France: Euromediterranean Forest Fire Meeting’s of the Millenium & Forest Fire Research Special Session, 25 – 27 October 2000
Euromediterranean Forest FireMeetings of the Millenium
& Forest Fire Research Special Session
25 – 27 October 2000, Hyères les Palmiers, France
This Symposium is organized by ENTENTE INTERDEPARTEMENTALE (En vue de la Protection de la Forêt et de lEnvironnement contre lIncendie) Located in Valabre (Bouches du Rhône France).
The aim of the Meetings is to bring together all people concerned by forest firefighting in countries of the Euromediterranean Region, as well as representatives of countries affected by the same risk all over the world.
The Meetings are mainly addressing:
- Decision makers concerning risk management or operational command (elected representatives, public authorities, heads of departments, heads of units )
- Researchers who are expected to propose solutions to meet the operational needs
- All people directly or indirectly involved in prevention and suppression activities (firefighters, foresters, aircraft pilots, government officials and public services, members of associations )
- Manufacturers who intend to present any new achievement related to forest and environment fire protection
The Objective is:
from exchanges of views and experience through the information collected
- to BLAZE A TRAIL for the decision makers and the operational people to find practical solutions to deal with difficulties in the field, as far as strategy, technology and tools are concerned ;
-
to assess ways and requirements for defining a COHERENT STRATEGY to be shared by all the Mediterranean countries affected by wildfires.
For this purpose, two themes will be developed :
- INNOVATIVE PROCESSES
- FIRES ON THE URBAN INTERFACE
THE INNOVATIVE PROCESSES
Imagination and innovation are the main successful tools to cope with the evolving hazardous aspect of the fire. Innovation is a key element in the improvement of the risk management on field. These innovative processes concern the new strategy, the new methods, the new technologies and the new tools that could influence positively prevention and suppression activities. They are subjects to be discussed, as well as their effects on the existing organizations. Results of such innovative processes will have to be evaluated, especially when we consider constraints of energy and cost. During these Meetings, further more than the state of affairs, prior specific topics will have to be targetted and issues will have to be considered in a concise practical manner. In this scope, the following items will be developed:
- identification of « hazard » and risk evaluation
- data processing
- crisis management
- experience feedback
- training of people in charge of the crisis
- concept of innovation : from the idea through its fullfilment
FIRES ON THE URBAN INTERFACE
Special attention will be paid to this topic. In most of Mediterranean countries, as in other part of the world, we have to cope with this type of situation. Development of fires on the urban/wildland interface leads to severe effects for the protection of life and property, especially in highly tourist zones. It is a sensitive issue that requires responses regarding the choice of strategy, the security of population, the operational effectiveness and the occupation of the concerned areas. So, it would be interesting to list the innovative responses to deal with this particular risk Various fields will be examined such as self-defence, use of specific fighting resources, or fire protection planning.
The format of the MEETINGS will include:
- A symposium with
- formal sessions on subjects related to the two main themes
- workshops to enhance knowledge of the topic
-
An exhibition for manufacturers and for any private or public organizations. Opportunities to present their know-how and to display technics and new tools
-
areas set for communication purpose (poster presentation, cybercafé )
What to know about the event:
- more than twenty Euromediterranean countries will attend the meeting
- several hundred participants, researchers and fire experts, are expected
- a hundred exhibition stands have been designed
- this Symposium is being organized under the auspices of the most representative International and European institutions. The national Ministries dealing with forest and environment fire protection, are actively participating in the Symposium.
- individual or collective contributions are welcome
- tourist activities are planned for accompanying persons
Forest Fire Research Special Session 2000
On 24 October 2000, a day before the Euromediterranean Wildfire Meetings, the Centre d’Essais et de Recherche de l’Entente (CEREN) will organize a Research Special Session in collaboration with the European Commission DG XII.
The main objective of this session is to present the State-of-the-Art of the forest fire research in various countries in the Mediterranean area and all over the world. Co-ordinators of EU-funded projects will give a presentation of completed or ongoing projects. The second and not least objective is to provide the participants with an opportunity to share expertise and discuss appropriate work to be developed by the researchers to meet the fire fighters requirements.
The programme of the MEETINGS and registration details will be given before 1 April 2000.
Venue: FORUM CASINO in HYÈRES LES PALMIERS
Hyères les Palmiers is a tourist city located in the Var Department (Provence Alpes Côte dAzur Region / South of France), and is well connected by plane, train and highway . A special arrangement is made with the Secretariat of FORUM CASINO to accomodate participants, and to deal with registration and transportation.
Any further information is available at:
ENTENTE INTERDEPARTEMENTALE
Comité dOrganisation des Rencontres
Euroméditerranéennes Feux de Forêt 2000
Domaine de Valabre
13120 Gardanne
France
Tel: ++33-4.42.94.95.00
Fax: ++33-4.42.94.95.29
E-Mail : entente@rff2000.com
Web Site: http://www.rff2000.com
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