The workshop, which took place on 22 and 23 May 2017, formed part of the series of transnational training workshops being organised by the PLURIFOR project (Interreg Sudoe) in 2017.

Transnational training workshops aim to exchange know-how about forest risk management between partners and associated partners of the PLURIFOR project.

Francisco Rego and Conceição Colaço, from the Instituto Superior de Agronomia (Universidade de Lisboa), coordinators of the forest fire risk group in the PLURIFOR project, and five guest speakers, welcomed the 13 attendees of this two day forest fire risk workshop.

On the first day, PLURIFOR partners briefly presented the tools they currently use to design forest fire prevention plans in their regions: Portugal, Galicia, Asturias and the Basque Country.

Guest speakers then presented three fire behaviour simulators, with practical case studies: FARSITE, FlamMap and the more recent TIGER, on which participants received specific training.

The day concluded with a discussion about each partner’s software needs concerning forest fire prevention plans.

The following day, the participants visited a forested area east of Lisbon where a forest fire prevention plan has been recently implemented.

They were shown fuel management strips (or firebreaks) at different stages, wood chipping operations and a recently burnt area where fuel management strips had not been implemented.

The participants had the opportunity to discuss the difficulties of developing, implementing and maintaining the forest fire prevention plan in the context of heterogeneous vegetation and highly fragmented tenure with the regional forest association agents and with the designer of the plan.