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NAFC – Fire Management Working Group Report. Bill de Groot Canadian Forest Service Roberto Martinez Dominguez Comision Nacional Forestal Tom Harbour US Forest Service. NAFC-FMWG . Charter Objectives:.
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NAFC – Fire Management Working Group Report Bill de Groot Canadian Forest Service Roberto Martinez Dominguez Comision Nacional Forestal Tom Harbour US Forest Service
NAFC-FMWG Charter Objectives: • Exchange experiences and technological advances regarding prevention, wildland fire management, and fire use. • Provide mutual aid and technical exchanges between Canada, Mexico, and the United States in the development of strategy and appropriate fire management actions. • Actively participate in programs with other fire agencies throughout the world to support international cooperation and development in fire management.
NAFC-FMWG Current Activities • 42nd Annual Fire Management Working Group Meeting • Canada and Alberta co-sponsored meeting • Oct. 7-9, 2008, Banff, Alberta • Session theme: fire, mountain pine beetle, and fuel mgt • Pre-meeting workshops: Canada-Mexico Fire Science and Technology Exchange • Alberta Fire Management Tour: • Provincial Forest Fire Centre: fire operations • Canadian Forest Service: fire research • University of Alberta: education • National Parks: prescribed burning, fuel mgt • Hinton Training Centre: National Fire Training
NAFC-FMWG Ongoing Activities • Fire Management Study Tours • Purpose is to exchange information between countries on fire problems, and methods to find solutions. Usually results in recommendations and considerations for improvement from both visitors and hosts. • Formal study tours started in 1968 when North America hosted a tour delegation from 23 countries • Every 4 years, NAFC-FMWG hosts an Australia/New Zealand study tour delegation; Australia/New Zealand provides the same, so that the host location alternates every 2 years • Other foreign delegation tours are regularly supported or hosted by NAFC-FMWG and its members
NAFC-FMWG Ongoing Activities • The International Wildland Fire Conference Series • NAFC-FMWG is a major supporter of the IWFC’s, in cooperation with FAO and United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) • Has become the major international conference on fire management, S&T applications, and wildland fire policy (the last conference attracted 1600 people from 88 countries) • 4 previous conferences: Boston 1989, Vancouver 1996, Sydney 2003, Seville 2007 • NAFC-FMWG is strongly represented on the International Liaison Committee, assisting to plan the next conference in South Africa (in 2011)
NAFC-FMWG Ongoing Activities • The Global Wildland Fire Network • The Global Wildland Fire Network serves as an advisory body to the United Nations system (under UNISDR) • NAFC-FMWG represents the North America region, one of 13 Global Regions in the Network • Each Network is hosting a Regional Consultation to discuss regional fire problems, and identify steps towards solutions • NAFC-FMWG is planning to host a Regional Consultation for the Americas (in 1-2 yrs), including South America, Central America and the Caribbean • Results of the Regional Consultation process will be presented at the 2nd International Wildland Fire Summit
NAFC-FMWG Future Focus: Critical Fire Issues • Fire suppression challenges: steadily increasing costs, demographic changes (limited young recruitment), increasing fire activity and greater demand on limited resources, equipment renewal and upgrades, and litigation • Wildland – Urban Interface (WUI): continuous expansion of the WUI and greater exposure to fire regimes of increasing fire activity • Land management: need to focus on the core issue of fire in land management rather than the suppression of wildfire • Climate change: consistent general trend of increasing area burned, fire intensity, fire severity, and longer fire seasons • Air quality: increasing wildfire activity causing release of greater amount of pollutants, resulting in greater public exposure to hazardous emissions
Thank you – Gracias! 41st NAFC-FMWG Meeting Guadalajara, Mexico Sept. 25-27, 2007 North America-Australasia Joint Regional Meeting 4th International Wildland Fire Conference Seville, Spain May 14-18, 2007