UNISDR Global Wildland Fire Network (GWFN)
Coordination of the Global Wildland Fire Network:
UNDRR Wildland Fire Advisory Group and
Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC)
In accordance with the decision of the former Inter-Agency Task Force for Disaster Reduction (IATF/DR) of the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), the Global Wildland Fire Network (GWFN) and the Wildland Fire Advisory Group (WFAG) were created in 2004 under the auspices of UNISDR.
The GWFN provides an umbrella of 14 independent Regional Wildland Fire Networks of different / individual origins and mandates. Its mission is to:
- Reduce the negative impacts of landscape fires on the environment and humanity
- Advance the knowledge and application of the ecologically and environmentally benign role of natural fire in fire-dependent ecosystems, and sustainable application of fire in land-use systems.
After the transition of UNISDR to the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) the WFAG continues to serve as an advisory body to the UN system and is available to provide technical, scientific and policy-supporting advice to the UN family through the UNDRR Office and the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR), and acting as a liaison between the United Nations system, the Global Wildland Fire Network and its supporting partners. The Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC) is mandated to serve as convener and secretariat of the WFAG and GWFN.
- Wildland Fire Advisory Group (WFAG) member list (status: 20 January 2023) (PDF, 0.2 MB)
- Regional and International Wildland Fire Network Activities since 2003
On 3-4 December 2004 the first meeting of the WFAG and GWFN was convened at the GFMC (Freiburg, Germany).
- Minutes of the First WFAG Meeting (PDF, 150 KB)
- Recommendations in support of the Framework for the Development of the International Wildland Fire Accord, directed to the FAO and UNFF Ministerial Meetings on Forests (Rome, March 2005 – New York, May 2005) and the UN World Conference on Disaster Reduction (WCDR) (Kobe, Japan, 18-22 January 2005) (PDF, 30 KB)
In 2008 a Joint Meeting of the Wildland Fire Advisory Group / Global Wildland Fire Network / International Liaison Committee (ILC) and the Fire Management Actions Alliance Advisory Group was held at GFMC on 4-7 July 2008 (Freiburg, Germany)
- Agenda of the 2008 Joint Meeting of the Wildland Fire Advisory Group / Global Wildland Fire Network / International Liaison Committee (ILC) and the Fire Management Actions Alliance Advisory Group
- Background Materials I: WFAG / GWFN overview and reports (PDF, 9 MB)
- Background Materials II: UN Inter-Agency Cooperation (PDF, 10 MB)
- WFAG 2008 Meeting Report (PDF, 105 KB)
In 2010 Joint Meetings of the UNISDR Wildland Fire Advisory Group (WFAG), the Fire Aviation Working Group (FAWG), International Liaison Committee (ILC) for the 5th International Wildland Fire Conference and Fire Management Actions Alliance (FMAA) were held in cooperation with and supported by the Euro-Mediterranean Major Hazards Agreement (EUR-OPA), Council of Europe, at the Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC, Freiburg, Germany, 26-29 June 2010
Between 29 June to 3 July 2012 Joint Meetings of the UNISDR Wildland Fire Advisory Group (WFAG), the International Fire Aviation Working Group (IFAWG), International Liaison Committee (ILC) for the 6th International Wildland Fire Conference were held at the Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC), Freiburg, Germany, in cooperation with and supported by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the Council of Europe through its Euro-Mediterranean Major Hazards Agreement (EUR-OPA), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the United Nations University (UNU).
- Agenda of the 2012 Joint Meetings (PDF)
- WFAG / ILC / IFAWG member space (for members only)
2014 Joint Meetings of the UNISDR Wildland Fire Advisory Group (WFAG), International Liaison Committee (ILC) and South Korea Conference Organizing Committee (SKCOC) for the 6th International Wildland Fire Conference, and the International Fire Aviation Working Group (IFAWG), In cooperation with and supported by the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), Forestry and Timber Section, Euro-Mediterranean Major Hazards Agreement (EUR-OPA), Council of Europe, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), United Nations University (UNU), International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), U.S. Forest Service, Korea Forest Service (KFS) and Korea Forest Research Institute (KFRI) (27-30 June 2014, GFMC, Freiburg, Germany.
In 2014 and 2015 UNECE/FAO Regional Forum on Cross-boundary Fire Management (28-29 November 2013 at the United Nations in Geneva) was followed up:
- Establishment of the International Wildfire Preparedness Mechanism (IWPM) (November 2014): https://gfmc.online/iwpm/index.htm
- GFMC contribution to the UNFCCC COP-20 (Lima, Peru, 3 December 2014)
- GFMC Voluntary Commitment to the UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (Sendai, Japan, 14-18 March 2015) (PDF)
- GFMC presentation at the UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (Sendai, Japan, 14-18 March 2015) (PDF)
- 6th International Wildland Fire Conference the Outcomes: https://gfmc.online/korea-2015.html
- Presentation of the Pyeonchang Declaration message to COP 21 by the Chair of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee of the Republic of Korea (Paris, 08 December 2015)
- Adoption of the Paris Agreement, 12 December 2015 (FCCC/CP/2015/L.9/Rev.1) (Note: Relevance to fire management: Item 55 and Article 5) (PDF, 0.6 MB)
In 2016 the GWFN contributed to the UNISDR Science and Technology Conference on the Implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 with GFMC panelist and discussant inputs (Oyunsanaa Byambasuren) to Work Stream 1 “The Scientific and Technical Partnership to support the implementation of the Sendai Framework” – Working Group 2 “Regional Science and Technology Networks and Platforms” (27 January 2016), and Work Stream 4 “Leveraging Science through Capacity Development and Research” – Working Group 3 “Research Gaps” (29 January 2016); United Nations, Geneva, Switzerland.
- http://www.preventionweb.net/events/view/45270?id=45270
- Speaker list with GFMC / GWFN speaker panelist Work Stream 4 WG 3, O. Byambasuren (PDF, 0.3 MB)
- List of conference posters with GFMC Poster 42 (PDF, 0.2 MB)
- GFMC / GWFN Poster presentation “The Global Wildland Fire Network: A UNISDR Thematic Platform to Address Vegetation Fires, Global Change and Disaster Risk Reduction” (PDF, 2.7 MB)
- Conference press release: https://www.unisdr.org/archive/47590
In 2017 the GWFN contributed to the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) in Cancun, Mexico (22-26 May 2017). The GPDRR report includes the GWFN commitments:
- GPDRR Proceedings (PDF, 13 MB)
In 2018 WFAG met jointly with the International Liaison Committee (ILC) and the Brazilian Conference Organizing Committee for the 7th International Wildland Fire Conference (GFMC, Freiburg, Germany):
In 2019 the GWFN through the International Wildfire Preparedness Mechanism (IWPM) was recognized a Voluntary Commitment to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction:
In May 2019 the GFMC represented the GWFN at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) in Geneva, Switzerland (13-17 May 2019):
UNISDR Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) 2019, with GFMC participation (J.G. Goldammer) representing the Global Wildland Fire Network (GWFN) and the Regional Fire Management Resource Centers; UN Geneva, Switzerland
- https://sendaicommitments.unisdr.org/commitments/20190222_001
- https://www.unisdr.org/conference/2019/globalplatform/home
- Second Multi-Hazard Early Warning Conference (MHEWC-II) (12-13 May 2019)
- Science and Policy Forum (12-13 May 2019)
- Stakeholder Forum (12-13 May 2019): Stakeholder Statement with global landscape fire reference (PDF, 0.3 MB)
- Statements Session (with the Statement by the GFMC on behalf of the Global Wildland Fire Network and the International Wildfire Preparedness Mechanism) (PDF 0.4 MB)
- IGNITE Stage (with GFMC presentation “Building and Strengthening Green DRR Infrastructure at Landscape Level: Holistic and Inclusive Approaches in Landscape Fire Management”
- Sendai Framework Voluntary Commitments Synthesis and Analysis Report 2019 (with review of GFMC contribution) (PDF, 7.8 MB)
- Review of GPDRR by the German Committee for Disaster Risk Reduction (DKKV) and GFMC (DKKV Newsletter June 2019, extract; PDF, 0.1 MB)
The IGNITE Stage offered an opportunity to brief the attendees of the GPDRR to the concept of Integrated Landscape Fire Management concepts and planning. Photo: German Committee for Disaster Reduction (DKKV)
For the video recording of the presentation and discussion see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrRF6704W9w
Statements Session: Statement by the GFMC on behalf of the Global Wildland Fire Network and the International Wildfire Preparedness Mechanism (PDF 0.4 MB)
For the video recording of the GFMC Statement see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qriGSwT63xY
The 7th International Wildland Fire Conference (IWFC-7) was held in Campo Grande, Brazil (28 October – 01 November 2020) with attendance and contributions by WFAG. The Conference Statement, the Regional Statements and other materials (posters of WFAG and the Regional Wildland Fire Networks) are available in the IWFC Portal:
