Recent wildfires have underscored the urgent need for a paradigm shift in how we allocate resources to wildfire risk management. While fire suppression remains critical, governments must prioritize and allocate more resources to wildfire prevention. Effective wildfire prevention requires a comprehensive approach to managing the wildland-urban interface (WUI), which is increasingly vulnerable to wildfire threats. This session aims to provide an in-depth overview of the current advancements in wildfire risk management within the WUI.
We encourage submissions covering a wide range of topics, including vulnerability and risk assessment methods, damage assessment approaches, studies on local adaptation strategies and vulnerability reduction, participatory methods, community and infrastructure resilience, public awareness and education, community preparedness, household self-assessment, stakeholder engagement, disaster risk reduction tools, emergency response, recovery, and lessons learned.
Moreover, while wildfires are a well-known risk in countries such as Portugal, Greece, and Australia, they represent an emerging threat in others, including Central and Northern Europe. As climate change exacerbates wildfire risks, countries with limited experience will face these challenges more frequently. We particularly welcome case studies from around the world, especially from regions with limited experience in managing wildfires in the WUI. By sharing diverse experiences and strategies, we aim to foster a comprehensive understanding of wildfire risk management and promote effective, globally applicable solutions.
This session is endorsed by the European project FIREPRIME (a pan-European program for wildfire-prepared communities) and the Austrian Waldfonds Project REVEAL (Local vulnerability assessment for buildings in Austria).