The European project PyroLife, an Innovative Training Network, successfully concluded in December. Funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions of the European Horizon2020 programme, PyroLife has made significant strides in training the next generation of experts in Integrated Fire Management (IFM).
PyroLife has pioneered in developing a training programme supporting 15 Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) across Europe to carry out innovative, interdisciplinary and multisectoral research on IFM within an international support network of experts in wildfires. The research projects focus on wildfire risk quantification, reduction and communication, resulting in 10 PhD theses.
Since its start in October 2019, and with the challenge of the COVID pandemic, PyroLife has produced impactful outputs, including research articles, factsheets making the research accessible to practitioners and policy-makers; and multiple resources to aid the implementation and practice of IFM such as a summary of fire risk perception and land management approaches amongst European experts, a database of fire behaviour of temperate NW European wildfires and megafires in southern Europe, a summary of new methods to stimulate transdisciplinary research in fire science, and a toolkit for fostering co-creation and participative community engagement with vulnerable communities at risk.
PCF has supported the coordination of decision-making for the project and hosted Kathleen Uyttewaal to study adaptive wildfire risk management in Mediterranean socio-ecological systems, which led to the PhD thesis “Linking past, present and future pathways to fire adaptation: a transdisciplinary approach in Mediterranean Europe”, which she defended last November at Wageningen University and Research.
“PyroLife has developed the first European doctoral programme on integrated wildfire management, which has the added value of having integrated the knowledge and experiences from the global fire community. PCF was also able to actively get involved in transdisciplinary research identifying ways to empower rural communities in taking action to reduce their wildfire risk.”, states Núria Prat-Guitart, head of the Foundation’s Knowledge and Applied Science Area, member of the Executive and Supervisory Boards of PyroLife, and co-supervisor of Kathleen Uyttewaal’s PhD research project.
PyroLife has been coordinated by Wageningen University and Research and had a consortium composed of 10 beneficiaries and 21 collaborating organisations from 18 countries in Europe, the US, South America, Australia and New Zealand.
“Apart from the academic sector, the consortium was formed by entities from the public and the private sector (profit and non-profit), creating a large network representing different expertise from all around the world. This has been the perfect ecosystem for ESRs to learn and get trained in a diverse range of science, knowledge and experiences, that could not have accessed otherwise.”, adds Prat-Guitart.
As PyroLife concludes, the project’s legacy will continue to influence wildfire management practices and policies. The knowledge and expertise developed through PyroLife will be instrumental in addressing future wildfire challenges. Stakeholders are encouraged to stay connected with the PyroLife community through its website and social media channels (LinkedIn, Instagram and X) for ongoing updates and opportunities for collaboration.
