toujours celle-ci comme une affaire de forestiers et de pompiers. En l’absence de réel travail de fond sur l’information et la formation, les outils existants ne permettent qu’une prise en compte « théorique » du risque dans les politiques d’aménagement sans réel changement de fond des pratiques et des mentalités sur le terrain. Author’s presentation: Géographes, nous travaillons sur la gestion des risques naturels (en particulier les incendies) en analysant la dimension spatiale des politiques publiques ainsi que les pratiques et les représentations des populations qui y sont confrontées. Le travail que nous présenterons s’inscrit dans le cadre d’un programme de recherche intitulé « Risques et Transformations territoriales en Aquitaine » (RiTTA) financé par le Conseil régional et coordonné par Ch. Bouisset.


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O15 – Utilisation des cartes de susceptibilité aux incendies des interfaces forêt-habitat (IFH) comme outil d’aide à la décision pour la protection des forêts contre les incendies. Exemple du cas des Bouches du Rhône. – PASTOR Vincent Pastor Vincent1, Duché Yvon2, Savazzi Rémi2 1 Service Départemental d’incendie et de Secours des Bouches Du Rhône, France 2 Office national des forêts- responsable technique national incendies de forêts -46 avenue Paul Cézanne, CS 80411,

13097 Aix en Provence Cedex 3, France

Type of presentation: Oral Presentation Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: Interfaces forêt-habitat, incendies, vulnérabilité, prévention, gestion de crise Abstract: Le département des Bouches du Rhône (France) est l’un des départements français les plus fortement exposés aux incendies de forêts et à leurs conséquences, en particulier sur les interfaces forêt-habitat du fait :

de conditions de relief et bioclimatiques très défavorables (sécheresse, vent),

d’une surface élevée d’espaces naturels combustibles (170 000 ha) répartis en 23 massifs,

d’une forte présence humaine (2 millions d’habitants) au sein ou à proximité de ces massifs,

induisant une forte pression incendiaire ainsi qu’une forte exposition des populations.

Aussi, dans ce département, les autorités locales ont dû prendre des mesures de prévention et de gestion de crise pour limiter les impacts des incendies sur la population, et pour ce faire se sont appuyé sur divers outils, dont les cartes de susceptibilité aux incendies des interfaces forêt-habitat. Ces cartes sont issues du croisement (sous SIG) de plusieurs bases de données, relatives :

à une typologie des interfaces forêt-habitat (fonction de la distance entre constructions et de leur

densité)

à une appréciation des conditions potentielles de passage du feu au sein de ces espaces

(perméabilité)

au type de végétation présente au sein des interfaces et à proximité des constructions (en fonction

de la sensibilité aux incendies de chaque type de végétation).

Elles ont été réalisées selon une méthodologie unique et des bases de données homogènes sur les 15 départements méditerranéens (ce qui permet des comparaisons fiables de l’un à l’autre), et ont localement pu faire l’objet de travaux complémentaires et plus précis sur la sensibilité de la végétation. Les autorités chargées des mesures de prévention des incendies les utilisent pour définir les communes, ou parties de communes au sein desquelles il est prioritaire de focaliser les contrôles des obligations de débroussaillement aux abords des enjeux humains, mais aussi lors des phases d’élaboration des documents d’urbanisme (PLU, PPRIF) ou des plans d’aménagement des forêts contre les incendies (PIDAF, Plans de massif). Lors des phases de gestion de crise (développement d’incendies non maîtrisés au stade initial) les autorités y ont recours pour évaluer les enjeux humains menacés :

à l’échelle zonale par l’EMIZ-COZ pour décider de l’affectation des renforts nationaux en fonction des

autres enjeux menacés,

à l’échelle locale lors d’un incendie important, par le commandant des opérations de secours et son

PC de site (fonction anticipation) pour évaluer les enjeux humains menacés et adapter la stratégie

d’intervention.

Ces cartes entrent dans une chaine d’aide à la décision, qui fait également appel à d’autres sources d’information et d’autres outils de recueil ou simulation des contours du sinistre :

autres indicateurs relatifs à la densité de population

outils ou moyens de recueil d’information sur la propagation de l’incendie (aérosurveillance, caméra

sur postes fixes, équipes spécialisées)


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équipes chargées de l’analyse du sinistre et de ses perspectives d’évolution (au travers d’expertise

humaine, avec ou sans appui de logiciel de simulation des contours d’incendies)

Ces divers types d’utilisation sont illustrés par des cas pratiques mis en œuvre dans le département des Bouches du Rhône. Author’s presentation: Vincent PASTOR - Service Départemental d’incendie et de Secours des Bouches Du Rhône-chef du bureau prévention anticipation-Groupement Feu de Forêt et Risques Naturels-1 Avenue de BOISBAUDRAN-ZI de la Delorme-13326 MARSEILLE-Cedex 15


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O37 – Projet d’élaboration d’un référentiel national de défendabilité des interfaces forêt-habitat – DUCHÉ Yvon Duché Yvon, Savazzi Rémi, Toutchkov Marion Offce National des Forêts Méditerranée, 46 avenue Paul Cézanne- Aix en Provence- France

Type of presentation: Oral Presentation Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: Interfaces forêt-habitat, incendie, défendabilité Abstract: La défendabilité est une notion particulière au risque incendie de forêt car elle évoque l'intervention des services de secours dont le rôle est prépondérant dans la gestion de ce risque. La défendabilité correspond à la capacité d'une zone à être défendue. Elle s'apprécie au regard des trois principes suivants : • Les accès : la capacité des secours à accéder en sécurité jusqu'au contact des constructions à

défendre. L'accessibilité dépend de l'organisation, du gabarit et de la signalisation des voies de desserte, mais aussi de leur environnement végétal ;

• Le débroussaillement : il conditionne l'intensité du front de feu menaçant les constructions. Celle-ci peut être réduite par la mise en œuvre des mesures de débroussaillement ;

• Les hydrants : ils déterminent la possibilité pour les secours de se réapprovisionner en eau. Cette action doit pouvoir se faire dans les meilleurs délais et en sécurité.

Ainsi, une zone est dite défendable si les équipements existants sont suffisants pour permettre, dans les conditions de référence, aux moyens de secours de défendre et de protéger cette zone (. Cependant, l'existence des équipements nécessaires ne garantit pas l'intervention des services de secours et donc la protection complète de la zone. Les conditions à remplir pour être qualifiée de zone défendable sont différentes d'une situation à l'autre et doivent être adaptées aux conditions locales de végétation, de relief, de climat ainsi qu’aux moyens de lutte utilisés. Lors de la conception des documents d’aménagements des interfaces forêts-habitat et de protection de ces espaces contre le risque d’incendie, les services s’efforcent d‘intégrer dans leurs analyses et réflexions la défendabilité des différentes zones. Pour faciliter leur démarche et harmoniser les pratiques il est envisagé de définir un référentiel national de défendabilité dans lequel viendront s'inscrire les stratégies locales de défendabilité, alors que les choix locaux sont actuellement très variés d'un département à un autre. Ce référentiel est actuellement au stade de projet, et la présente communication a pour objectif de présenter l’avancée des travaux et d’ouvrir des débats sur cette thématique. Author’s presentation: Yvon Duché est responsable technique national incendies de l'ONF, et à ce titre chargé d'animer la politique de prévention des incendies au sein de l'établissement sur le territoire national. Egalement responsable du service DFCI méditerranée composé de 240 personnels spécialisés, chargés de mettre en œuvre les missions d'intérêt général confiées à l'ONF par l'Etat


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O20 – Wildfire risk and biodiversity management: Understanding perceptions and preparedness – MOSKWA Emily E. Moskwa1, D. Weber1, J. Arnold1, G.M. Robinson2, D.K. Bardsley2 1 Natural and Built Environments Research Centre, University of South Australia, and the Department of

Geography, Environment and Population, The University of Adelaide, Australia 2 Department of Geography, Environment and Population, The University of Adelaide, Australia.

Type of presentation: Oral Presentation Abstract: Many communities living on the fringe of Australian cities face major issues relating to an increased risk of wildfire events partly as a result of modern residential development encroaching on natural ecosystems but also because the environment itself is changing in association with a warming and drying climate. While a range of management approaches are used to mitigate this risk (e.g. increasing prescribed burning and altering vegetation to reduce fuel loads), inadequate policy and planning and a lack of awareness or information, exacerbate the risk. Remaining tracts of native forest often with high conservation value become under threat as the urban forest runs seamlessly into these remnant forests, and actions to mitigate wildfire risk that alter the surrounding vegetation can impact negatively on local biodiversity. This has brought forward a governance challenge that requires the mitigation of wildfire risk while simultaneously supporting improved conservation practices in these areas. Focusing on the experiences of wildland-urban interface (WUI) residents in South Australia, we analyse data collected from a large postal survey (n=988), workshops with stakeholders (n=10) and semi-structured interviews with landholders (n=20) living in areas recently experiencing a number of WUI fires. Within our study site new policies have assigned increased responsibility on individuals to manage their land and prepare themselves for a wildfire event, potentially to the detriment of the surrounding native vegetation. Our findings help us understand the perceptions and behaviours of landholders in areas of high fire risk, who often choose to live there to be close to the natural environment. Community interactions and educational programs were found to be effective in raising awareness of risk; however, negative trust relationships with government authorities and low exposure to information concerning biodiversity resulted in an overall misunderstanding of the relationship between risk mitigation and biodiversity protection. The study offers insights into how catastrophic WUI fires are reframing perceptions of what constitutes effective vegetation management. It provides recommendations to assist with the development of education strategies that concurrently address wildfire management and biodiversity conservation, and contribute towards environmentally-informed and risk conscious governance.


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O21 – Exploratory tests on structures’ resistance during forest fires – RIBEIRO Luís Mário Ribeiro Luís Mário1, Ricardo Oliveira1, Raposo Jorge1, Caballero David2, Viegas Domingos1 1 ADAI - University of Coimbra, Portugal 2 Meteogrid, Spain

Type of presentation: Oral Presentation Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: WUI, structure resistance, laboratory tests, field tests, WUIWATCH Project Abstract: Under the scope of the European project WUIWATCH (Wildland-Urban Interface Forest Fire Risk Observatory and Interest Group in Europe – www.wuiwatch.org) a set of experimental tests on house vulnerability were performed in order to assess the resistance of selected house components during the passage of a forest fire. Among the individual elements that can be most affected by the passage of a wildfire (and that have a direct relation with the survival chances of a house) the windows are the ones with greater exposure. In this sense a set of experimental tests was designed to asses some particular aspects related to the vulnerability of windows and blinds. At the same time the importance of leaving them closed (as well as the doors inside a house) during a wild fire episode were explored in order to give some scientific background to possible guidelines for homeowners. The objective of the work presented here was to make exploratory tests on different aspects of house vulnerability, namely the windows and their protective blinds. For this purpose three sets of tests were done: 1. Windows and blinds resistance to heat. Three types of protective blinds were tested (aluminium, PVC and wood) on 2 types of windows (single and double pane). The objective of these tests was to assess the structures resistance. 2. The influence of air flow on the transport of burning embers inside a house. A room was built to scale, and placed inside a wind tunnel, with one window and one door on opposite sides. The objective of these tests was to assess the importance of leaving an inside door opened on the probability of burning embers entering the room. 3. The influence of the dimension of openings on a window or door related to the probability of ignition inside a house. The objective of this test was to assess the influence of different window openings in relation to the amount of burning particles that can enter a house. A short overview of the results is presented below: 1. The purely radiative heat source provides 1.5 KW/m2 of heat impact in the structure, while the real fire generates 10 Kw/m2. When protected by the blind, the single pane window reaches 30ºC on both sides and the double pane window has a differential of 10º from the side facing the heat (30ºC) and the opposite side (40ºC). Unprotected window constantly increases temperature until the end of the test. Window blinds reach considerably higher temperatures. PVC loses its consistency above 150ºC and melts. 2. Leaving the inside door closed results in a positive pressure differential of +1Pa from the outside to the inside, inhibiting the air flow. Opening the door in half or full reverts the pressure differential to -6 and -8 times respectively, favouring the air flow from the outside to the inside. The number of particles entering the house follows the same tendency. 3. As the bottom opening in a window increases from 0,5 cm to 4 cm the number of particles that enter the house per second also increases greatly. From 5 cm until 80cm there is no substantial increase in the number of entering particles.

http://www.wuiwatch.org/


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Author’s presentation: Luís Mário Ribeiro has been a researcher at ADAI (University of Coimbra, Portugal) since 1998. He holds a university degree in Forestry from the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (1998) in Vila Real. In 2002 he held at the same University, a post-graduate degree in Forest Resources Engineering. Since he joined ADAI, he has been actively involved in the realization of various scientific research projects, national and international, in the field of forest fires. His areas of expertise are the characterization of forest fuels, decision support systems, fire behavior prediction, urban wildland interface fires and fire safety.


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O47 – A new statistical approach for wildfire risk mapping based on observed burned areas – FIORUCCI Paolo Guido Biondi1, Lorenzo Campo1, Mirko D’Andrea1, Paolo Fiorucci1, Silvia Degli Esposti1, Massimo Galardi2, Valerio Vassallo2 1 CIMA Research Foundation, Via Armando Magliotto 2, 17100 Savona, Italy 2 Regione Liguria, Dipartimento Agricoltura, Sport, Turismo e Cultura - Servizio Politiche della Montagna e della Fauna Selvatica – Via B. Bosco 15, 16121, Genova

Type of presentation : Oral presentation Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: Wildfire risk mapping, climate, multiple regression Abstract: Since 2000 Liguria Region makes use of a fire danger rating system in order to alert in advance fire risk managers in case of high fire risk. At a regional scale, potential danger forecasting provides useful information to alert volunteers and actors involved in fire suppression, enhancing monitoring and protection of the territory. Based on dynamic fire danger index forecasts, provided by the RISICO system, monitoring and patrolling activities are performed in all areas where the fire danger index exceeds the level of alert. In the last years a protocol for monitoring and patrolling the territory as preventive measure in high risk areas was implemented. In addition to dynamic fire danger maps, a statistical procedure was defined in order to assess areas at risk based on static objective criteria by observing past fire events, given the availability of fire perimeters, mapped over the last 17 years in Liguria. The availability of such data, combined with detailed information concerning topography, land cover and climate data, provides information useful to understand the main drivers and features of wildland fire occurrences and development. Seasonality of the fire regime was also considered, partitioning the analysis into two macro-seasons (November- April and May- October). Seasonal total precipitation and average air temperature maps obtained from the interpolation of 30 years-long time series, provided by more than 90 rain gauges and thermometers, were considered in the procedure. Liguria Region is partitioned in a certain number of classes, based on several information layers (elevation, slope, total precipitation, average temperature, etc.) with a recursive algorithm that ensures the equal spatial representativeness of each class. The number of fires occurring in each class is then assessed resulting in an estimation of the fire hazard. The analysis was carried out in Liguria (5000 km2) at a spatial resolution of 20 m by using a dataset of fire occurrences that spans from 1997 to 2013. The results show that the methodology is able to identify a limited number of multivariate classes containing most of the burned areas. Some strictly dependences among fire spread, climate and geomorphological parameters have been identified. Based on this map the wildland fire danger map in WUI has been provided. The new map represents a useful tool able to identify emergency situation where the fuel reduction is a priority. In this way it is possible to better address structural preventive activities in addition to monitoring and patrolling activities in the high wildland fire danger areas related to extreme weather.


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O50 – Do houses built to bushfire regulations perform effectively in extreme landscape? – LEONARD Justin Justin Leonard1, Glenn Newnham, Raphaele Blanchi1, Anders Siggins, Kimberley Opie1 1 CSIRO Land and Water

Type of presentation: Oral presentation Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: fuelbreak, flammability, wildfires, Cupressus Abstract: The Christmas day 2015 the holiday town of Wye River was impacted by a Bushfire. The fire did not arrive in the usual way, instead embers spotted into the town causing a low level ground fire to spread through the town. This ground fire spread resulted in 80% house loss. This extraordinary level of loss is due to a combination of urban design factors including, steep slopes, extensive leaf litter, extensive timber retaining wall, houses built with elevated floors and many combustible elements being stored under the houses. A survey was carried out on the township of Wye River. The survey was conducted using a new app developed by CSIRO to capture details of the house and surroundings, such as its design and landscape features. The result of the study shows that house built to recent fire regulations performed better than older house but only by a small margin. This flags a range of issues with the adequacy of our regulations in areas with very steep terrain and extensive tree canopy cover.


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O52 – Prévention d’incendies forestiers : la valeur sociale de la participation. Mesures à court, moyen et à long terme. 5 plans de prévention – VILLAMUERA GONZALEZ Miquel Angel Villamuera Gonzalez Miquel angel, Joan C. Angel Diputacio Barcelona

Type of presentation: Oral Presentation Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: prévention a court moyen et long terme, participation social,plan munipal de prévention,plan de surveillance et d'information, Gestion Préventive de la forêt adulte, aires stratégiques, Abstract: Il présente un modèle de prévention d'incendies forestiers de haute participation sociale qui développe 5 programmes qui selon sa genèse incidente dans le territoire, ils sont désenveloppée dans court, moyen et long terme. Le succès obtenu dans ces 30 années depuis l'application du premier programme, sa simplicité son degré de participation et de collaboration sociale, la technique i l’science appliquée, nous permet de démontrer que les méthodes employées, la communication et une connivence avec le territoire, la participation avec l'administration locale la plus proche, et le débat avec propriétaires et des utilisateurs de la montagne, a pu être établi au territoire des mesures préventives très importantes parce qu'ils sont adoptés à la majorité et ils se considèrent tels croyables et efficaces. Les mesures réfléchies de telle prévention sont aussi économiquement annoncées par différentes entités qui les ont promues, les étudient et les approuvent, en arrivant de cette façon à un haut degré d'exécution et d'une haute valeur pour la prévention. Les 5 programmes qui se présentent, sont divisés et encadrés dans le temps auquel ils interviennent directement sur la prévention.

• Au court temps - Plan d'information et de surveillance, Plan Municipal de Prévention

• À moyen et long terme - le Plan de prévention dans les urbanisations

• À long terme - Récupération du forêt brûlé et de la gestion sylvicole minimale dans les forêts

adultes qui améliorent son auto-défense.

Les rôles de prévention qui développent ces programmes ont 3 axes fondamentaux : 1. La participation sociale dans la rédaction des plans et l'apport d'idées et de débat. 2. La gestion économique partagée, parce qu’il a été à l'intérieur du problème. 3. L'engagement et l'exécution des œuvres par les associations de propriétaires et le contrôle technique et économique de l'administration qui promotionne les programmes Collaborent économiquement dans le financement des 5 programmes :

Les conseils municipaux.

Les Conseils régionaux.

La Generalitat de la Catalogne.

La Diputation de Barcelone

l'initiative et l'intérêt privé.

Author’s presentation: 1.- Miguel Villamuera Gonzalez, Ingénieur de Forêt, chef de section de prévention dans le Bureau Technique de Prévention Municipale d'Incendies Forestiers, dédié à la prévention d'incendies depuis plus de 30 ans, j'ai travaillé avec José Antonio Vega Hidalgo au centre de Recherches forestières de Lourizan à Pontévédra et avec Ignasi Castelló dans la Députation jusqu'à 2013. Le moteur de recherche de José Antonio uni à au moteur de la gestion avec Ignasi, porté par des idées pratiques possibles et d'un bas prix ils ont provoqué dans le temps un système de travail très pratique, utile, de gestion facile pour qu'il pût être accepté dans le territoire


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2.- Joan C. Angel est ingénieur forestier. Depuis 2002, il a travaillé sur la planification et la gestion des forêts municipales et privées. Il a également travaillé dans la définition d’orientations sylvicoles, en Catalogne. Depuis 2007 travaille à la section d'amélioration de restauration forestière, au sein du Bureau de Prévention des Incendies Forestiers de la Diputació de Barcelona (Département). Dans ces moments gère une Association de propriétaires forestiers dans le nord de la province où il développe des projets de prévention des incendies, gestion sylvopastoral et récupération de la truffe sauvage. Il encourage également la création d'une association proche de la zone métropolitaine de Barcelone.


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O54 – Recent past Land Use-Land Cover Changes have increased landscape fire- hazard and risk of ignition in a fire-prone area of southern Turkey – VIEDMA Olga Viedma Olga1, José M. Moreno1, Cumhur Güngöroglu2, Ufuk Cosgun 2, Ali Kavgacı3 1 Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales, Avda. Carlos III, 45071 Toledo, Spain 2 Forestry Faculty of Karabuk University, Balıklarkayası mevkii, Karabuk, Turkey 3 Southwest Anatolia Forest Research Institute, Pob. 264, 07002, Muratpaşa, Antalya, Turkey

Type of presentation: Oral Presentation Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: fire risk, fire hazard, forest losses, land-use land-cover changes, multilevel models, non-stationary Abstract: Land Use-Land Cover (LULC) change is a major driver of variations in landscape properties and, where fires dominate, of fire regimes. During the last decades, contrasted trends in LULC changes have been reported between the developed and less developed countries around the Mediterranean. In the more developed countries, this led to increases in fire frequency and burned area. Such increase in fire activity was not present in other less developed countries. However, the incidence of large fires in some of them prompted the question of whether these countries are now following the same route as others did before. Knowing what changes in LULC occurred in recent decades, and which factors have driven them can permit anticipating future changes in fire regimes. Here, we quantified LULC changes focusing on those that could impact on landscape fire-vulnerability, and the changing role of driving factors, over a large rural area located in southern Turkey from 1975 to 2010. For this goal, LULC maps at different time steps (1975, 1990, 2000 and 2010) were analyzed. We used General Linear Models (GLMs) with Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMMs) to account for the effects of geophysical and socioeconomic factors measured at different spatial scales in explaining dominant LULC change through time. From 1975 to 2010, the most important LULC changes were deforestation and afforestation. During the entire period, dense forests, mainly conifers, lost high area (-15%) whereas open forests, shrublands and pastures increased significantly (+12%). High livestock density, proximity to villages and forest interfaces were positively related to deforestation, which was very intense until 2000. Afterwards, human pressure on forests turned marginal and forest fires were the main cause of deforestation affecting 21% of forested areas. Landscape fire- vulnerability of this area increased through time due to the fine-grained mosaic of high flammable vegetation as well as the high number of forest interfaces created by deforestation and other hazardous LULC changes. In summer 2008, extreme weather conditions converged with this very risk and hazardous landscape giving place to the largest forest fire occurred in Turkey during its past history. Author’s presentation: I am an associated professor at the Department of Environmental Sciences at University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. My scientific interest is focused in knowing the structure and dynamic of Mediterranean-type landscapes in relation to wildland fires. My field of expertise is based on digital analysis of satellite images, Geographic Information Systems and advance modelling statistics applied to fire mapping, fire severity and landscape structure and dynamics. Also, I am interesting on the relationship of forest fires with Land Use/land Cover (LULC) changes, climate and socio-economic factors.


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SESSION 3

Human factors and issues

Oral Presentations


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O12 – Developing Fire Adapted Communities in the WUI by Leveraging Social Media & Virtual Operations Support Teams (VOST) Kris Eriksen USDA Forest Service, Fire and Aviation Management, National Incident Management Organization (NIMO)

Type of presentation : Oral presentation

Abstract: Part of building a global cohesive strategy is addressing the worldwide need to build fire-adapted communities, especially in the WUI, that are resilient enough to withstand wildfires and engaged enough to understand that resiliency and preparedness, are shared responsibilities Often the issues related to building these communities are complicated by governmental red tape and limitations which can thwart even valiant efforts to work across boundaries and jurisdictions. But fire knows no boundaries, it recognizes only receptive landscapes, so for “fire adaptation” to work, it must rise above those boundaries and communication must happen with attention only to landscapes. Luckily, in this day and age, there are tools that make it simple for us to do that, tools that do not recognize boundaries – tools like blogs and VOST. In the United States, we have been successful at using blogs to build jurisdiction-free public communications, unfettered by primary ownership or responsibility, and used by multiple agencies to create virtual, interagency, Joint Information Centers (JIC). While the JIC group sets some general guidelines about what should or should not be posted on the blog, each member of the JIC may post what they choose, when they choose, and retains responsibility for their post. No one agency OWNS the blog and no one agency is responsible for its maintenance. In fact, there is very little to maintain and usually, 2 or 3 people, “watchers,” need 10 minutes or less a day during a busy fire season. Those agencies who realize they need social media to engage with people in the WUI, before, during and after an incident, may also find they don’t have enough skilled people to engage well to meet public expectations. The answer we have found in the US, shared by France with its group called “VISOV”, is VOST, the Virtual Operations Support Team. The idea was first used in the United States by my team on the Shadow Lake Fire in Oregon in 2011, and is now used across the world: France, Spain, Chile, New Zealand and Australia are just some of the worldwide locations. In France, VISOV has been in use for some time and was even deployed during the terrorist attacks in Paris to monitor social media. The job of the VOST is to provide the extra technical skills that can make or break your public outreach. They can build & post to pages, monitor for media coverage or rumor control, archive, provide analytics and amplify incident messages. VOSTS are activated IN SUPPORT OF affected organizations and jurisdictions. Social Media is now part of the public’s expectations, but in the United States, we frequently don’t have enough PIO’s with social media skills. But, the skills ARE available outside our agencies, and VOST is how we can harness those skills.


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O14 – Fire Smart Territory: An innovative conceptual model for integrated wildfire management – TEDIM Fantina Fantina Tedim1, Vittorio Leone2 1 University of Porto, Faculty of Arts, Geography Department, Portugal 2 University of Basilicata, (retired), Department of Crop Systems, Forestry and Environmental Sciences, Italy

Type of presentation: Oral Presentation Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: Fire Smart Territory, integrated management, socio-ecological approach Abstract: The current policies to cope with wildfires are based on an aggressive suppression model. However, it is accepted that wildfire problems cannot be solved through such costly, and conventional approach, but that an effective response requires efforts both in prevention and emergency management. An efficacious policy to counteract the wildfire risk (in a scenario of climate change and socio-economic developments uncertainty), can only pass through innovative, balanced, and integrated fire suppression and prevention. This demands a shift from the reactive approach acting on fire behaviour and effects, to a more proactive one, more focused on the causes of the phenomenon, and the resilience of the ecosystems and communities. Considering that wildfires occur in a Coupled Human Natural Systems (CHNS), this paper proposes the concept of Fire Smart Territory (FST) as an innovative holistic approach of wildfire problem solving. FST goes further the mere focusing on landscapes, because it is referred to a territory scale. FST is a fire prone territory in which fire management is not obtained by waging a war against it but through the integration of suppression, prevention, and socio-economic activities. Such integration requires attention on the interdependencies between fire, landscape, climate, and society; it promotes the conservation of natural values and ecosystem services, and fosters sustainable development and people safety. All this accomplished by aware and empowered communities able to prevent, knowledgeably utilize, or control fire through integrating agriculture and forestry practices in order to minimize unwanted wildfire occurrence and impacts, mainly in the case of extreme events. FST is an attempt to coexist with fire by fostering its neglected beneficial aspects (by understanding its role in natural and anthropic systems), and mitigating its negative impacts, through the judicious use of fire which is a primary tool for land and ecological management. The goal of FST is to promote disaster risk reduction and frame a fire-resilient territory. This requires more participative and collaborative actions between the actors living, and governing the territory in the perspective of shifting from a checklist of actions to be done to an organized process of capacities development and awareness raising. Author’s presentation: Fantina Tedim is Assistant Professor in the Geography Department at the University of Porto, Portugal. She received her Ph.D. in Human Geography from University of Porto in 2000. Her current research focuses on disaster risk reduction, vulnerability and resilience assessment using a multi-hazard approach (e.g. wildfires, floods, coastal erosion, tsunamis). Her research in forest fires focuses on understanding the complex interdependencies in the human-fire-landscape system. In the last three years she published several works on large fires, megafires, wildfires causes, and vulnerability assessment. Some of Fantina Tedim activities occur on the scientific/practical interface, involving different kinds of stakeholders.


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O24 – Negligent and intentional fires in Portugal: the role of human and biophysical drivers – PEREIRA Mario M. G. Pereira1,2,*, J. Parente1, M. Amraoui1, F. Tedim3

1 Centre for Research and Technology of Agro-Environment and Biological Sciences, CITAB, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal

2 Instituto Dom Luiz, IDL, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal 3 Geography Department, Faculty of Arts, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

Type of presentation: Oral Presentation Abstract: Portugal is the European country with higher fire incidence, not only in terms of the number of fires (NF) but also in burnt area (BA). This study focuses on the north of the country where the vast majority of these fires occur, namely in the WUI of the densely populated areas. The study period is the recent years of 2012 – 2014, when 31,000 fires were recorded and the fire causes are best known. In the north of Portugal, the fire size distribution is quite asymmetric with 90% of small fires (BA < 5 ha) and only 1.2% of large fires (BA≥100 ha). Most of the fires (56%) occurs in the so-called critical period defined between July and September but high wildfire activity may also occur in periods of a few days in the remaining months. The fire causes are known for 55% of the fires and can be clustered into three classes: negligent, intentional and rekindle. The negligent and intentional fires represent 44% of total NF but accounts for 62% of total BA during the study period. Therefore, it is necessary to better understand this type of fires which is particularly associated with human factors. Main features of the spatial and temporal distribution of the fire incidence are described and interpreted in terms of the climate, fire weather, land use land cover (LULC), distance to communication routes (roads and railways) and topographic variables (altitude, slope) using statistical analysis and GIS techniques (e.g., exploratory spatial, spatio-temporal data analysis, geostatistics, mapping). Preliminary results points to: higher number of negligent than intentional fires; higher agglomeration of fire events in the coastal than in the interior region; higher fire proneness of specific classes of slope, altitude and LULC; different characteristics depending on the period of occurrence, fire size and type; and, the dominant role of fire weather in the observed temporal patterns. We strongly believe that the findings of this study contribute to a better fire prevention, firefighting and crisis management.


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O34 – Le risque d’incendie de forêt en Corse et en Sardaigne : vers une approche territoriale des vulnérabilités socio-spatiales – VILAIN-CARLOTTI Pauline Vilain-Carlotti Pauline Laboratoire dynamiques sociales et recomposition des espaces (LADYSS), UMR 7533, Université Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense, Nanterre, France

Type of presentation: Oral Presentation Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: Incendie de forêt, Risque, Vulnérabilités, Enjeux, Forêt méditerranéenne, Corse, Sardaigne Abstract: En Corse et en Sardaigne, il semble exister deux conceptions du risque d’incendie. La première – plus communément admise – celle d’un risque majeur, menace par excellence pour la « Forêt méditerranéenne », serait souvent le fait de l’incurie des populations locales, notamment des éleveurs. Quant au second, il s’avère plus banal et moins spectaculaire et traverse toute l’histoire de cette même « Forêt méditerranéenne ». C’est avec ce risque que les populations locales vivent depuis toujours, selon les contextes territoriaux. Ces deux représentations du risque s’ignorent faute d’échanges entres riverains et gestionnaires. Aux échelles locales, le risque d’incendie de forêt n’est pas perçu comme un danger ontologique pour les espaces boisés ; il est vécu, perçu et représenté comme une potentielle menace à l’existence humaine et à ces héritages inscrits dans le temps et dans l’espace. Analysé dans une dialectique risque‐territoire, les espaces boisés ne sont alors qu’un élément du territoire parmi d’autres et sont hiérarchisés en fonction des autres enjeux. Partant, les vulnérabilités ne sont pas homogènes et varient selon les échelles spatiales comme temporelles. De plus, les réponses sociales au risque varient elles aussi. Il existe donc des « cultures du risque » différentes selon les individus, les temps et les lieux. Initialement, la notion de culture du risque a été forgée au sein de l’appareil gestionnaire, pour une gestion opérationnelle de l’aléa. Les riverains, quant à eux, sont enracinés dans l’expérience personnelle et subjective, forgée à l’échelle d’une vie et étrangers à une perspective strictement technique ou réglementaire, centrée sur le temps court. On peut donc appréhender cette « culture du risque » comme une manière particulière de concevoir le risque, sur un territoire et considérer alors l’épaisseur spatiale, sociale et temporelle des territoires concernés. Quels enjeux faut-il protéger et pourquoi ? En effet, les vulnérabilités perçues, vécues et conçues varient selon les échelles et les acteurs. Qu’est‐ce qui guide alors les choix de gestion et de planification du risque, sur ces territoires ? Il s’agit, dans cette communication, de s’intéresser aux mécanismes responsables de la production de structures spatiales vulnérables - laquelle élargit le constat des interfaces habitat-forêt - aux différentes échelles, à travers la confrontation des discours de différents acteurs issus principalement d’une enquête par entretiens semi-directifs réalisée sur les deux îles. À une époque où les anciennes pratiques du feu sont contrariées pour lutter contre les incendies, les milieux se ferment, accroissant les vulnérabilités. La forte emprise agricole des milieux sardes, notamment dans l’intérieur de l’île, tend à faire diminuer les vulnérabilités et notamment les interfaces habitat-forêt ce qui est moins le cas en Corse. Néanmoins, les transformations du paysage modifient la configuration des différents territoires et génèrent de nouvelles représentations de l’environnement en fonction de valeurs esthétiques et économiques instables auxquelles aucune des deux îles n’échappe. Cependant, il convient d’analyser plus en détail, les logiques processuelles, propres à chaque île, lesquelles entraînent des configurations territoriales différentes et, plus spécifiquement, font apparaître des gradients sociaux et spatiaux de vulnérabilités. Author’s presentation: Pauline VILAIN-CARLOTTI est docteur en géographie et membre associé du laboratoire LADYSS (UMR 7533). Ses travaux portent sur les représentations du risque d'incendie de forêt en Corse et en Sardaigne. Elle s’intéresse plus particulièrement à la manière dont les vulnérabilités sont perçues, vécues et conçues sur les territoires du risque, par les différents acteurs. Depuis 2014, elle enseigne en tant qu’ATER au département de géographie de l’Université Paris 8 Vincennes – Saint-Denis.


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O4 – Changing WUI Fire Risk in Dissimilar Communities of Southern California, USA – DICUS Christopher Dicus Christopher1, Leyshon Nicola2, Sapsis David3 1 Institution : California Polytechnic State University 2 Oklahoma State University, Department of Political Science, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA 3 California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection, Sacramento, California, USA

Type of presentation: Oral Presentation Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: Wildland-Urban Interface, Risk, GIS, Remote Sensing, Wildfires, Defensible Space, Housing Density, Construction Abstract: Even with increasing governmental budgets allocated to suppression resources, wildfires annually destroy great numbers of homes and critical infrastructure in the wildland-urban interface (WUI). To aid policy development, we evaluated changes to risk through time in dissimilar communities that are expanding into fire-prone areas, which conventional wisdom states would contribute to escalating losses. However, various mitigation strategies such as defensible space and improved construction standards have recently been mandated for new developments in California. Subsequently, older high-risk communities may actually become buffered from wildfires as the WUI expands and lessens their exposure to flames and embers. Thus, expanding WUI may either increase or decrease risk of loss dependent upon the extent of altered fire exposure and the application of mandated mitigation strategies. To help elucidate this seeming dichotomy, we utilized multiple GIS strategies to spatially analyze changes to risk based on characteristics of community wildfire exposure and characteristics of individual structures, including roofing materials, defensible space, and housing density. Our research simultaneously (1) quantified expansion of the WUI over time in multiple, dissimilar communities, (2) analyzed temporal changes to risk based on altered wildfire exposure and structural characteristics, and (3) compared potential social factors influencing compliance of state fire regulations. Author’s presentation: Dr. Chris Dicus is the Associate Dean of Research & Graduate Programs and a Professor of Wildland Fire & Fuels Management at California Polytechnic State University. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Association for Fire Ecology and is Coordinator of the WUI Module of the California Fire Science Consortium. His research focuses on factors that influence risk in the wildland-urban interface.


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O2 – Analyse des motifs des incendies de forêt dans le Nord Centre Algérien – MEDDOUR-SAHAR Ouahiba Meddour-Sahar Ouahiba, Meddour Rachid Faculté des Sciences Biologiques et des Sciences Agronomiques, Université Mouloud Mammeri, BP 17 RP, Tizi Ouzou (Algérie)

Type of presentation: Oral Presentation Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: méthode Delphi, cause incendie, Panel d’experts, motifs, Algérie. Abstract: Les incendies de forêt en Algérie sont principalement causées par l'homme et dépendent directement de son comportement social, qu'il soit volontaire (malveillance) ou involontaires (négligence). Comprendre les raisons pour lesquelles il y a les mises à feux est donc un facteur crucial dans le but de prévenir ou de réduire leur incidence, de monter les efforts significatifs de prévention et pour concevoir des campagnes spécifiques de prévention des incendies. Une technique prometteuse pour améliorer les connaissances sur les causes et les motivations des incendies, et surtout pour réduire la quantité de causes inconnues (comme dans le cas de l'Algérie, où la majorité d'entre elles sont d'origine inconnue) est la technique Delphi, un ensemble de procédures pour susciter et affiner les opinions d'un panel d'experts. Dans trois études de cas, des wilayas côtières ou intérieures sensibles aux incendies (nord-centre de l'Algérie), la technique Delphi identifie comme une des principales causes des incendies volontaires l'utilisation traditionnelle du feu en agriculture et en foresterie, à coté des motifs liés à des changements d'utilisation des terres et aux conflits interpersonnels. Les experts impliqués sont les forestiers de la Direction Générale des Forêts (DGF). Les trois groupes d'experts totalisent 141 participants. Les résultats de l’enquête révèlent que pour les événements involontaires (négligence) les experts ont unanimement reconnu l'importance pertinente de la reprise du feu (91,49%), l'utilisation négligente des feux agricoles, le brûlage des chaumes en particulier (80,14%). Pour les incendies volontaires (malveillance), les résultats mettent en évidence l'importance relative des feux allumés pour les changements d'utilisation des terres (77,30%), et la collecte de miel (62,41%). Les décharges sauvages et le brûlage des ordures ont été mentionnés par les experts dans les 3 zones d’étude. De ce fait, la majorité des événements d'incendie dans la région Nord Centre de l’Algérie, selon l’interprétation des experts, est principalement due à une utilisation inappropriée et négligente du feu dans l’agriculture, en partie causée par la perte des savoirs traditionnels des anciens pour expliquer la mauvaise maitrise des incendies, et au manque de culture environnementale, qui voit les décharges sauvages considérées comme une cause fréquente et importante des incendies. Le classement des causes d'incendie par ordre d'importance nous permet d'établir des priorités lors de la conception des politiques ou des programmes d'actions pour y remédier. Pour chacune des causes, une série de mesures de prévention peuvent être imaginé, discuté et vérifié. Author’s presentation: Mme Meddour-Sahar Ouahiba Maitre de conférence en Science Agronomique Spécialité Foresterie. Axe de recherche : incendie de forêt


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O49 – Sheltering during a bushfire: what are the challenges? – BLANCHI Raphaele Raphaele Blanchi1, Joshua Whittaker2,3, Katharine Haynes3,4, Justin Leonard1, Kimberley Opie1, Mark Holland5 1 CSIRO Land and Water 2 Centre for Risk and Community Safety, RMIT University 3 Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC

4 Risk Frontiers, Macquarie University 5 Country Fire Authority

Type of presentation: Oral presentation Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: WUI, sheltering, community safety, preparedness Abstract: When a fire is approaching a WUI the decision to evacuate or shelter in place is dealt with in different ways around the world. Early evacuation is the preferred option in the United States (US) and in some countries in Europe, but this action is becoming more and more challenging, and alternatives to evacuation are now being widely considered. In Australia, the practice of sheltering during bushfires is not a recent phenomenon and has been practised in rural areas since European settlement. Up until 2009, residents were advised to prepare to stay and defend their homes against bushfire, or leave before a fire threatened. The policy has changed since the 2009 fires and emphasises the need to leave early. However, it is understood that people might shelter by choice or might be caught unaware and have to find a shelter. This might be a house or in another type of shelter, such as a community or personal shelter. Several questions remain regarding the safety of sheltering under different conditions, the adequacy of people’s preparation and behaviour, and the challenges people face when trying to shelter. This paper presents case studies on people’s activity and location when sheltering during bushfire. To investigate sheltering experiences of the people affected by the 7 February 2009 Victorian bushfires we used qualitative and quantitative approaches. The results shows the need for contingency planning, the importance of group sheltering and the relevance of active sheltering by continually monitoring conditions inside and outside the shelter.


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O43 – Forest fire prevention in Greece based on a participatory methodology – XANTHOPOULOS Gavriil G. Xanthopoulos1, A. Roussos2 1 Hellenic Agricultural Organization "Demeter", Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems, Athens, Greece 2 Forest Service Office of Rethymno, Crete, Greece

Type of presentation: Oral Presentation Abstract: Greece is a Mediterranean country facing a significant forest fire problem. Since 1998, when the responsibility for forest firefighting was transferred from the Forest Service to the Fire Service, there has been a clear emphasis on fire suppression with enlargement of the firefighting organization in terms of personnel, ground, and aerial resources. Forest fire prevention remained, in most aspects, in the responsibility of the Forest Service which, however, became severely underfunded. Even funding for fire prevention works, such as fuel management, maintenance of forest roads and firebreaks, etc. was directed towards the municipality authorities, which often lacked the scientific knowledge and expertise, the technical capacity, and even the motivation for carrying out the work effectively and efficiently. This questionable policy was bound to fail. The proof came in 2007 when Greece faced its worst fire season on record. Following that, interest for fire prevention started growing. Funding increased, reaching 32 million Euros in 2009, but was still mainly channeled to the municipalities. In 2012, the Special Secretariat of Forests which was in charge of the Forest Service, funded, through the so called “Green Fund”, a proposal of the Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems and Forest Products Technology for carrying out a pilot forest fire prevention project following a particular participatory methodology. The methodology, called “INCA”, had been developed in 2009-2010 in the frame of a project with the same name, partially funded by the Civil Protection Financial Instrument of the European Commission (Grant Agreement reference n° 070401/2008/507855/SUB/A3). The project activities included:

Organization of a significant number of participatory fire prevention workshops in Attica and other areas of the country with the help of varying local authorities (according to willingness) that brought together as many local stakeholders and members of the public as possible, to work on prevention. The Institute offered knowledge on prevention and mediated the discussion but it was the participants who identified and categorized according to significance the local fire causes, brainstormed on potential prevention activities and measures and formed a local working group to apply these ideas. The group did not receive any funding from the project and worked on a voluntary basis. Some of their planned actions were done with the help of sponsors, while others were embedded in actions carried out by the local authorities.

Development of prevention material, addressing specific identified fire causes, to be used by the local working groups.

Organization of a fire prevention policy workshop in Athens with international participation.

Development of a fire prevention Internet site within the Institute site for: o Offering prevention education to the public o Providing information about project activities, such as workshop announcements, and

disseminating prevention materials, o Making available to the public a specially designed application for assessing the risk, in

case of fire, of a home in a wildland-urban interface area. The project run for two fire seasons (2013 and 2014). There was no effort to link a change in the number of fire starts to the project, since there is an overwhelming influence on the number of fires due to various factors ranging the weather to politics. A questionnaire distributed to the participants of the 2013 workshops after the end of the fire season helped assess their satisfaction with the content and to collect suggestions for improvements. In general the workshops were assessed as very successful, and the participants noted that they received useful knowledge on prevention and new motivation to work on it. On the positive side they commented that the workshops acted as catalyst for better understanding and cooperation between the state and local organizations in each area and they


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highlighted local fire prevention needs. On the negative side more than half of the participants could not identify concrete prevention actions that could be direct attributed to the project effort. The experience was summarized in a report to the Forest Service after project completion in 2014. Currently, the project site is maintained and the same is true with the Institute’s interest on prevention, which continues to support prevention activities according to the requests it receives. Many among the participants involved in the workshops and other project activities, maintain contact with the Institute, continue visiting the site on prevention, and carry out prevention work locally.


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SESSION 4

Fire Science Dissemination

Oral Presentations


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O29 – The California Fire Science Consortium: delivering fire science to the “Pyro-state” – SAFFORD Hugh Safford Hugh1, Stacey Sargent Frederick2 1 US Forest Service 2 California Fire Science Consortium

Type of presentation: Oral Presentation Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: fire science delivery, California, Abstract: The Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP) was created by Congress in 1998 as an interagency research, development, and applications partnership between the US Department of the Interior (Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and US Geological Survey) and the US Department of Agriculture (US Forest Service). Since its inception, JFSP has awarded tens of millions of dollars to fire science research, but JFSP is also heavily focused on the delivery of fire science. In 2010 it founded a national system of regional Fire Science Exchanges to facilitate the transfer of up-to-date fire science knowledge to fire and resource managers and other stakeholders. The California Fire Science Consortium (CFSC) is the only Fire Science Exchange that (primarily) serves a single state (it also includes a small sliver of Nevada). Because of its Mediterranean climate and large population, California is the most fire-prone state in the US. Many local, state, and federal agencies work in fire and fuel management, and many of the major land and resource management issues in California revolve around fire and its ecosystem effects. In California, CFSC plays a fundamental role in improving the availability and understanding of fire science and fire management knowledge. Perhaps CFSC’s major contribution has been to increase communication between fire researchers, managers, policymakers, tribes, landowners, and other stakeholders. CFSC uses multiple tools to make this contribution, including facilitating face-to-face interactions through field trips, workshops, and symposia; producing research briefs and science syntheses; sponsoring an annual series of webinars; and hosting a website that includes a clearinghouse of manager- and policymaker-oriented science resources. Socially and ecologically, California is one of the most diverse states in the US, and with that comes a high diversity of management issues. To address this diversity, the CFSC has divided the state into four geographic subregions (northern California, Sierra Nevada, central and southern California, deserts), each of which is served by a team of science delivery professionals. A fifth team deals exclusively with the Wildland-Urban Interface. In this presentation we provide detail about the organizational structure and science delivery practices and philosophy of the CFSC, including insights into how CFSC started, how it persisted, and the lessons learned through the years. We will conclude with some discussion of future innovations and goals. Author’s presentation: Hugh Safford is the senior ecologist (“Regional Ecologist”) for the USDA-Forest Service’s Pacific Southwest Region and a member of the research faculty in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California-Davis. Safford’s areas of professional expertise are community and landscape ecology, fire ecology, ecological restoration, and biogeography. Safford manages a staff of ecologists that provide expertise in vegetation and fire ecology, inventory, and monitoring to land management on the 18 National Forests in California. He is the manager of the Regional Research Natural Area program and the Sierra Nevada region leader for the California Fire Science Delivery Consortium.


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O30 – Building relationships between fire practitioners and researchers: Why it is necessary and how we do it – SATINK WOLFSON Barbara B. Satink Wolfson1, S. Kocher2

1 Southwest Fire Science Consortium and Northern Arizona University School of Forestry, USA, 2 University of California Extension, USA, [email protected]

Type of presentation: oral presentation Abstract: The Joint Fire Science Program funds fifteen fire science exchanges in the United States, whose primary purpose is to build relationships and facilitate the sharing of knowledge and use of science. For some exchanges this includes only professionals (practitioners and researchers) and for others, it also includes the general public. Building lines of communication among these groups increases science dissemination long term. Working with the practitioners and researchers is a good place to start. Before the fire science exchanges began in the United States, communication between the practitioners and researchers was more limited and occasionally adversarial. Practitioners often felt the science being conducted was irrelevant, not applicable. Researchers felt frustrated that practitioners were either unable or unwilling to utilize current science. The first step in bringing these two groups together was to help them see that they both had an important role in terms of knowledge exchange. Since 2009, these fire science exchanges have been working to achieve the above goals. For example, The Southwest Fire Science Consortium (SWFSC) has hosted many field trips where fire practitioners share successes and researchers offer their scientific knowledge. Researchers gain perspective on science questions practitioners actually need answered, while practitioners learn current science. As relationships grow, knowledge sharing occurs in both directions, which leads to more relevant science usable by more managers. Although fire science and management differs greatly among countries, similar concerns exist across them and this approach could also be useful in European Union countries that manage fire. Formal evaluation of the U.S. fire exchanges allowed survey respondents to self-identify as “consumers” (practitioners), “producers” (researchers), or general public, 70.9% n=256, 20.8% n=75, and 8.3% n=30, respectively. Survey respondents agreed that the fire science exchanges have “helped improve the accessibility of fire science information in my region” (µ=4.07 ±0.76, 5-point Likert scale was used where 1=Strongly Disagree and 5=Strongly Agree for all statements that follow). Respondents also agreed that they “would recommend fire exchange involvement to my co-workers” (µ=4.09 ±0.70). One value that should increase with time (and has improved in four years of longitudinal analysis) is agreement with the statement: “The fire exchange has helped improve the use and application of fire science information in my region” (µ=3.79 ±0.80). Although the evaluation has its limitations, such as small sample sizes and variability among exchanges and how they function, it shows the potential value of building fire science networks. If science is funded, the means to disseminate it should also be funded.


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O44 – Increasing Capacity for Collaboration by Training Natural Resource Management Agencies, Scientists and Stakeholders – KOCHER Susie Kocher Susie1, Sulak Adriana2, Huntsinger Lynn2, Kim Rodrigues1, Maggi Kelly2 1 University of California Cooperative Extension 2 University of California Berkeley,

Type of presentation: Oral Presentation Abstract: State and federal agencies in the United States are increasingly interested in and committing to managing natural resources to reduce fire risk through collaboration with other agencies, scientists, and stakeholders. One challenge of this approach is the need for land management agencies to develop the institutional capacity to collaborate with others. This presentation reports on an effort to assist agencies, scientists and stakeholders to increase capacity for collaboration through training in collaboration and facilitation skills by the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE). UCCE became involved in supporting development of collaboration skills as part of the Sierra Nevada Adaptive Management Project (http://snamp.cnr.berkeley.edu), a cross disciplinary study of forest fuels reduction treatments on national forests in the Sierra Nevada of California. The 8-year, 13 million dollar study involved independent third party research by University of California scientists of the integrated effects of forest thinning on fire hazard, forest health, wildlife, water quality and quantity, and public participation. Public participation and a collaborative process were a key part of the multi-agency project. UCCE engaged in community and stakeholder education through multiple outreach methods. Over the life of the project we held 23 in depth science meetings on forest health, fire ecology, Pacific fisher and California spotted owl biology, water quality and quantity and public participation processes with stakeholders and managers to created shared science learning. We put on 29 subject matter workshops to provide the Science Teams’ management at the request of forest managers which provided a synthesis of the state of knowledge on the topics of California Spotted Owls, the use of lidar in forest management, public participation processes and facilitation of collaboration in forest management. During 23 field trips participants were able to core trees, examine fire scars, measure vegetation on transects, hold fisher tracking sensors, hoot for spotted owls, visit a carbon dioxide flux tower, examine stream monitoring equipment, examine the results of prescribed burning, see a cable yarder, feller bunchers, skidders, log loaders and trucks in action, and examine treatment units before and after thinning and before and after wildfire. These methods allowed for mutual learning, group discussion, information sharing, community involvement in the research process and face-to-face interaction between all parties. SNAMP hosted 95 in person events with over 2,600 in attendance cumulatively. Outreach staff also made a total of 167 short presentations about the project to local organizations for those who could not come to our meetings. Presentations were made to members of local civic clubs, conservation groups and conservancies, governments, interest groups and schools, colleges, and universities. Total contacts with stakeholders totaled over 8,500 through additional outreach to communities of place and communities of interest. One set of subject matter workshops included above was a series of collaboration workshops hosted by UCCE in 2013/2014. The workshops used ‘train-the-trainer’ model with 18 hours of curriculum on process constraints, framing collaborative projects, meeting logistics, group dynamics, understanding interactions, dealing with difficult behaviors and reducing conflict. Over 150 staff from federal and state forestry, fire, wildlife and research agencies, and local conservation organizations attended. Participant pre and post-tests quantified changes in knowledge and attitudes as a result of the workshops. Participants reported increased comfort with collaboration and managing a collaborative process by improving communication, sharing information with the public and facilitation when needed. Collaboration training should clarify the roles /responsibilities of agency staff and include facilitation

http://snamp.cnr.berkeley.edu/


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training to bolster understanding of when facilitation is needed and how to conduct it, especially under difficult circumstances. SNAMP social scientists conducted a series of online surveys and in-depth qualitative interviews to identify overall outcomes of the 10 year project. Data showed that participants reported increased learning about fire and forest management (95%), increased transparency (94%), improved relationships, increased trust and an increase in shared understanding about fire management (85+%) as a result of the project. Participants left the project feeling that forest thinning was likely to be positive for forest health, low intensity fire would be good for resources and that both were preferred over impacts from severe fire. The final report, totaling over 1,000 pages, was released in December 2015 and is available at http://snamp.cnr.berkeley.edu/snamp-final-report/.The USFS is integrating the research outcomes into their national forest plan revision process in the southern Sierra Nevada. Bio: Susie Kocher is a forestry and natural resources advisor for the University of California Cooperative Extension in four counties of the Central Sierra Nevada. She conducts outreach, education and applied research for UCCE focusing on forest resilience and wildfire issues, most recently as part of the California Fire Science Consortium. She has done outreach with forest landowner on pre and post wildfire management techniques through in person workshops, webinars and media. She coordinated public outreach for the Sierra Nevada Adaptive Management Project (http://snamp.berkeley.edu/) for seven years.

http://snamp.cnr.berkeley.edu/snamp-final-report/.The


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SESSION 5

Fire Science Dissemination

Oral Presentations


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O36 – Utilisation d’un Drone pour les Retours d’Expérience sur Incendies – MASSAIU Antonella Massaiu Antonella1, Lottin Yannick2 1 ONF Unité DFCI, Equipe Pyroscope 2 Société PICALBA, Quartier Fiorino 20144 Ste-Lucie de Porto-Vecchio, France

Type of presentation: Oral Presentation Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: Drone, retours d'expérience, Pyroscope Abstract: Depuis 1993 en Corse, les partenaires locaux mettent en œuvre une politique commune de prévention et de lutte contre les incendies dans le cadre initialement d’un plan départemental, auquel s’est substitué en 2006 un plan régional. L’un des axes de cette politique est le cloisonnement de l’espace naturel par la création de coupures de combustibles : les ZAL (Zones d’Appui à la Lutte), dont l’objectif est de faciliter la lutte contre les incendies de grande ampleur responsables de l’essentiel des surfaces détruites. Afin d’améliorer en permanence l’efficacité opérationnelle des ZAL (liée à leurs caractéristiques techniques telles que leur positionnement, leur dimensionnement et leur entretien), les partenaires ont souhaité bénéficier de retours d’expérience sur l’utilisation de ce type d’ouvrage lors d’incendies. Aussi, dans le souci de s’affranchir de la subjectivité des renseignements recueillis après un feu auprès des acteurs présents sur le sinistre, la Corse-du-Sud a mis en place depuis 1999 un dispositif de collecte des données en temps réel : la cellule PYROSCOPE. Cette cellule spécialisée d’observation et de collecte de données, armée par des agents de la DDTM et de l’ONF, est intégrée à l’ordre d’opération départemental feux de forêts. Au fils des ans cette cellule a élargie son champ d’action à l’étude des aménagements de protection passive (débroussaillement légal, auto-protection des peuplements, zone de confinement…) Deux missions prioritaires incombent à la cellule : • la collecte de données (météo sur site, comportement du feu, nature et structure détaillée du

combustible présent avant le passage du feu, actions de lutte et leur influence…), mission dont

l’objectif est l’analyse a posteriori des sinistres afin de valider/modifier les choix techniques relatifs à

la préparation du terrain à la lutte (ZAL) ou aux aménagements de protection passive;

• la localisation précise du point d’éclosion et la cartographie sommaire du contour du feu.

Afin d’améliorer les performances de l’équipe Pyroscope, une expérimentation sur l’utilisation d’un drone pour la réalisation de la cartographie de l’incendie et pour la collecte de données nécessaires à l’analyse a posteriori des sinistres est à l’étude pour la campagne 2016. L’expérimentation sera conduite avec la société PICALBA, spécialisé dans l’utilisation des drones et dans le traitement des données. Une étude préliminaire effectuée pour l’établissement du cahier de charge sera présenté permettant de faire une première évaluation des potentialités de l’utilisation du drone dans le cadre des retours d’expérience sur un incendie. Un comparatif sera établi entre une étude d’expérience traditionnelle réalisée par l’équipe Pyroscope et la même étude réalisée à l’aide de données récoltées avec le vol d’un drone sur le secteur incendié. Ceci afin de souligner les avantages attendus en terme de : réduction des temps de personnel, qualité de l’information, accessibilité des données sur des secteurs inaccessibles (distance des voies de circulation, barrières architecturales,…)… Author’s presentation: Antonella Massaiu, Office National des Forêts Région Corse, Responsable de l’Unité DFCI et Chef de Projets Complexes Spécialiste DFCI. Membre de l'Equipe Pyroscope.


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O23 – Project HOLISTIC - holistic approach to forest fire prevention and protection in Adriatic area - WP6 - Adriatic Terrestrial Forest Fire Monitoring and Surveillance System (AdriaFireMonitor) – ŠERIC Ljiljana Seric Ljiljana, Stipaničev Darko, Krstinić Damir HOLISTIC Project Experts for Šibenik-Knin County, University of Split Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture

Type of presentation: Oral Presentation Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: HOLISTIC, Fire Monitoring, ICT in fire prevention Abstract: The goal of project HOLISTIC, co- funded by IPA Adriatic Cross-border Cooperation Programme is to propose a sustainable and joint holistic approach to cope with forest fire and seismic risk in Adriatic area. Focus of Work Package 6 (WP6), discussed in this presentation, is on several applications of modern ICT solutions in pre- fire, fire and post-fire activities, particularly in fire prevention and protection using capabilities of Cloud Computing and Internet. This activity includes: • Development of action plans for integral forest fire monitoring and surveillance system installation adapted for specific Adriatic characteristic. • Integration of fire fighters vehicles GPS tracking system in forest fire monitoring and surveillance system, as well as systems for forest fire risk and behaviour modelling implemented in WP5. • Burnt area mapping supported by tablet and GPS and related damage assessment supported by EFFIS Rapid Damage Assessment (RDA). The activity of WP6 also includes the installation of pilot projects in various regions, appropriate staff training and establishment of virtual research centre for application of ICT in forest fire fighting. The project gathers 20 partner institutions with diverse level of experience with video forest fire monitoring and different legislation of forest fire fighting and video surveillance. After comprehensive analysis of existing terrestrial video based forest fire monitoring in Mediterranean region and legislation in various countries, a model suitable for Adriatic region, named AdriaFireMonitor, was derived as well its as appropriate user rights reports, emergency intervention code of conduct with distribution of tasks and guidelines for forest fire monitoring location determination based on holistic approach. One of WP6 output is pilot installation of advanced terrestrial video based automatic forest fire monitoring and surveillance system. Within the project a visible video cameras based pilot system will be installed on selected locations in each partner regions, as well as dual (visible + IR) based system in three selected regions. Fire fighters that are on call duty in operating centre will be the main system users. The project has started in January 2014 and it is now in its final stage. The paper describes current achievements and future expectations. Author’s presentation: dr.sc.Ljiljana Šerić is asistant professor at Department for Modeling and Intelligent Systems, University of Split Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture. She recieved her phd in computer science, artificial intelligence in 2010. Her reasearch interests are application of ICT on forest fire management, Intelligent systems and Web information systems. She is coauthor of 5 scientific papers published in international scientivic journals, and over 20 papers on international conferences. She participated in executoin of 6 scientific and projects regarding wildfire reasearch.


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O25 – Project HOLISTIC - holistic approach to forest fire prevention and protection in Adriatic area – WP5 - Adriatic forest fire Web GIS service (AdriaFireMonitor) – STIPANICEV Darko Stipaničev Darko, Ljiljana Šerić, Damir Krstinic, University of Split Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture (FESB), R.Boskovica 32, 21000 Split, Croatia

Type of presentation: Oral Presentation Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: forest fire prevention, Web GIS, forest fire risk index, forest fire simulation Abstract: The goal of project HOLISTIC, co- funded by IPA Adriatic Cross-border Cooperation Programme is to propose a sustainable and joint holistic approach to cope with forest fire and seismic risk in Adriatic area. Focus of Work Package 5 (WP5), discussed in this presentation, is on terrestrial analysis concerning forest fire prevention and fire fighting policy in Adriatic region. WP5 aims to enhance the medium term prevention, developing forest fires risk maps and forest fire fight plans, improving accessibility of static and dynamic spatial data about terrestrial, meteorological and sociological features related to fire hazards and fire fighting policy. Aim of this activity is to integrate the prediction of site – specific forest dynamic forest fire risk index, as well as prediction and simulation of forest fire behavior in order to support predictive and operational decisions. Our main task is to improve existing predicting models and tuned them for Adriatic region in order to know timely and on real time the real danger of forest fires and reliable information for the coordination of the on the field interventions. This activity includes detail territory mapping important for pre-fire, fire and post-fire activities using capabilities of Cloud Computing and Internet, integrated through AdriaFireGIS system. It is a standardized Web GIS system adjusted for various forest fire activities based on Open Web GIS standards. Additionally WP5 incudes setting-up of two separate modules of AdriaFireGIS, developed in order to improve forest fire protection and prevention in Adriatic region: • Web based system for dynamic prediction of forest fire risk index on micro – location scale (site-specific) adapted and tuned for Adriatic region (AdriaFireRisk), as well as integrated with automatic forest fire risk warning panels (AdriaFireRiskPanels). • Web based system for prediction and simulation of forest fire behavior and spread, adapted and tuned for Adriatic region (AdriaFirePropagator). Expected outputs include harmonization and improve accessibility to spatial-temporal data important for forest fire activities, but also working prototypes of AdriaFireRisk and AdriaFirePropagator systems for the whole Adriatic region. The project has started in January 2014 and it is now in its final stage. The paper describes current achievements and future expectations. Author’s presentation: Darko Stipaničev is Professor of Computer Science and Automatic Control at Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture (FESB) University of Split. His research interest include complex systems modeling and control, intelligent systems analyses and design, digital image analyses, advanced Internet technologies and recently, the application of ICT in environmental protection, particularly wildfire prevention and management, including vision based wildfire detection system. He is a chair of Center for Wildfire Research at FESB and Split-Dalmatia County Key Expert for WP5 & WP6 of project HOLISTIC - Adriatic Holistic Forest Fire Protection. More details on http://laris.fesb.hr/dstip-e.html.

http://laris.fesb.hr/dstip-e.html


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O46 – Opportunities to prevent fires in early ages. A mediterranean example: “Crece con tu Árbol” (“Growing up beside your tree”) andalusian programme. – QUESADA Clara Quesada Clara1, Luque-Marín Iván2 1 University of Córdoba 2 Agencia de Medio Ambiente y Agua-Consejería de Medio Ambiente y Ordenación del Territorio-Junta de Andalucía, Córdoba, España

Type of presentation: Oral Presentation Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: Andalusia, Córdoba, environmental education, fire policy, fire prone areas, risk prevention, wildland urban interface fire hazards. Abstract: "The Andalusian Regional Government developped, among others, the ALDEA Programme (Environmental education for the Educational Community) to keep in touch public and environment. In the frame of ALDEA, “Crece con tu Árbol” (“Growing up beside your tree”) is a social awareness programme focusing on forest ecosystems importance, their main threats and how to identify the risks affecting them. In the last few years this programme has taken on particular importance. During the past 20 years 1,2 million schoolar children have participated in this programme in wich nearly 1,6 million seedlings have been distribuited into participatory reforestations in different parts of Andalusia. Forest fires are a threat in mediterranean ecosystems and they are shown in the programme as a challenge from the point of view of prevention and the involvement of the people within the problem. Andalusia is a region in the south of Spain were highly populated areas are common in the territory. Fires were considered as an important problem only during summer period but fire season is now extended to most of the year in many municipalities of the region so the vision has changed. The hight density of very populated areas especially in fire prone areas has increased notably fire hazard and risk. Most of these areas are WUI areas where live closely together forest lands and people. Córdoba, one of the eight provinces of Andalusia, is a particular territory where populated areas are more extended and the WUI situation is a common reality especially in its municipality. The municipality also has one of the higher number of ignitions and incipient fires. Most of them are small but the risk in WUI areas is extreme in some cases. This paper explores the prevention and educational aspects carried out with the Educational Community and schoolar children in recent years"" Author’s presentation: Forest Engineer degree at University of Córdoba she has a MSc Forest Fires Mangement and MSc Civil Protection and Emergency Response. She collaborated with University of Lérida (Spain), University of Sassari (Italy) and University of Coimbra and Laboratorio de Estudos sobre Incendios Florestais (Portugal) where she has finished a professional stage. Her work includes tasks from firefighter technician, helicrew first response wildlandfire chief to wildlandfirefighting safety officer at different Fire Agencies in Spain. The areas of activity focus on human dimensions of fire including firefighters, managers and owners. Comming soon a PhD Thesis on firefighting safety at the WUI.


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O8 – Effect of Wildfire on Soil Properties in Mount Kenya – DOWNING Timothy T. Downing, M. Imo, J. Kimanzi, A. Otinga University of Eldoret- Forestry Department; Eldoret, Kenya

Type of presentation: Oral Presentation Abstract : Tropical alpine ecosystems serve vital roles in the areas of hydrology, biodiversity and carbon storage, due to their unique set of climatic and topographic conditions. These ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to climate change and anthropogenic influence as they exist in a fragile balance. Mount Kenya is an example of such a tropical alpine environment, and in 2012 a large fire burned through the upper western slopes of the mountain in an area covering almost 100 km². The impacts of this fire on soil properties are investigated three years after the fire, to examine the degree to which the soils have been able to recover. The severity from the time of the fire was determined using a satellite derived index known as dNBR (difference Normalized Burn Ratio). This was used to stratify the fire scar into 4 classes: unburnt, low, moderate, and high severity areas, as it was expected that soil properties would be differentially affected according to severity. Soil samples were collected from each of these areas and analyzed in the laboratory for physical and chemical properties. Two sample points were specifically chosen to match those used in a 1983 soil survey of Mt. Kenya, to act as a temporal control. For the most part, there was no difference in soil properties between the three severity classes and unburnt areas outside the fire zone. Only Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) and Bulk Density were found to be significantly different between the severity classes (p<0.001 and p=0.003 respectively), with high severity areas having lower bulk density and higher CEC as compared to unburnt areas. When other explanatory variables were taken into consideration, however, only CEC remained significantly different according to severity. The increase in CEC can be explained by either by an increase in organic matter, as partially burnt material gradually incorporated into the soil, or by a change in the quality of the organic matter. The comparison with the 1983 control was a bit more ambiguous, as different laboratory methods were used in 1983. CEC readings were overall lower than in 1983, however they were relatively higher within the fire scar as compared to outside. There is thus no evidence to show that the soils have not fully recovered from the fire, and that therefore the negative effects of fire in tropical alpine soils do not persist for longer than 3 years. Vegetation also had mostly recovered after 3 years, although the regrowth from the dominant heather plants was somewhat limited.


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SESSION 7

Firefighting and crisis management, from wildland to WUI

Oral Presentations


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O1 – Improving situation awareness with social media & aerial monitoring system in wildfire – FRERSON Christophe Frerson Christophe Préfecture de zone de défense et de sécurité Sud

Type of presentation: Oral Presentation Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: Social Media - Emergency Management – WUI - #SMEM - #MSGU – VOST – Situation Awareness – Wildfire – GACC – EOC – Optronic – Aerial Monitoring System – Decision Making - Abstract: Social Media in Emergency Management and Aerial Monitoring System can help decision makers in GACC geographic area coordination center to improve situation awareness during operation and especially in WUI. Social Media has become a new form of communication that concern and spread the entire world. It's a social matter. News has become obtainable as it happens, population are linked through websites, apps and social networks. People demand access to events as they unfold, onlive. Some fire & rescue services use aerial monitoring system over wildfire to improve assessment of operations. Aircraft provides onlive pictures and movies through emergency operation center but mainly to incident commander. In GACC, employees and executives have discovered and understood that onlive information from an aircraft equipped with HD camera or from social media are added value during operations and an effective way to communicate at different levels as individual, department and organization. How to use Social Media in Emergency Management and Aerial Monitoring System to improve situational awareness? Emergency services need to stay linked with people during disaster. Information from public could help emergency services to achieve a common understanding of the circumstances and immediate consequences of the emergency. Aerial Monitoring System fosters Incident Commander to check order, follow situation, understand spread of propagation, color of smoke and assets threatened. Shared situational awareness relates not only to a common understanding between incident commanders, but also between control rooms and all tiers of the command structure. These direct information could help Incident Commander to better organize operations and to know exactly what's going on, where is population and give them advices or order to keep safe. They try transforming information into intelligence. In France, Fire & Rescue Services try to use these tools as a complementary source of information. We already set test beds and have integrated this new way of communication in our organization. Author’s presentation: Christophe FRERSON French Firefighter Officer – Commander, holds a Master’s degree in « Risk and Crisis Management ». Since 1998, he worked as Officer in several Fire Departments in various positions, such as, battalion chief, Head of fire station, Incident Commander, Air Attack Supervisor, designer and head of R&T project and service. During his posting as head of R&T service, he was maintaining international and university partnerships in order to focus and share or disseminate lessons learned. Since 2012 C. FRERSON works as Civil Protection Advisor in the ministry of the interior, General Directorate of Civil Protection and Crisis Management, Southern Interministry Headquarter. He is responsible for planning office and he is head of Geographic Area Coordination Center. In this position, he covers all kind of risks in 16 counties with 22,000 firefighters and a population of about 9 millions citizens. C. FRERSON has presented at several international conferences and has published some papers about crisis management.


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O40 – Typhoon: A new firefighting tool that improves water use effectives and efficiency – KREKOUKIS Ioannis Krekoukis Ioannis1, Xanthopoulos Gavriil2, Anagnostopoulos Ioannis3, Papantonis Dimitrios3 1 Krekoukis Engineering 2 Hellenic Agricultural Organization "Demeter", Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems, Greece 3 National Technical University of Athens, School of Mechanical Engineering, Greece

Type of presentation: Oral Presentation Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: Forest fire, Firefighting, Water spray, Water use efficiency Abstract: Use of water is the most common firefighting method due to its effectiveness, lack of negative environmental side effects, low cost, and wide availability. In reality, however, finding sufficient water near the perimeter of a forest fire is not always easy and quite often there is only limited supply in the area where a fire spreads. As a result, efforts to improve water use effectiveness in firefighting are ongoing. Approaches include developing adjustable nozzles that allow application of water to vary ranging from a concentrated long-range stream to a short-range fine spray, or improving water properties through addition of chemicals (foams, long and short term retardants). As a rule, high water pressure is needed for creating a long-range stream that allows fighting the flames from a distance. However, the concentrated stream wastes most of the cooling capacity of water, as a significant proportion runs-off to the ground, and results in increased consumption. On the other hand, water mist maximizes the water cooling effect but completely sacrifices the range at which it can be applied to the fuels at the base of the flames. A new device, developed in Greece and named “Typhoon”, provides a new water application approach that combines firefighting from a distance with application of water in fine participles while allowing good control over water consumption. “Typhoon” is based on the concept of creating, through a centrifugal blower, a very strong concentrated stream of air into which water is injected at a variable rate according to the work at hand. Thus, the range of the air-water stream does not depend on water pressure but on the characteristics of the air-stream. The stream carries the water particles, spraying the fuels and the flame, effectively extinguishing all types of fires and, as very little water runs-off, greatly improving water economy. The blower is powered by a hydraulic motor and has 360o rotation capability. The air-water stream range exceeds 100 m when spraying in the direction of the wind and can exceed 30 m when spraying against strong wind. Use of the device is not limited to forest fire extinguishment but can also be used on other types of fires. Due to its flexibility and manageable size “Typhoon” can be installed on various types of firetrucks with only small modifications. Currently it has been patented and is undergoing improvements. A special prototype of a fire engine for operational use of “Typhoon” is under development. Author’s presentation: Ioannis Krekoukis is a recently retired firefighter of the Hellenic Fire Service, with a long experience in both urban and forest firefighting. He is also an inventor and the owner of “Krekoukis Engineering” an independent enterprise for creating innovative ad-hoc prototype machinery for solving real world problems. The firm is located on the island of Zakynthos, Greece.


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O42 – The wildfire of 17 July 2015, at the Faraklo village, Lakonia, Greece and its suppression – ATHANASIOU Miltiadis Athanasiou Miltiadis1, Gavriil Xanthopoulos2 1 Institution : Environmental Impact Assessment Studies 2 Hellenic Agricultural Organization "Demeter", Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems, Athens, Greece

Type of presentation: Oral Presentation Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: Wildfire behaviour, Vorticity-driven Lateral Spread phenomenon, suppression, Greece Abstract: The fire season of 2015 in Greece was a relatively easy one, with a late start. Until the middle of July no large fires had occurred in the country. However, Friday, July 17, was to be a really exceptional day. The fire danger prediction map issued by the General Secretariat for Civil Protection for that day indicate “high” fire danger for almost all of southern Greece. The rating was mostly due to the meteorological forecast for very strong to extreme north winds. In the early hours of July 17th, between 3:30 and 3:50 a.m., a wildfire erupted near the village Faraklo in the south-eastern peninsula of Peloponnese, roughly 2.5 km NE of the town of Neapoli. The fire spread through a rough landscape with steep, mostly leeward slopes, ravines and gorges, burning a typical Mediterranean vegetation mosaic of shrubs, clubs of Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) trees and mainly olive groves. After the head of the fire reached the sea the fire started flanking northwards towards Neapoli, where it claimed the life of a 58 years old Greek-Swiss man who died of a heart attack, and southwards towards the village of Agios Nikolaos. What made this fire remarkable and worth studying is the unusually erratic, for a wind-driven fire, behaviour which made firefighting very difficult and dangerous. According to “in situ” observations, the direction of the general wind was northeast. During the day, the temperature reached 32οC. The relative humidity was around 30% but dropped below 25% during the crucial noon and afternoon hours, leading to profuse spotting. The local wind field at the fire area reflected the interaction between the topography and the general wind: short periods of strong wind (65 km/h) were followed by sudden extremely strong gusts up to 111 km/h, wind shear, horizontal vortices on the lee side and strong downdrafts at the ridge, close to the heel of the fire. The local wind direction varied between northeast and northwest. Because of the high windspeed and the leeward slope steepness, episodic (temporary) wind flow separation occurred, ultimately contributing to the occurrence of the Vorticity-driven Lateral Spread (VLS) phenomenon, for some periods of time. In other words, the flanking fire behaviour was affected by the wind vortices and the flanking spread was temporarily driven by them. The propagation of the fire fingers and the flanking fire that were burning on a lee-facing slope, were affected by the interaction between the wind, the terrain and the energy that was released by the fire. It seemed that “there was a continuous competition between the power of the wind and the power of the fire”. Given the adverse conditions, the ground firefighting forces concentrated on protecting structures with only limited suppression efforts on the fire perimeter as they could not get effective support from the air. The extreme variability of the wind field with wind shears and sudden downdrafts made it very hard for the aerial resources to make effective drops. Most important the conditions caused two documented aerial firefighting incidents (near miss). At 13:05 one Canadair CL-215 was hit by a strong downdraft and the two pilots had to implement a forced landing on shrub vegetation near a cliff. The pilots were not injured but the plane was later burned by the fire. Late in the afternoon, at 18:15, an Erickson S-64 firefighting helicopter, was hit by a sudden and very strong gust and caught in a wind shear, and only avoided a crash due to the successful response of the pilot. The incident was captured on tape and shown in near real time on TV, documenting the extreme difficulty of fighting that fire. The fire finally burned approximately 5,266 hectares of agro-forestry vegetation and several houses.


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O48 – Vers un réseau européen d’analystes. – LAHAYE Sébastien S. Lahaye1, J.Y. Perez2, M. Castellnou3 1 Etat-major interministériel de Zone de défense et de sécurité Sud, France. 2 Service Départemental d’Incendie et de Secours des Landes, France. 3 Direction General de Prevencio, Extencio d’Incendis et Salvaments, Generalitat de Catalunya, Spain.

Type of presentation: Oral Presentation Abstract: En Europe du sud, les grands feux sont de plus en plus destructeurs. Ils concernent désormais systématiquement des interfaces urbaines. L’organisation et la gestion du dispositif de lutte deviennent excessivement complexes. Dans ces conditions, le décideur opérationnel ne peut plus mobiliser et engager des moyens sans une connaissance la plus fine possible du risque, sans savoir comment va se comporter le feu. Il doit disposer d’une fonction anticipation experte et bien informée : un réseau d’analystes. En Amérique du Nord et en Australie, les analystes sont des pompiers forestiers spécialistes du comportement du feu. S’appuyant sur les recherches menées localement et sur une grande expertise acquise sur le terrain, ils anticipent le parcours du feu, le risque de sautes… Ils utilisent des modèles issus des équations de Rothermel (Canada-USA) ou des tables de Mac Arthur (Australie). En Espagne, la fonction d’analyste a été adaptée pour répondre à la problématique des feux méditerranéens dont la durée se limite généralement à quelques heures. L’analyste doit interagir de manière très proactive avec le décideur opérationnel. Ce courant, initié en Catalogne, trouve aujourd’hui des relais dans toutes les régions ibériques. Les analystes des différentes provinces se retrouvent régulièrement depuis 2015 dans des webinars qui permettent d’échanger sur le comportement des incendies…Un véritable travail de réseau. En France, il existe une expertise météorologique fournie par Météo-France. En intégrant cette expertise, des expériences de formations d’analystes, forestiers et pompiers, ont vu le jour en 2015, dans les Bouches-du-Rhône ainsi qu’en Aquitaine. Ces spécialistes peuvent aujourd’hui croiser données météorologiques, état de combustibilité de la végétation, historique des feux et surtout remontées de terrain. S’appuyant sur un réseau dynamique d’échange d’informations, ils produisent des indicateurs de risque affinés ou des bulletins quotidiens de comportement du feu. Ils sont aussi capables, lors des grands feux, d’occuper la position de conseiller technique pour aider le commandant des opérations de secours à déployer ses moyens utilement et en sécurité. Après une revue comparative des méthodes, nous discutons ici de l’émergence d’un réseau européen où l’expertise partagée prime sur l’utilisation de modèles de propagation.


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O55 – Les moyens aériens français et la lutte dans l'interface forêt/habitat – CHICHA Pierre Jean-Pierre Chicha Base d'Avions de la Sécurité Civile, Marignane, France

Type of presentation: Oral Presentation Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: Avions Bombardiers d'eau, Forêt, Surveillance, Coordination, Retardant, Eau, Pompiers, Maisons Abstract: Présentation dans un premier temps des moyens aériens français de lutte contre les feux de forêt. Les différents types d'avions. Les différents types de missions. Méthode de travail avec les pompiers. Coordination des moyens de lutte. Les techniques de travail combinées pour tenir compte de l'interface forêt/habitat. Quelques chiffres et statistiques. Author’s presentation: Pierre Chicha Officier de Sécurité Aérienne de la Base d'Avions de la Sécurité Civile. Commandant de Bord et Instructeur Canadair CL 415. Pilote de chasse pendant un peu plus de 15 ans dans l'Armée de l'Air. Affecté sur Jaguar à la 11ème Escadre de Chasse, puis sur Alphajet à la Patrouille de France. Commandant de l'Equipe de Voltige de l'Armée de l'Air. Pilote de ligne pendant 1 an. Entré à la Sécurité Civile en 1999. Affecté successivement sur Beech 200, S2F Tracker et Canadair CL415. Officier de Sécurité Aérienne Canadair CL 415, puis Officier de Sécurité Aérienne de la flotte d'avions de la Sécurité Civile.


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SESSION 8

Fire Modelling and simulation

Oral Presentations


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O18 – Designing Computational Fluid Dynamics simulation scenarios for the assessment of dwellings vulnerability in the wildland urban interface – PASTOR Elsa J. Fanlo1, O. Ríos1, M.M. Valero1, E. Planas1, X. Navalón2, S. Escolano2 and Pastor E. 1

1 Centre for Technological Risk Studies (CERTEC), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya·BarcelonaTech, Catalonia, Spain

2 Oficina Tècnica de Prevenció municipal d’Incendis Forestals. Diputació de Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Type of presentation: Oral presentation Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: fire safety distances, structure ignition, residential fuels, Òdena wildfire Abstract: The wildland urban interface (WUI) fire problem is fundamentally seen as a structure ignition problem caused by the exposure of combustible building materials to a significant heat flux. Due to the complexity of heat transfer phenomena in this type of scenarios, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) techniques are potentially suitable for modelling WUI vulnerability. Although the use of CFD tools to study fire dynamics and impact has significantly increased in recent years, a systematic approach to address the WUI ignition problem is still missing. In this paper we present a methodology to model dwellings vulnerability at the WUI using a CFD-based software combined with a graphical user interface able to deal with complex structures and geometries. Firstly, we explore the best ways to model realistic flames both from a main wildfire front and from residential fuels; we give recommendations on how to accurately represent building vulnerabilities such as windows, gutters or roofs and we then determine the optimum information to be extracted from our simulations, which will allow us to quantify fire damage in detail. We challenge our model to reproduce a study case inspired in the Òdena wildfire occurred in Central Catalonia in July 2015. In this wildfire a development was seriously jeopardized and one house experienced several damages in the façade exposed to fire. Preliminary results show the potential of this type of modelling exercises to recheck the adequacy of fire agencies safety recommendations given to minimize risk at the WUI, particularly at home owner parcel scale. With this CFD-based methodology, dwelling safety distances to wildlands and to residential fuels shall be established by scientific criteria instead of using current rules of thumb.


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O56 – POSTFIRE, a model to map forest fire burn scar and estimate runoff and soil erosion risks – FOX Dennis M. D.M. Fox1, Y. Laaroussi1, L. D. Malkinson2, F. Maselli3, J. Andrieu1, L. Bottai4, L. Wittenberg2 1 University of Nice Sophia Antipolis, Department of Geography, Nice, France. Member of the research laboratory

"UMR 7300 ESPACE CNRS" 2 Department of Geography, Haifa University, Haifa, Israel. 3 IBIMET-CNR, Florence, Italy 4 Laboratory for Meteorology, Climatology and Environmental Modelling, LaMMA-Regione Toscana, Florence,

Italy.

Type of presentation: Oral Presentation Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: Forest fire, runoff, soil erosion Abstract: Forest fires in the Euro-Mediterranean region burn about 450,000 ha each year. Combustion of standing vegetation and the leaf litter leave the soil bare and vulnerable to runoff and erosion thereby increasing downstream risks of flooding. Local authorities must decide on a range of post-fire measures to mitigate risks quickly since most large fires occur late in summer shortly before the fall-winter rainy season. Typically, wildfires near or in the Wildland Urban Interface occur on upland forested hills where runoff concentrates downstream in high density urban areas. A GIS-based model that maps the burn scar and quantifies fire impacts on runoff and soil erosion is a useful tool in defining a strategy. The POSTFIRE model maps the burn scar using easily acquired pre and post-fire satellite images, calculates the impact of a fire on total rainfall event runoff, and maps soil erosion rates by executing 54 routines semi-automatically in IDRISI. In addition to satellite images, the model requires a Digital Elevation Model (DEM), a mask of the general contour of the fire, land cover map, and tables of runoff coefficients and sediment concentration values for the land covers. All other input files are generated automatically by the model. Burn scar classification, runoff and soil erosion maps were compared for two fires in SE France based on SPOT and Landsat images. Differences in burn scar area estimated from unsupervised KMeans classifications of dNDVI and dNBR indices range from 3% to 15% depending on the fire. dNDVI burn scars had slightly greater areas than dNBR derived maps, and SPOT burn scar classifications were slightly greater in area than from Landsat images. Estimated post-fire stream discharge values were about 2 to 2.5 times greater than pre-fire values and differed by less than 10% between different indices and sensors. Similarly, post-fire erosion rates were consistent among indices and sensors and coherent with field measurements of erosion. Preliminary results indicate the model is simple to use, adaptable to local conditions, and provides realistic outputs for the burn scar, discharge, and soil erosion maps after a forest fire.


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O31 – How much more does prescribed burning limit moderate-to-high intensity wildland fire compared to total area burned, relative to other key variables? A comparative simulation exploration – CARY Geoffrey G. Cary1, I. Davies1, R. Bradstock2, R. Keane3, M. Flannigan4 1 The Australian National University, Australia 2 University of Wollongong, Australia 3 USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, USA 4 University of Alberta, Canada

Type of presentation: Oral presentation Abstract: Relationships between levels of prescribed burning and reductions in total area of unplanned fire have been explored for a number of regions around the world. However, insights into the effectiveness of fuel treatment in reducing area of higher intensity, or higher severity, fire are needed for “… a more meaningful and objective measure of prescribed fire effectiveness than the decrease in wildfire area” (Fernandes 2015, Current Forestry Reports). This acknowledges the special significance of fire intensity for wildland fire fighter safety, property protection, greenhouse gas emissions, and biodiversity conservation. Simulation modelling is a well-established approach for exploring management effects on unplanned fire area. We use three simulation models to explore the importance of varying the amounts of prescribed burning, among other variables, on area of moderate-to-high intensity unplanned fire, compared to the same analysis involving total unplanned area burned. Two models of landscape fire (CAFE, FIRESCAPE) were implemented with weather from south-eastern Australia and one (LAMOS-HS) with weather from Corsica, France. In each case, the simulation experiment involved orthogonally varying the extent of fuel treatment, the level of ignition management, and weather across ten separate years of daily weather for each location. Importance of fuel treatment, ignition management and variation in weather were quantified by variance explained in separate GLM analyses of the area of moderate-to-high intensity unplanned fire, and the total area of unplanned fire, in each model. Importance of fuel treatment effort for area burned varied between models, as might be expected given differences in modelling approaches and weather sources among them. However, within each model, variation in fuel treatment level explained around the same amount of variation in area of moderate-to-high intensity unplanned fire as was the case for total unplanned area burned. On average, across all models, high fuel treatment effort (30% of landscape in treated state) resulted in a 40% reduction in area burned by unplanned fire (equivalent to 8% of the treated area) and a 43 percent reduction in area burned by moderate-to-high intensity unplanned fire. Our multi-model study provides new insights into the relative effectiveness of fuel treatment, specifically in the context of moderate-to-high intensity unplanned fire.


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O35 – A theoretical vulnerability assessment model to evaluate ecosystems impacts caused by forest fire events. The case study of the natural protected areas and Nature 2000 network of Lazio region in Italy – DUKA Isida I. Duka, M. Ioannilli

University of Rome ‘Tor Vergata’, Department of Civil Engineering & Computer Engineering, Rome, Italy,

Type of presentation : Oral presentation Abstract: Forest Fires are an essential environment task in the Mediterranean Basin; many authors state that forest fires are environmentally necessary but, if they are not properly managed, they can became dangerous, reducing the capacity of ecosystems to self- regenerate or bring to completely loss of habitats. Particularly threaten by the events, are the natural protected areas and Nature 2000 network. These areas show a large environment heritage, hosting a remarkable biodiversity too. Therefore, fire managers must assume measures, to prevent the events in vulnerable areas. In this context in Italy, according to the National Law 353/ 2000 ‘Framework Law on forest fires’, each region must draw its own Fire Prevision and Prevention Plan (FPPP). The FPPP identifies an index, namely Risk Index (RI). It is homogenous at a municipality level, usually defined as a function of the potentially burnable areas. However, such index seems not properly adequate to evaluate the potential damage resulting from a fire event, mainly if we refer to specific spatial components such as the natural protected areas. Therefore, firstly we introduce a properly integration of vulnerability component in fire risk assessment schema. Secondly, we propose a methodology to evaluate ecosystems sensitivity and their potential damage in case of forest fire events, through developing a theoretical vulnerability assessment model. To analyse ecosystem vulnerability we use a Multi-Criteria-Decision-Analysis (MCDA) approach. Since fire is a spatial and temporal phenomenon and its component too, we used the Geographic Information System (GIS) to process data and visualize results. We tested our theoretical model in the natural protected areas and Nature 2000 network of Lazio Region in Italy.


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O38 – Modélisation des feux de la forêt méditerranéenne pour faciliter leur extinction Jean-Charles Drouet Type of presentation : Oral presentation Abstract : En juillet 1965 le rédacteur a fait dans le cadre de ses études à l’ENSET (devenue ENS Cachan) un stage aux Sapeurs-Pompiers d’Aix-en-Provence. Très rapidement l’objectif de ses réflexions a été de trouver où mettre une aspersion par une solution retardante à base de phosphate diamonique. La base de cette réflexion lui avait été suggérée par le Capitaine Maret du bureau de M. Douard de la Protection Civile à Paris. Précisons que le Capitaine Maret a fini sa carrière en tant que Colonel Directeur des Sapeurs-Pompiers de Haute Corse. L’outil de tir de cette aspersion pouvait être les Catalina, qui se mettaient en place alors. Le rédacteur, en plus des observations qu’il pouvait faire en se déplaçant au sol, a été autorisé à embarquer comme observateur dans les tout nouveaux CL 215 en 1970 et 71. Il a ainsi pu relever des contours de feux pendant 50 heures de vol. Le premier résultat a été la mise au point par l’auteur d’un modèle mathématique donnant la forme et les dimensions d’un feu dont l’éclosion était signalée. Les types de végétations étant la garrigue à chênes kermès, les forêts de pins d’Alep et de chênes verts. Plus tard est venu celui des champs de chaumes. La formule donnant la vitesse de propagation du feu, vent arrière, sur un sol horizontal pour une végétation homogène et isotrope est : VPAF=180*TANH((100-XF)/150)*EXP(TE*1+(XSE/1.4))*0.035)*(1+2*(0.8483+TANH((XG/30-1.25))) pour les chênes kermès. Le logiciel a permis de tracer sur écran la propagation prévue par le calcul du contour du feu, en prenant pour largeur, à 40 km/h de vent, la moitié de celle sans vent. La pente du sol étant prise en compte par le logiciel de façon géométrique pour tenir compte de son effet sur la vitesse de propagation du feu. Il a été mis en application par les Sapeurs-Pompiers des Bouches du Rhône sous le nom de Fire Tactic développé par la Société Intergraph en 1994. Dès qu’un départ de feu était signalé le contour prévu du feu était affiché sur écran au Poste de Commandement fixe (CODIS) situé à Marseille. Cela permettait de guider les choix relatifs aux matériels de lutte contre le feu à envoyer. Si le feu se développait et nécessitait l’envoi d’un Poste de Commandement Mobile (PCM) il était possible à ce dernier, en ayant la connaissance de la position du front de flammes, de prévoir son évolution à court et à moyen terme. Ce logiciel a aussi été utilisé dans d’autres départements en France, mais sans la participation de l’auteur, qui ignore donc les conditions exactes de mise en œuvre. Les variables prises en compte étant la teneur en eau du sol selon la formule de Thornthwaite, la vitesse moyenne du vent sur 10 minutes et la température ambiante. La forme elliptique du feu vient de ce qu’un feu par vent nul (sol horizontal, végétation homogène et isotrope) est un cercle qui se déplace avec un vent très faible. Les deux cercles joints constituent alors une ellipse. Connaissant les délais de construction de la barrière chimique, il est alors possible de déterminer où la mettre en avant du front de feu, pour que celui-ci y arrive une fois la barrière terminée. Actuellement le modèle sert plutôt à déterminer où positionner des engins de lutte classique et ceux très puissants utilisant de l’eau pure. La poursuite des études a permis à l’auteur, après sa thèse d’Etat soutenue en 1972 à l’Université de Provence, de déterminer si un feu pouvait se propager alors que l’on connait la vitesse du vent, la teneur en eau de l’air et la température (seuil d’éclosion). Il a aussi été calculé les quantités d’eau nécessaires pour tomber les flammes et « noyer » le sol chauffé par leur rayonnement pour arrêter un feu. Dans ce cas le feu est assimilé à un U dont les branches sont perpendiculaires à la base (et non plus à une ellipse) et le calcul donne la quantité d’eau à envoyer sur les branches du U pour les éteindre. Le résultat est particulièrement séduisant (environ 15 l par mètre pour refroidir la zone en flammes dont la durée est de 30 secondes) si l’on projette l’eau depuis un hélicoptère supposé apte à remplir la mission. Pour la partie basse du U et compte tenue de la vitesse de propagation des grands feux (1 500 m/h), le moyen le plus efficace parait être d’attendre le feu sur un site convenable avec de très gros engins à quatre essieux portant 13 000 l d’eau dont 2 000 pour leur auto-protection.


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On peut aussi envisager de prendre en compte des méthodes telles que le « hachage » de la pointe du feu proposée pour les Catalina à l’origine, méthode qui semble très proche de ce que certains ont proposé plus tard sous la forme de percolation. A noter que le modèle ne tient pas compte des rafales et de leurs orientations variables, tel qu’il est possible de les observer sur la brumisation à Roques Hautes près du Tholonet. Ces variations ne gênant pas la mise en action des jets d’eau sur les feux. Compléments formule de propagation : -pour les feux de chaumes prendre la formule des chênes kermès avec une réserve en eau du sol de 5

mm, la température observée sous abri (voire une valeur fixe à 30°C ou plus) et la vitesse du vent observé et majorer de 25%.

-TANH : tangente hyperbolique, EXP : exponentielle, -XF : réserve en eau du sol, TE : température °C, XSE : ensoleillement (1 si énergie solaire reçue sans

obstacle, zéro la nuit), XG : vent en km/h moyenne 10 minutes. -coefficients réducteurs de vitesse : pins d’Alep : (1-XG/250), cette vitesse réduite est à multiplier par

EXP (-XSE*0.11) pour les chênes verts. NB : il faut ajouter à ce qui précède la mise en service récente de l’usage des caméras infra-rouges au

niveau de l’aide à la lutte. En particulier la détection de « points chauds » par des drones devrait permettre de refroidir ceux-ci et d’empêcher des « reprises », Surtout si le point chaud est près d’une voie permettant aux 13 000 l de l’atteindre à la lance canon à eau ou si l’on met en service des engins pouvant rouler dans les brûlés pour s’approcher des points chauds (matériels en cours d’études).


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O45 – Modeling wildfire spread and fighting with a meshless front-tracking method – DE GENNARO Matthieu De Gennaro Matthieu1, El Hajj Mahmoud2, Pizzo Yannick3, Porterie Bernard3 1 Institution : IUSTI (AMU/CNRS) / NOVELTIS 2 NOVELTIS, 153, rue du Lac, 31670 Labège, France 3 Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, IUSTI UMR 7343, 13453 Marseille, France

Type of presentation: Oral Presentation Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: fire spread, front-tracking, wildland fire, network model, firefighting Abstract: The objective of the study is to present the last improvements of a semi-physical network model to predict large fire patterns in heterogeneous landscapes. These developments aim at taking into account the heterogeneous and amorphous nature of vegetation, real-time meteorological conditions and the effects of firefighting actions. Since the network model can serve as the basis of a fire-fighting decision support system, it must provide super-real-time simulations, with a reduced amount of computational resources. The front-tracking method, which can be viewed as an Autonomous System, consists in generating an amorphous network by sowing vegetation cells on-the-fly, in the very few digital elevation map (DEM) pixels close to the fire front. As soon as a DEM pixel is completely burned, the associated memory resources are deallocated. The model is evaluated by simulating two real fires: i) the fire of Velaux, in July 2015, which lasted 1h30 and burned nearly 27 ha of vegetation, and ii) the fire of Favone, in July 2009, burning 29 ha in 1h15. For both cases, the CPU time is about 30 s, providing super-real-time simulations approximately 180 times faster than real time. A good agreement is obtained between predicted and measured fire patterns, in terms of rate of spread and burned area. The model is used to evaluate firefighting strategies. The efficiency of fuel break can be evaluated by rendering inactive the combustible cells located in the region where vegetation has been totally cleared. The capability of the model to assess the effects of aerial water bombing on fire spread, using water with or without retardant, is investigated. The distribution of water on the ground can be uniform or dependent on the wind conditions, type of aircraft and topography. The thermo-physical properties (fuel moisture content, inflammability and combustibility properties) of wetted cells are modified accordingly. Author’s presentation: Postgraduate in Mechanics and Energy from the Polytech Marseille engineering school, 3rd year PhD candidate at the IUSTI laboratory, working jointly with NOVELTIS company. Thesis subject : "Modeling the spreading of large-scale wildland fires and development of a real-time decision-making tool for fire prevention and fighting"


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O17 – Mapping landscape risk at multiple temporal scales using a vertically integrated fire simulation system – DUFF Thomas T. J. Duff, D.M. Chong, T. D. Penman, K. G. Tolhurst The University of Melbourne, Australia

Type of presentation : Oral presentation Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: bushfire; PHOENIX RapidFire; risk; simulation; vulnerability; wildfire Abstract: Effective landscape management requires the assessment of fire risk at multiple time scales. Current analytical tools are typically focused on limited ranges due to differing informational requirements (Fig 1.). However, as fire behaviour is consistent across all scales, there is the potential for a vertically integrated system. We present a set of research tools that use a common fire simulator, PHOENIX RapidFire (PHOENIX), to represent risk at four temporal scales – hourly, daily, yearly and decadal. PHOENIX is used for decision making over much of southern Australia. It was designed as a fast system to predict fire spread to aid operational response planning. It is unique as it captures the firebrand driven spread of Eucalyptus fires. Its design allows it to operate as a module within other software and it can utilise computer architectures to run simultaneous fires, allowing frameworks to be developed to run hypothetical scenarios to assess risk. To represent uncertainty in operational wildfire predictions (hourly), we developed a system where multiple instances of the same fire are simulated with perturbed inputs, akin to weather ensembles. The outcomes are aggregated to provide a visual indication of prediction uncertainty. Danger mapping is a universal activity in fire-prone landscapes. We developed a system where thousands of virtual fires are simulated on a grid at a state scale using forecast weather (daily). The results are aggregated and combined with asset information to provide maps of relative risk. Managers need to determine where to prioritise risk reduction activities (yearly). We present a system where hypothetical fires are run under a range of weather and management scenarios to determine the best strategy in terms of multiple criteria (i.e. risk to assets, infrastructure and biodiversity). Finally, we are developing a regime tool where multiple virtual landscapes are created where fires (and other processes) are persistent and interact over long (decadal) time scales to help forecast the impacts of changing landscape properties and climate. The use of a common simulation system ensures consistency at multiple scales, however provides challenges due to differing demands at various scales and the potential amplification of error.


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Posters Abstracts

BÖHM Dennis – Evaluation of the efficiency and environmental impact of fire suppressants for forest fire fighting

BÖHM Dennis – Investigation and evaluation of flame retardants for forest fire fighting within the

framework of the European project AF3

CESPEDES Blaca – Assessment of the mountainous Mediterranean forests dynamics and fire regime

under climate change scenarios

CHAUVIN Sébastien – PIRIOS Prévention du risque d’incendie forestier dans les Pyrénées

COELHO EUGENIO Fernando – Initial evaluations of using Canadian Fire Weather Index System in Brazil

DUGUY Beatriz– Short-term effects of prescribed fires on the understory vegetation of Pinus halepensis

forests in Northeastern Spain

DUGUY Beatriz – Characterization of custom fuel models in pine forests treated with prescribed fires:

assessing the efficiency of this fuel treatment for managing fire risk in Northeastern Spain.

KOZARIC Tomislav – Use of Haines index in the assessment of meteorological risk for wildfires in the

Adriatic area in the fire seasons 2013 – 2015

LOZANO Olga – Integrating LiDAR data with wildfire spread modeling to enhance wildfire exposure and

risk analysis in a Mediterranean wildland-urban interface area

PLANA Eduard – La communication sur le risque d’incendies forestiers ; enjeux et opportunités dans les

zones WUI

ROMERO Bastien – Influence of terpenes on flammability of ornamental species from the wildland-

urban interface

SEGER Celso Darci – Fuel management by prescribed burs in the steppe region on paraná state, Brazil

TOMASEVIC Ivana – Extreme weather conditions during the fire seasons in Croatia in 21st century

TONINI Marj – Spatial assessment of natural and anthropogenic WUI-related factors in Portugal


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P17 – Evaluation of the efficiency and environmental impact of fire suppressants for forest fire fighting – BÖHM Dennis D. Böhm1, M. Weinert1, V. Gettwert1 1 Fraunhofer-Institut für Chemische Technologie (ICT), Germany

Type of presentation: Poster Abstract: In recent years, the incidence of large-scale forest fires has increased significantly in many parts of the world due to various factors such as climate change, urbanization, insufficient landscape management and criminal activities. As a consequence, more efficient countermeasures should be developed and implemented to better protect population and forest ecosystem. These tasks will be realized by the project "Advanced Forest Fire Fighting" (AF3). In the framework of this project two innovative systems will be established: first, small water bombs called pellets which can be dropped from fire-fighting planes even at night; secondly, a sprinkler-like capsule system which is deployed in the forest and filled with fire suppressants. Furthermore, the integration of an early-warning system will be installed based on satellites, aircrafts, drones and also mobile plus stationary ground systems for the early detection of fire and for the tracking of the spread of smoke and toxic gas clouds. This information is collected and analyzed by the innovative crisis management "AF3 Core Expert Engine", which then coordinates all the forest fire fighting activities. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme under grant agreement no. 607276. In order to improve the efficiency of the extinguishing capsule system, evaluations of different fire suppressants were carried out. The focus of the evaluations was on the efficiency of the fire suppressants and was performed with a forest ground fire simulation in laboratory scale. The forest ground fires were extinguished with Eucam-Wood, Fireade-2000, Firesorb-MO, FR-CROS-134P, FR-CROS-134T and then compared to water as reference. The environmental compatibility was tested by a plant tolerance test, by a toxicity test (luminescent bacteria test) and by the biochemical oxygen demand after 5 days. In addition, physical analyzes of the long-term behavior and the cooling effect of the fire suppressants gave further information. The investigation showed that the gelling agent Firesorb-MO in a 1% mixture with water is the most suitable fire suppressant for the forest fire fighting. Firesorb-MO-1% and FR-CROS-134P-16.67% have achieved the best results in the extinguishing efficiency test. Moreover, Firesorb-MO-1% showed good results regarding environmental aspects such as plant tolerance and biodegradability but it showed a high toxicity in the luminescent bacteria test. If the long-term extinguishing effect is in the foreground, FR-CROS-134P is better suitable due to a protective layer formation. However, it showed a bad plant tolerance. Moreover FR-CROS-134P has a high toxicity in the luminescent bacteria test, as well as a poor biodegradability.


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P18 – Investigation and evaluation of flame retardants for forest fire fighting within the framework of the European project AF3 - BÖHM Dennis D. Böhm1, M. Weinert1, V. Gettwert1, S. Stegmüller1 1 Fraunhofer-Institut für Chemische Technologie (ICT), Germany

Type of presentation: Poster Abstract: In recent years, the incidence of large-scale forest fires has increased significantly in many parts of the world due to various factors such as climate change, urbanization, insufficient landscape management and criminal activities. As a consequence of that more efficient countermeasures should be developed and implemented to better protect population and forest ecosystem. These proposes will be realized thorough the project "Advanced Forest Fire Fighting" (AF3). In this project two innovative systems will be established. An active countermeasure such as small water bombs called pellets can be dropped from fire-fighting planes even at night. Secondly a passive countermeasure consists like of a sprinkler which is the forest fire preventive extinguishing capsule system. Furthermore the integration of an early warning system by satellites, aircraft, drones and also mobile plus stationary ground systems for the early detection of fire and for tracking the spread of smoke and toxic gas clouds takes place. These information flows than into the innovative crisis management "AF3 Core Expert Engine", which takes over the overall coordination of the forest fire fighting. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement no. 607276. The poster described the investigation of fire retardants for the extinguishing capsule system from „Pyro“. The fire retardants were investigated with fire test stations on the required amount of fire retardant and extinguishing effect of known liquid fire retardant formulations and were compared with commercial extinguishing products for the forest fire fighting. One fire test station used a radiant burner to heat up wood boards which is coated with fire retardants and the other uses a gas burner. In addition, environmental tests (e.g. plant tolerance test) and physical analyzes (e.g. differential scanning calorimetry) gave further information. The results of the fire test station with the radiant heater showed that Hensotherm-1KS has the highest efficiency. In the case of the fire test station with the gas burner the intumescent fire retardants Eucam-Wood and Hensotherm-1KS have the best results. Firesorb-MO in a 1% mixture with water showed good results at the environmental tests according to the plant tolerance and biodegradability. Against that, it shows high toxicity in the luminescent bacteria test. If the long-term extinguishing effect is in the foreground, FR-CROS-134P is better due to a protective layer formation. However, this fire suppressant is not plant tolerated and also showed a high toxicity in the luminescent bacteria test, as well as a poor biodegradability.


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P13 – Assessment of the mountainous Mediterranean forests dynamics and fire regime under climate change scenarios – CESPEDES Blanca Cespedes Blanca1, Pete Fulé2, Nikos Fyllas3, Joaquin Bedia4 1 NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY 2 School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona 86011 USA 3 Department of Ecology and Systematics, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens,

Athens 15784 Greece 4 Meteorology Group, Institute of Physics of Cantabria, Universidad de Cantabria-CSIC, Santander, Cantabria

39005 Spain

Type of presentation: Poster Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: Mediterranean forest, GAP dynamics models, fire regime, management actions, Abstract: Mountainous Mediterranean forests are one of the systems most threatened by global change. Despite of their fire prone ecology, the extremes droughts and the dramatic changes in fire regimes that have taken place in the last decades make predictions of post-fire vegetation recovery very uncertain under future climate change. Consequently, more information, tools and technology are necessary for forest managers to make decisions about forest treatments. This paper focuses on the results obtained by GREFOS, a forest gap dynamics model developed for the northeastern Mediterranean Basin, when it is been adapted and applied to the bioclimatic conditions of northwestern Mediterranean Basin by adjusting its fire-management module. The natural vegetation dynamics in a mountain Mediterranean forest were modeled through different management actions, under current climate and climate change scenarios. The model was parameterized with data on growth of the dominant tree species in the east of Spain, and validated by using data from the last national forest inventory and literature review. Results showed that Mediterranean pine dry forest may be relatively resilient to climate change despite of the increase in drought and fire frequency, through an important shift in dominance of species. Highest temperatures and high fire frequency reduce the productivity of the system (in terms of basal area); however, there are still viable forest stands and the open forests may be relatively resilient to severe wildfire and drought compared to dense forests. Moreover, the vulnerability of these ecosystems to climate change it is higher and greater in absence of fire, so management scenarios should incorporate the use of fire presence to guarantee the maintenance of coniferous forests in the Mediterranean area. Therefore, implications of management actions could be decisive for mountain Mediterranean forests facing changes in drought stress and fire frequency due to climate change. Author’s presentation: Blanca Céspedes has a PhD in Ecology by the University of Castilla La Mancha (uclm), Toledo, Spain. As a post-doctoral scholar at the School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University (nau) in Flagstaff, Arizona, she was involved in a project based in modelling vegetation dynamics and fire regimen under climate change in the Mediterranean. She is a fire ecology researcher and enjoys getting out in the field studying population and community dynamics in forest and fire-prone ecosystems. Most of her work covers general topics as modelling vegetation, soil seed bank ecology, plant community dynamics in seeders-sprouters, disturbance ecology and climate change.


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P21 – PIRIOS Prévention du risque d’incendie forestier dans les Pyrénées – CHAUVIN Sébastien Chauvin Sébastien GEIE FORESPIR Type of presentation: Poster Abstract: Objectif stratégique : Permettre aux territoires Pyrénéens de faire face de façon plus efficace au risqué d’incendie forestiers Objectifs opérationnels : Estimer quotidiennement le risque d’incendie forestier sur les Pyrénées. Définir les zones prioritaires à risque élevé. Proposer et communiquer autour de mesures de gestion préventive démonstratives Problématique : Les outils servant à estimer le risqué d’incendie sont essentiels pour la prévention des incendies forestiers et la gestion efficace des opérations d’extinction. Cependant, il n’existe pas de vision globale et partagée des niveaux de risqué sur l’ensemble du massif. En matière de prévision, l’indice le plus couramment utilisé (Fire Weather Index) est un indice canadien qui mériterait d’être adapté aux conditions spécifiques du massif des Pyrénées et à ses typologies d’incendies.


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P19 – Initial evaluations of using Canadian Fire Weather Index System in Brazil – COELHO EUGENIO Fernando F Coelho Eugenio1, B Duguy Pedra2, A Rosa dos Santos1, J Eduardo Macedo Pezzopane1, Reginaldo Gonçalves Mafia3, Edmilson Bitti Loureiro3 1 Federal University of Espírito Santo, Brazil. 2 Plant Biology Department, University of Barcelona, Spain. 3 Fibria Celulose S.A

Type of presentation: Poster Abstract: The Fire Weather Index module of the Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System (CFFDRS) has a wide use in the world because it allows us to quantify the risk of fires based on six components that individually and collectively account for the effects of fuel moisture and wind on fire behaviour. The study area is located in the Northern coastal region of Espírito Santo state and the Southern coast of Bahia state, Brazil. It has a large area of planted forest (Eucalyptus spp.). The FWI module was evaluated during the period 09/01/2010 – 06/30/2015. The daily weather data necessary were obtained from 25 meteorological stations distributed across the study area. Logistic regression was applied to the FWI values and fire data in order to set the fire danger classes more appropriate for the study area, based on the probability analysis of fire occurrence. This probability analysis led to the following fire danger classes as the most appropriate for the studied environment, as follows (probability of fire occurrence): 0-12 Low (0.01-0.29), 12-20 Moderate (0.30-0.59), 20-29 High (0.60-0.89), >29 Extreme (>0.90). A comparison between the observed and predicted values of fire occurrence probability was carried out. Applying the distribution of classes for each season, the largest and the smallest percentages of success obtained were 84.4% and 81.4% of the total number of days analyzed, respectively. The former percentage reflects a better predictive power and accuracy in relation to that documented by Borges et al. (2011) using the fire risk index Monte Alegre Formula Modified (with a maximum accuracy of 56.5%). Our preliminary results show, therefore, that the applied methodological approach allows us to establish FWI classes, which may very successfully reflect wildfire risk in our study area. More detailed studies about the applicability of FWI need to be conducted in the study area and throughout Brazil, though. In particular, larger datasets (i.e. over longer time periods) would likely allow to determine more precisely the ranges of the various fire danger classes according to fire occurrence data.


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P20 – GIS-based assessment of methodologies for fire detection towers location – COELHO EUGENIO Fernando F. Coelho Eugenio1, A Rosa dos Santos1, N Cesar Fiedler1, G Assunção Ribeiro2, A Gomes da Silva1, J Eduardo Macedo Pezzopane1, B Duguy Pedra2

1 Forest Science Departament, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Brazil 2 In memoriam Federal University of Viçosa, Brasil 3 Plant Biology Department, University of Barcelona, Spain

Type of presentation: Poster Abstract: In most countries of the world, the loss of biodiversity caused by wildfires is a major concern. In this sense, fire detection towers are crucial for a fast identification of fire outbreaks. Currently in Brazil, the methodologies used for locating fire detection towers across large areas are numerous, complex and non-standardized by government supervisory agencies. This study proposes and evaluates several approaches for locating points to install fire detection towers in the Espírito Santo State, Brazil. This study proposes evaluate, by means of a methodological test, the best location of points to install fire detection towers in the Espírito Santo State, Brazil. All methods are based on crossing the analyzes of the highest elevation point near road network (100m, 300m and 500m) and the grids obtained by unaligned stratified systematic sampling showing the pre-established distances of 15 X 15 km; 17.5 x 17.5 km and 20 x 20 km. For choosing the best method, we quantified with a GIS the viewed areas and the number of towers necessary; i.e. the best method would be the one leading to the network covering the largest area with the smallest possible number of towers. After choosing the method, there was an overlap of the viewed area and the coverage that is represented on the areas with high and very high fire risk, protected areas and the incidence of fires (heat spots) in the year 2014 in study area. Among the methods evaluated, the C3 method (500m – 20 km) was selected as the most suitable one since it allowed the largest viewed area with the smallest number of towers. It led to set a network with 140 fire detection towers, covering 67% of the study area, 73.97% of the areas with high fire risk, 70.41% of the areas with very high fire risk, 70.42% of the conservation units and 84.95% of the heat spots in 2014. The proposed methodology might be adapted to other areas.


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P22 – Short-term effects of prescribed fires on the understory vegetation of Pinus halepensis forests in Northeastern Spain – DUGUY Beatriz L. Fuentes López, B. Duguy Pedra

Universitat de Barcelona, Facultat de Biologia, Departament de Biologia Vegetal, Barcelona (Spain)

Type of presentation : Poster Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: Abstract: Fire regime has been modified in most Mediterranean countries in the last decades, due to the landscape changes resulting of human activity. Fuel accumulation and its increasing spatial continuity have led to less fragmented and more homogeneous landscapes, which enhance fire risk and the occurrence of large intense fires. This situation becomes worse under climate change predictions for the Mediterranean region. In order to minimize likely negative impacts on the ecosystems, a wildfire prevention-oriented forest management becomes necessary. Prescribed burnings are one amongst the possible treatments available to reduce fuel load in fire-prone ecosystems, but they are still poorly accepted and applied in the Mediterranean region. Their use is particularly constrained by knowledge gaps about their effects on the ecosystems (soil, vegetation). In this study we assessed the short-term effects of a spring prescribed burning on the understory vegetation of a Pinus halepensis forest located at El Perelló (Tarragona, Northeastern Spain). The understory shrubland is dominated by Pistacia lentiscus, Quercus coccifera, Erica multiflora, Rosmarinus officinalis and Ulex parviflorus. This plant community was sampled in three plots both before (February 2013) and ten months after a prescribed burning that was conducted in May 2013 under the pine canopy. Our results show that the plant community recovers after the burning through an autosuccession process, as expected in such a Mediterranean-type shrubland, with no remarkable changes in species’ richness, diversity, nor composition, though the relative abundance of some species is modified. Besides, the burning proves to be effective for notably reducing the presence of Ulex parviflorus, a highly flammable seeder species, whereas vigorous resprouter species (both shrubs and herbaceous species) have rapidly recovered in terms of species’ frequency. Indeed, the frequency of resprouters in relation to seeders has strongly increased; from 5,4 before the treatment to 19 after it. The resulting plant community corresponds, therefore, to a less fire-prone fuel model and is expected to be more resilient to fire. Further studies are needed to assess the mid-term dynamics of this community, in order to better understand the effects of understory prescribed burnings and, thus, establish accurate guidelines for forest management.


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P23 – Characterization of custom fuel models in pine forests treated with prescribed fires: assessing the efficiency of this fuel treatment for managing fire risk in Northeastern Spain – DUGUY Beatriz L. Fuentes López, A. Unzalu, B. Duguy Pedra

Universitat de Barcelona, Facultat de Biologia, Departament de Biologia Vegetal, Barcelona (Spain)

Type of presentation : Poster Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: prescribed fire, custom fuel models, allometric relationships, Mediterranean forests, fire risk management Abstract: Fire regimes have been altered by human activity in northern Mediterranean countries. Large wildfires have become a major cause of ecosystems and landscapes degradation. This problem is expected to be enhanced under climatic change. In fire-prone ecosystems, such as Mediterranean Pinus halepensis forests, prescribed fires may be an interesting treatment for controlling fuel build-up and managing fire risk. However, field-based studies about how this treatment affects vegetation structure and alters fuel models, and thus determines fire spread at the landscape scale, are still very scarce. This is limiting the use of prescribed burnings across the Region. In this study, we aimed 1) to assess the short-term structural changes caused by a spring prescribed burning on the understory vegetation of a Pinus halepensis forest, and 2) to characterize the custom fire behavior fuel model (CFM) for the Control (pre-fire) situation and, if meaningful, for the Burnt (post-fire) situation as well. The study was conducted in a forest planted in 1970 at El Perelló (Tarragona, Northeastern Spain). The understory is dominated by Pistacia lentiscus, Quercus coccifera, Rosmarinus officinalis and Ulex parviflorus. The vegetation was sampled both before (February 2013) and after (March 2014) the burning conducted in May 2013 under the pine canopy. Based on field-collected and bibliographic data, the major variables required for characterizing fuel models were estimated. We put particular effort on estimating aerial phytomasses (total, fine and coarse) using allometric volume-biomass relationships that were previously established for the dominating shrub species. Results show that Control and Burnt situations correspond to different CFMs. Shrub layer height, total shrub and herbaceous covers, as well as living fuel load (total and fine fraction), were significantly reduced by the prescribed burning, thus, leading to a less fire-prone fuel model. Despite dead fuel load was generally reduced too, its proportion over the total fuel load was larger after the burning. The CFMs characterized here allowed the creation of more accurate fuel model maps that are improving the predictions’ reliability of a fire spread and behavior model, which is being currently used to assess the efficiency of alternative prescribed burning scenarios for reducing the risk of large fires in this landscape.


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P7 – Use of Haines index in the assessment of meteorological risk for wildfires in the Adriatic area in the fire seasons 2013-2015 – KOZARIC Tomislav M. Mokoric1, T. Kozaric1, L. Kalin1 1 Meteorological and Hydrological Service, Croatia

Type of presentation: Poster Abstract: The instability in a dry atmosphere is significant meteorological factor that affects wildfire behavior. A quantitative measure of this factor is the Haines index, i.e. higher value of index determines higher potential for wildfire growth. Since 2013 Haines index has been used as an additional tool for assessing risk of the significant fire weather in the Adriatic region of Croatia and issuing warnings. Wildfires in the Adriatic are most common from June to September, a period defining main wildfire season. In this paper Haines index calculated from the radiosonde measurements has been analysed and compared with prognostic values based on numerical weather prediction (NWP) models ALADIN and ECMWF. The analysis was done for the period from June to September 2013 – 2015 for the meteorological station Zadar which represents the area of the central Adriatic well. The results show that in the situations with weak wind, the highest value of Haines index (value 6) can be used for issuing warnings. The highest value during main fire seasons occured in less than 10% of days, i.e. relative frequency in the extremely wet season of 2014 was slightly higher than 1% and in the extremely hot and dry 2015 was almost 8% (Figure 1). On the other hand, the value 5 occured too frequent, what consequently lowers its significance. Figure 1. Distribution of Haines index calculated from the upper air soundings at Zadar station. Verification of the prognostic Haines index shows that both NWP models can be considered successful despite slightly underestimated values. The ALADIN model predicts the highest value of Haines index more frequent than the ECMWF, what results in slightly worse skill for the ALADIN model. In conclusion, both analytical and prognostic Haines indices can be used as a valuable tool in the assessment of meteorological risk for wildfires in the Adriatic. However, some calibration of the index to the local area climate could be performed in order to improve its overall performance. Further research of the applications of Haines index will be combinations with other significant meteorological parameters, e.g. turbulent kinetic energy. In that way Haines index can also be used to detect the areas with high meteorological risk for potentially extreme wildfire behavior.


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P8 – Integrating LiDAR data with wildfire spread modeling to enhance wildfire exposure and risk analysis in a Mediterranean wildland-urban interface area – LOZANO Olga Lozano Olga1, Salis Michele2, Spano Donatella1,2, Emilio Chuvieco3,4 1 Department of Science for Nature and Environmental Resources (DIPNET), University of Sassari, Via De Nicola 9,

Italy 2 IAFENT Division, Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Changes (CMCC), Via De Nicola 9, Sassari, Italy 3 Departamento de Geografía, Universidad de Alcalá, Colegios 2, E-28801 Alcalá de Henares, Spain 4 GEOLAB Unidad Asociada UAH-CSIC, Spain

Type of presentation: Poster Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: LiDAR, multispectral imagery, wildfire spread modeling, wildland-urban interface, Mediterranean area Abstract: Wildfires that spread into wildland-urban interface (WUI) areas may cause significant destruction to communities including human losses. Therefore, most of prevention efforts and resources are focused in these areas and it is crucial to prioritize the location of the interventions. Wildfire spread modeling is used to assess wildfire behavior and risk at landscape scale and this approach allows discriminating major concern areas to prioritize the interventions. One of the most important inputs for this approach is the fuel map which is especially critical in WUI areas where vegetation and houses are so close. To characterize and map fuels in WUI areas some studies have analyzed satellite imagery and, in recent works, also LiDAR data have been included for this purpose. In this study we estimated the effect of including LiDAR derived data in the WUI fuel characterization on the wildfire risk assessment. The case study was a 4,500 ha area located on the east coast of Sardinia, where LiDAR data is available and scattered wildland-urban interfaces and touristic values are endangered by wildfires. For the fuel model discrimination at 10 m resolution we used as input the Spot-5 bands and some layers derived from the LiDAR data (e.g. canopy cover, vegetation height) and we then run the classification using the maximum likelihood algorithm. For the wildfire spread simulation we used the Minimum Travel Time (MTT) algorithm as implemented by FlamMap. As a result we obtained two fuel model maps: one only from satellite imagery and another integrating the LiDAR data as well. The use of these two fuel model maps as input for the wildfire spread models resulted in quite different maps of potential fire behavior and exposure in the study area. This method represents a valuable support to landscape managers for the identification of high fire risk areas and for the implementation and prioritization of fire risk mitigation measures. Integrating LiDAR data to characterize fuels enables to produce detailed fire hazard maps which are especially important on WUI areas, where houses and vegetation are intermingled. Author’s presentation: Bachelor and Master’s degree in Forest Engeneering at the Universitat Politécnica de Valencia (Spain). Present position: PhD student at the Università degli Studi di Sassari (Italy). Research interests: Wildfire spread modeling, Remote sensing.


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P10 – La communication sur le risque d’incendies forestiers ; enjeux et opportunités dans les zones WUI – PLANA Eduard Plana Eduard1, Borràs Mariona2, Font Marc1, Gladiné Julia3, Molina Domingo4, Martín David1

1 Centre Tecnològic Forestal de Catalunya, Crta. Sant Llorenç de Morunys, km 2, 25280 Solsona, Espagne 2 Pau Costa Foundation, c/ del Castell, 11, baixos, 43746, Tivissa, Espagne 3 FORESPIR, 64 Rue Raymond IV, 31000, Toulouse, France 4 Universitat de Lleida, Av. Rovira Roure 191, E-25198, Lleida, Espagne

Type of presentation: Poster Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: Culture du risque, perception du risque, éducation du risque, résilience Abstract: La faible prise de conscience sociale du risque combinée à la capacité individuelle réduite de réaction dans la prévention afin de faire face aux aléas, augmente la vulnérabilité sociale et le coût des actions dans le cadre de la protection des personnes. Les personnes qui habitent en zone WUI ainsi que les gestionnaires territoriaux doivent assumer une certaine coresponsabilité dans la protection de leur propriété. Or, les propriétaires ne sont pas toujours conscients du risque inhérent aux grands incendies forestiers-surtout en ce qui concerne le comportement du feu- et qui plus est, des actions préventives et d’autoprotection qu’ils peuvent mener. Dans ce contexte, le projet européen eFIRECOM (2015-2016 et cofinancé par la DG ECHO) vise à développer des outils de communication pour améliorer la capacité de résilience des habitats des WUI face aux incendies forestiers à travers l’augmentation de la culture du risque issue des connaissances actualisées et des meilleures pratiques. Adapter la communication sur le risque d’incendie forestier aux différents groupes et contextes sociaux spécifiques, permet d’assurer une meilleure efficacité des processus de communication. A travers cette étape il est nécessaire de différencier la communication sur les risques (communication dédiée aux propriétaires et municipalités sur un possible danger futur et les actions de prévention) de la communication de crise (qui se concentre sur la durée de l’évènement). L’exercice de la communication améliore la prise de contact entre les acteurs et permet de mieux définir la responsabilité partagée dans la gestion du risque. Ces processus de communications ont aussi pour objectif de fournir la capacité et les outils pertinents pour la mise en place efficace des actions de prévention d’incendies forestiers. Tout au long du projet eFIRECOM des outils ont été analysés et développés avec l’objectif de communiquer aux municipalités et habitants de zone WUI, ainsi qu’aux écoles et journalistes sur le risque d’incendie à partir d’une documentation technique existante et en rapport avec les besoins des usagers finaux. Author’s presentation: Mr. Plana est actuellement le Chef du Département des Politiques et Gouvernance Forestière au Centre Technologique Forestier de la Catalogne. Ces travails visent la recherche appliquée sur les incendies de forêts, en particulier sur des aspects sociaux, environnementaux et économiques. L'intégration du risque d'incendies dans la planification du paysage, le rapport coût-efficacité de la gestion des risques ou la communication des risques sont aussi au sein de ces recherches. Mr. Plana a participé à la rédaction du document de synthèse sur la prévention des incendies en Méditerranée (FAO 2011) et le Cadre stratégique sur les forêts méditerranéennes (FAO 2013).


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P11 – Influence of terpenes on flammability of ornamental species from the wildland-urban interface – ROMERO Bastien Bastien Romero1,2, Fabien Guerra1, Christian Travaglini1, Elena Ormeño2, Catherine Fernandez2, Anne Ganteaume1 1 Irstea Aix-en-Provence RECOVER/EMAX (France) 2 IMBE, Aix-Marseille Université (France)

Type of presentation: Poster Abstract: The increasing urbanization in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) and the high proportion of fire ignitions in these areas are all factors that require the assessment of the flammability of the vegetation located around housings (especially of the ornamental hedges). The ornamental vegetation can be an efficient vector of fire propagation towards the housings in the WUIs where fire risk is high especially in the Mediterranean area. In order to improve fire prevention, flammability of the main ornamental species has been assessed taking into account both dead surface fuel (litter) and live leaves. In this study we aim to test, for the first time, the relationship between ornamental plant flammability and terpene content, which has been shown to promote plant flammability in natural Mediterranean species. To a lesser extent, we also address the impact of fuel moisture content and leaf physical characteristics on flammability of ornamental plantsed Flammability was assessed under laboratory conditions through ignitability, sustainability and combustibility parameters, which were measured using an epiradiator. We show the impact of the different terpene compounds on each flammability component.


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P4 – Fuel management by prescribed burs in the steppe region on paraná state, Brazil – SEGER Celso Darci Seger Celso Darci1, Batista Antonio Carlos1, Tetto Alexandre França1, Alves Marcos Vinicius Giongo2, Soares Ronaldo Viana1, Biondi Daniela1 1 UFPR - Federal University of Paraná, Av. Pref. Lothário Meissner, 900, 80210-170, Curitiba, PR, Brazil. 2 UFTO, R. Badejós, lt. 7, Chácara 69/72, Caixa Postal 66, Zona Rural , 77402-970 - Gurupi - TO, Brazil

Type of presentation: Poster Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: Steppe, management, fire risk Abstract: Many biomes of the world are highly susceptible to the occurrence of forest fires. To reduce the fire risk, the adoption of vegetation management measures is important, especially for the reduction or elimination of fuel available to burn. One of the most efficient techniques for fuel reducing is through the fire used by prescribed burning. Through this technique, the fire is confined in a selected area, and used under weather conditions suitable for burn, so that the rate of spread and fire intensity reaching levels that do not harm the vegetation that is being managed. In Brazil, prescribed burns for fuel reduction are still rarely used. This study aimed to evaluate the fire behavior and the fuel reduction in the steppe region of Paraná State - Brazil, by prescribed burning at different times of the year. The study was conducted in the Private Natural Heritage Reserve “Caminho das Tropas” (Way of Troops) coordinates 25°20’53"S and 49°47’39"O, Palmeira county. To accomplish the objective, experiments with headfire and backfire were conducted in the pre and post-winter period. In the pre-winter experiment, the mean characteristics of fuel in the pre and post-burnings were: total fuel = 2.53 kg.m-2 and moisture content = 80.53%. For the post-winter period the averages were: total fuel = 2.26 kg m-2 and moisture content = 50.45%. Mean fire behavior variables in the pre-winter experiment were: fire spread = 0.343 m.s-1; height of the flames = 1.13 m; fire intensity = 85.53 kcal.m-1.s-1 and heat released = 3239.08 kcal.m-2. In the post-winter experiment the following averages were obtained: fire spread = 0.304 ms-1; height of the flames = 1.09 m; fire intensity = 130.50 kcal.m-1.s-1 and heat released = 4202.16 kcal.m-2. The fuel consumed on pre-winter period was 1.64 kg.m-2 with burn efficiency (fuel reduction) equivalent of 65.75%. At the post-winter period, the fuel consumed was 1.76 kg.m-2 with a burn efficiency = 76.86%. Concluded with search results that the best time to conduct prescribed burns to reduce fuel in the Paraná steppe region is in the post-winter period and the best burning technique is against the wind. Author’s presentation: Graduated (1979), master's (1984) and a PhD in Forestry Engineering from the Federal University of Paraná (1995). He is currently a professor at the Federal University of Parana. Has experience in the area of Forest Resources and Forest Engineering, with emphasis on Forest Protection and Meteorology and Forest Climatology, acting on the following topics: preventing and fighting forest fires, fire behavior, fire effects, controlled burnings, microclimate, urban climate and rural-urban interface (WUI). It is one of the leaders of the research group Ecology, control and use of fire in the National Council of Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq). It was coordinator of the Graduate Program in Forest Engineering from the Federal University of Paraná from July 2011 to July 2015.


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P6 – Extreme weather conditions during the fire seasons in Croatia in 21st century – TOMASEVIC Ivana I. Tomašević*, V. Vučetić Meteorological and Hydrological Service, Croatia, [email protected]

Type of presentation: Oral Presentation Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: Fire Smart Territory, integrated management, socio-ecological approach Abstract: Monthly and seasonal extreme weather conditions in Croatia during the fire season from April to October for the period 2001-2015 have been analyzed. Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index System (CFFWIS) for fire risk assessment is applied to estimate the mean value of Monthly and Seasonal Severity Rating (MSR and SSR). The Canadian method is used operationally in Meteorological and Hydrological Service of Croatia during the last 35 years. Spatial distribution of the MSR and SSR in Croatia for each year in the period 2001-2015 and their ratio with the long term averages 1981-2010 are presented. Forest fires are directly associated with drought and high air temperature. Therefore, drought periods regarding the type of fuel materials and periods of 10 and more consecutive days with maximum air temperature above 30°C and 32°C for 41 meteorological stations in Croatia have been also analyzed. Compared with the long term average 1981-2010 the most extreme SSR in the 21st century was in 2003 and 2012. This was due to an extreme weather conditions that prevailed during these years. For instance, three heat waves occurred in 2012 with maximum air temperature above 30°C at least 10 consecutive days on 21 stations. The longest lasted 39 days and the one with daily maximum temperature above 32°C lasted 18 consecutive days, both on stations situated in the mid-Adriatic. This region was found to be the most vulnerable in the 21st century, especially its islands and hinterland. Almost every year the high air temperature was followed by a drought period. In 2012 in the mid-Adriatic lasted from the middle of June until the middle of September. Analysis of MSR and SSR in this century showed that high fire risk is not only spreading towards the northern Adriatic, but also to the inland, especially to eastern continental part of Croatia which is the most important agricultural area. According to climate projections for the rest of the 21st century, it is likely to expect more severe fire season in the future.


87

P9 – Spatial assessment of natural and anthropogenic WUI-related factors in Portugal – TONINI Marj Tonini Marj1, Pereira Mario G.2 1 Institution : Institute of Earth Surface Dynamics (IDYST), Faculty of Geosciences and Environment (GSE), University

of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland 2 Centre for Research and Technology of Agro-Environment and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-

Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal

Type of presentation: Poster Keywords that describes the topic of the abstract: wildland urban interface, Portugal, forest fires, predictor variables Abstract: In the last three decades, Portugal registered the highest number of forest fires among all Mediterranean countries and it is the third most affected in terms of burned area. The first source of ignition in this country is associated to human causes and only a small percentage of fires (ca. 5%) are naturally caused (lightnings). This hazardous phenomenon is assuming an increasing importance especially in relation to climate changes and to urban sprawl, which make it difficult to outline a border between human infrastructures and forest. It is known that anthropogenic features, such as the distance to roads and houses, negatively influence the probability of forest fires occurrences, while the population density positively affects it. The land use is also a central factor in predicting forest fires, and each agricultural, natural- and semi-natural covers can be concerned in a different proportion. The estimation of the importance of predictor variables to fire ignition occurrences is crucial to implement model and to produce risk maps. Based on prior knowledge on this topic, the aim of the present study is to locally map the wildland urban interface (WUI) in Portugal. A second aim is to provide a quantitative characterization of forest fires occurred in the country in the last few decades, in relation to different variables, essentially the burned area and the land cover classes. To map the WUI, authors applied a well validated GIS model developed to assess the spatial relationship between the urban area and the wildland vegetation. The buffer value allowing to define the overlapping zone is estimated considering the percentage of forest fires arising at a certain distance from anthropogenic features (houses and /or roads). The Northern and the Southern half of Portugal are evaluated separately, since a different land use characterise these two areas. Essentially the strongest urban development and forestry component in the North/Center give rise to a hugely large number of forest fires here than in the Center/South. The results obtained by this study contribute to both the knowledge of the spatial pattern distribution of forest fires in Portugal and to the definition of the wildland urban interface for this country. Author’s presentation: Marj Tonini is senior researcher at the Faculty of Geosciences and Environment, University of Lauanne (Switzerland). She gained her PhD in 2002 at the Sant’Anna School of advanced studies (Pisa, Italy), defending a thesis on agro-environmental spatial modelling. Since 2005 Marj is working at the University of Lausanne where she collaborates with the Geoinformatics and Spatial Modelling team as specialist in GIS and space-time cluster analyses. She is in charge of courses in geomatics. The research projects that she is currently carrying out concern: point process analyses and cluster detection of environmental hazards; wild urban interface mapping.


88

Index of oral presentations and posters

Oral Abstracts ......................................................................................... 20 SESSION 1 Fuels in WUI ........................................................................................................................... 20

O10 – Flammability of dead shrub twigs – SANTONI Paul-antoine .................................................... 21

O27 – Application of Terrestrial Laser Scanning to estimate tree and crown attributes in evergreen broadleaf trees – FERRARA Roberto ................................................................................................... 22

SESSION 2 Prevention, land and ecosystem preventive management .................................................. 23

O13 – Transformations territoriales et gestion du risque incendie dans le massif des Landes de Gascogne : une affaire de forestiers ou un enjeu d’aménagement du territoire ? – VANNEUFVILLE Simon .................................................................................................................................................. 24

O15 – Utilisation des cartes de susceptibilité aux incendies des interfaces forêt-habitat (IFH) comme outil d’aide à la décision pour la protection des forêts contre les incendies. Exemple du cas des Bouches du Rhône. – PASTOR Vincent ............................................................................................... 25

O37 – Projet d’élaboration d’un référentiel national de défendabilité des interfaces forêt-habitat – DUCHÉ Yvon ........................................................................................................................................ 27

O20 – Wildfire risk and biodiversity management: Understanding perceptions and preparedness – MOSKWA Emily ................................................................................................................................... 28

O21 – Exploratory tests on structures’ resistance during forest fires – RIBEIRO Luís Mário ............. 29

O47 – A new statistical approach for wildfire risk mapping based on observed burned areas – FIORUCCI Paolo ................................................................................................................................... 31

O50 – Do houses built to bushfire regulations perform effectively in extreme landscape? – LEONARD Justin .................................................................................................................................. 32

O52 – Prévention d’incendies forestiers : la valeur sociale de la participation. Mesures à court, moyen et à long terme. 5 plans de prévention – VILLAMUERA GONZALEZ Miquel Angel .............. 33

O54 – Recent past Land Use-Land Cover Changes have increased landscape fire- hazard and risk of ignition in a fire-prone area of southern Turkey – VIEDMA Olga ....................................................... 35

SESSION 3 Human factors and issues ...................................................................................................... 36

O12 – Developing Fire Adapted Communities in the WUI by Leveraging Social Media & Virtual Operations Support Teams (VOST) – ERIKSEN Kris ............................................................................. 37

O14 – Fire Smart Territory: An innovative conceptual model for integrated wildfire management – TEDIM Fantina ..................................................................................................................................... 38

O24 – Negligent and intentional fires in Portugal: the role of human and biophysical drivers – PEREIRA Mario .................................................................................................................................... 39

O34 – Le risque d’incendie de forêt en Corse et en Sardaigne : vers une approche territoriale des vulnérabilités socio-spatiales – VILAIN-CARLOTTI Pauline ................................................................. 40

O4 – Changing WUI Fire Risk in Dissimilar Communities of Southern California, USA – DICUS Christopher ......................................................................................................................................... 41

O2 – Analyse des motifs des incendies de forêt dans le Nord Centre Algérien – MEDDOUR-SAHAR Ouahiba ............................................................................................................................................... 42

O49 – Sheltering during a bushfire: what are the challenges? – BLANCHI Raphaele ......................... 43


89

O43 – Forest fire prevention in Greece based on a participatory methodology – XANTHOPOULOS Gavriil .................................................................................................................................................. 44

SESSION 4 Fire Science Dissemination .................................................................................................... 46

O29 – The California Fire Science Consortium: delivering fire science to the “Pyro-state” – SAFFORD Hugh .................................................................................................................................................... 47

O30 – Building relationships between fire practitioners and researchers: Why it is necessary and how we do it – SATINK WOLFSON Barbara ......................................................................................... 48

O44 – Increasing Capacity for Collaboration by Training Natural Resource Management Agencies, Scientists and Stakeholders – KOCHER Susie ...................................................................................... 49

SESSION 5 Fire Science Dissemination .................................................................................................... 51

O36 – Utilisation d’un Drone pour les Retours d’Expérience sur Incendies – MASSAIU Antonella ... 52

O23 – Project HOLISTIC - holistic approach to forest fire prevention and protection in Adriatic area - WP6 - Adriatic Terrestrial Forest Fire Monitoring and Surveillance System (AdriaFireMonitor) – ŠERIC Ljiljana ....................................................................................................................................... 53

O25 – Project HOLISTIC - holistic approach to forest fire prevention and protection in Adriatic area – WP5 - Adriatic forest fire Web GIS service (AdriaFireMonitor) – STIPANICEV Darko ......................... 54

O46 – Opportunities to prevent fires in early ages. A mediterranean example: “Crece con tu Árbol” (“Growing up beside your tree”) andalusian programme. – QUESADA Clara .................................... 55

O8 – Effect of Wildfire on Soil Properties in Mount Kenya – DOWNING Timothy ............................. 56

SESSION 7 Firefighting and crisis management, from wildland to WUI ................................................. 57

O1 – Improving situation awareness with social media & aerial monitoring system in wildfire – FRERSON Christophe ........................................................................................................................... 58

O40 – Typhoon: A new firefighting tool that improves water use effectives and efficiency – KREKOUKIS Ioannis ............................................................................................................................. 59

O42 – The wildfire of 17 July 2015, at the Faraklo village, Lakonia, Greece and its suppression – ATHANASIOU Miltiadis ........................................................................................................................ 60

O48 – Vers un réseau européen d’analystes. – LAHAYE Sébastien .................................................... 61

O55 – Les moyens aériens français et la lutte dans l'interface forêt/habitat – CHICHA Pierre .......... 62

SESSION 8 Fire Modelling and simulation ............................................................................................... 63

O18 – Designing Computational Fluid Dynamics simulation scenarios for the assessment of dwellings vulnerability in the wildland urban interface – PASTOR Elsa ............................................. 64

O56 – POSTFIRE, a model to map forest fire burn scar and estimate runoff and soil erosion risks – FOX Dennis M. ..................................................................................................................................... 65

O31 – How much more does prescribed burning limit moderate-to-high intensity wildland fire compared to total area burned, relative to other key variables? A comparative simulation exploration – CARY Geoffrey .............................................................................................................. 66

O35 – A theoretical vulnerability assessment model to evaluate ecosystems impacts caused by forest fire events. The case study of the natural protected areas and Nature 2000 network of Lazio region in Italy – DUKA Isida ................................................................................................................. 67

O38 – Modélisation des feux de la forêt méditerranéenne pour faciliter leur extinction – DROUET Jean-Charles ........................................................................................................................................ 68

O45 – Modeling wildfire spread and fighting with a meshless front-tracking method – DE GENNARO Matthieu ............................................................................................................................................. 70

O17 – Mapping landscape risk at multiple temporal scales using a vertically integrated fire simulation system – DUFF Thomas ..................................................................................................... 71


90

Posters Abstracts .................................................................................... 72 P17 – Evaluation of the efficiency and environmental impact of fire suppressants for forest fire fighting – BÖHM Dennis ...................................................................................................................... 73

P18 – Investigation and evaluation of flame retardants for forest fire fighting within the framework of the European project AF3 - BÖHM Dennis ..................................................................................... 74

P13 – Assessment of the mountainous Mediterranean forests dynamics and fire regime under climate change scenarios – CESPEDES Blanca .................................................................................... 75

P21 – PIRIOS Prévention du risque d’incendie forestier dans les Pyrénées – CHAUVIN Sébastien ... 76

P19 – Initial evaluations of using Canadian Fire Weather Index System in Brazil – COELHO EUGENIO Fernando ............................................................................................................................................. 77

P20 – GIS-based assessment of methodologies for fire detection towers location – COELHO EUGENIO Fernando ............................................................................................................................. 78

P22 – Short-term effects of prescribed fires on the understory vegetation of Pinus halepensis forests in Northeastern Spain – DUGUY Beatriz ................................................................................. 79

P23 – Characterization of custom fuel models in pine forests treated with prescribed fires: assessing the efficiency of this fuel treatment for managing fire risk in Northeastern Spain – DUGUY Beatriz 80

P7 – Use of Haines index in the assessment of meteorological risk for wildfires in the Adriatic area in the fire seasons 2013-2015 – KOZARIC Tomislav ............................................................................ 81

P8 – Integrating LiDAR data with wildfire spread modeling to enhance wildfire exposure and risk analysis in a Mediterranean wildland-urban interface area – LOZANO Olga ..................................... 82

P10 – La communication sur le risque d’incendies forestiers ; enjeux et opportunités dans les zones WUI – PLANA Eduard .......................................................................................................................... 83

P11 – Influence of terpenes on flammability of ornamental species from the wildland-urban interface – ROMERO Bastien .............................................................................................................. 84

P4 – Fuel management by prescribed burs in the steppe region on paraná state, Brazil – SEGER Celso Darci .......................................................................................................................................... 85

P6 – Extreme weather conditions during the fire seasons in Croatia in 21st century – TOMASEVIC Ivana .................................................................................................................................................... 86

P9 – Spatial assessment of natural and anthropogenic WUI-related factors in Portugal – TONINI Marj ..................................................................................................................................................... 87


91

Index of authors

A

Alves ........................................................................ 85 Amraoui .................................................................. 39 Anagnostopoulos .................................................... 59 Andrieu ................................................................... 65 Arca ......................................................................... 22 Arnold ..................................................................... 28 Assunção Ribeiro ..................................................... 78 Athanasiou .............................................................. 60

B

Barboni .................................................................... 21 Bardsley .................................................................. 28 Batista ..................................................................... 85 Bedia ....................................................................... 75 Biondi ................................................................ 31, 85 Bitti Loureiro ........................................................... 77 Blanchi .............................................................. 32, 43 Böhm ................................................................. 73, 74 Borràs ...................................................................... 83 Bottai ...................................................................... 65 Bouisset ................................................................... 24 Bradstock ................................................................ 66

C

Caballero ................................................................. 29 Campo ..................................................................... 31 Cary ......................................................................... 66 Castellnou ............................................................... 61 Cespedes ................................................................. 75 Chauvin ................................................................... 76 Chicha ..................................................................... 62 Chong ...................................................................... 71 Chuvieco ................................................................. 82 Coelho Eugenio ................................................. 77, 78 Cosgun .................................................................... 35

D

D’Andrea ................................................................. 31 Davies ...................................................................... 66 De Gennaro ............................................................. 70 Dicus ........................................................................ 41 Downing .................................................................. 56 Drouet ..................................................................... 68 Duce ........................................................................ 22 Duché ................................................................ 25, 27 Duff ......................................................................... 71 Duguy .....................................................77, 78, 79, 80 Duka ........................................................................ 67

E

El Hajj ...................................................................... 70

Eriksen ..................................................................... 37 Escolano .................................................................. 64 Esposti ..................................................................... 31

F

Fanlo ....................................................................... 64 Fernandez ............................................................... 84 Ferrara..................................................................... 22 Fiedler ..................................................................... 78 Fiorucci .................................................................... 31 Flannigan ................................................................. 66 Font ......................................................................... 83 Fox ........................................................................... 65 Frerson .................................................................... 58 Fuentes López ................................................... 79, 80 Fulé ......................................................................... 75 Fyllas ....................................................................... 75

G

Galardi ..................................................................... 31 Ganteaume ............................................................. 84 Gettwert ............................................................ 73, 74 Ghisu ....................................................................... 22 Gladiné .................................................................... 83 Gomes da Silva ........................................................ 78 Gonçalves Mafia ...................................................... 77 Guerra ..................................................................... 84 Güngöroglu ............................................................. 35

H

Haynes .................................................................... 43 Holland .................................................................... 43 Huntsinger............................................................... 49

I

Imo .......................................................................... 56 Ioannilli ................................................................... 67

J

Joan ......................................................................... 33

K

Kalin ........................................................................ 81 Kavgacı .................................................................... 35 Keane ...................................................................... 66 Kimanzi .................................................................... 56 Kocher ............................................................... 48, 49 Kozaric ..................................................................... 81 Krekoukis ................................................................. 59 Krstinic .................................................................... 54 Krstinić .................................................................... 53


92

L

Laaroussi ................................................................. 65 Lahaye ..................................................................... 61 Leonard ............................................................. 32, 43 Leone ...................................................................... 38 Leonelli .................................................................... 21 Leyshon ................................................................... 41 Lottin ....................................................................... 52 Lozano ..................................................................... 82 Luque-Marín ........................................................... 55

M

Macedo Pezzopane ........................................... 77, 78 Maggi ...................................................................... 49 Malkinson ............................................................... 65 Martín ..................................................................... 83 Masia ....................................................................... 22 Massaiu ................................................................... 52 Meddour Rachid ..................................................... 42 Meddour-Sahar Ouahiba ........................................ 42 Mokoric ................................................................... 81 Molina ..................................................................... 83 Moreno ................................................................... 35 Moskwa ................................................................... 28

N

Navalón ................................................................... 64 Newnham ................................................................ 32

O

Opie ................................................................... 32, 43 Ormeño ................................................................... 84 Otinga ..................................................................... 56

P

Papantonis .............................................................. 59 Parente.................................................................... 39 Pastor E. .................................................................. 64 Pastor V ................................................................... 25 Pellizzaro ................................................................. 22 Penman ................................................................... 71 Pereira ............................................................... 39, 87 Perez ....................................................................... 61 Pizzo ........................................................................ 70 Plana ....................................................................... 83 Planas ...................................................................... 64 Porterie ................................................................... 70

Q

Quesada .................................................................. 55

R

Raposo .................................................................... 29 Ribeiro ..................................................................... 29 Ricardo .................................................................... 29 Ríos ......................................................................... 64 Robinson ................................................................. 28

Rodrigues ................................................................ 49 Romero ................................................................... 84 Rosa dos Santos ................................................ 77, 78 Roussos ................................................................... 44

S

Safford ..................................................................... 47 Salis ......................................................................... 82 Santoni .................................................................... 21 Sapsis ...................................................................... 41 Satink Wolfson ........................................................ 48 Savazzi ............................................................... 25, 27 Seger ....................................................................... 85 Seric ........................................................................ 53 Šerić ........................................................................ 54 Siggins ..................................................................... 32 Soares...................................................................... 85 Spano ...................................................................... 82 Stacey Sargent ........................................................ 47 Stegmüller ............................................................... 74 Stipaničev .......................................................... 53, 54 Sulak ........................................................................ 49

T

Tedim ................................................................ 38, 39 Tetto ........................................................................ 85 Tihay ........................................................................ 21 Tolhurst ................................................................... 71 Tomašević ............................................................... 86 Tonini ...................................................................... 87 Toutchkov ............................................................... 27 Travaglini ................................................................. 84

U

Unzalu ..................................................................... 80

V

Valero ...................................................................... 64 Vanneufville ............................................................ 24 Vassallo ................................................................... 31 Ventura ................................................................... 22 Viedma .................................................................... 35 Viegas ...................................................................... 29 Vilain-Carlotti .......................................................... 40 Villamuera Gonzalez ............................................... 33 Vučetić .................................................................... 86

W

Weber ..................................................................... 28 Weinert ............................................................. 73, 74 Whittaker ................................................................ 43 Wittenberg .............................................................. 65

X

Xanthopoulos .............................................. 44, 59, 60

Contact : [email protected] Editor : Marielle Jappiot

Design & layout : Christophe Bouillon, Anne Ganteaume, Eric Maillé, Dominique Breil

ISBN 979-10-94074-05-3 Juin 2016

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