FOREST FIRE PROTECTION COURSE: FOREST CAMP 2024, POLAND

Abstract

The majority of Central European responses to wildfires rely on the use of firefighting vehicles and large quantities of water. The increased intensity and frequency of wildfires in Central Europe in recent years has exceeded the firefighting capacities of individual countries in many places. Forest Camp is a forest fire protection course which aims to showcase best practice in wildfire suppression from around the world in one place. The main focus of the 2024 edition was on extinguishing fires with hand tools and the preventive and suppressive use of fire. The latter approaches, which have a long and successful history in America, Australia, and South Africa, are slowly gaining ground in Europe. Some good practices are already being used in Slovenia, while others could still be implemented.
The specific feature of this course is that it is not intended exclusively for firefighters, but also for foresters, researchers, and policy makers, who gain and exchange experience in the field, working side by side. The international exchange of good practice in forest firefighting and the networking of experts in this field is certainly one of the important pillars of ensuring a more fire-resistant future for the natural environment.