The SEMEDFIRE project was featured in a Cypriot nation-wide newspaper and news website Kathimerini Cyprus article. The article provides important information about prescribed burning, showcased in Cyprus during the latest Staff Exchange Visit of Pau Costa Foundation, Wageningen University and Research and external Portuguese experts from AGIF.
An English translation of the article published in the Greek language follows:
Spanish experts presented to services the practice of controlled combustion and indicated the pilot application point
However oxymoron it may seem, in the field of fire prevention, fire itself, as one of the elements of nature, can be an important tool in the quiver of a state mechanism against these kinds of crises, whose current outbreak has been linked to climate change. The practice, which is currently in place in other countries and is based on research and extensive literature, is called prescribed burning. It is the burning of agricultural or forest vegetation, by a team of experts or trained agents, under specific conditions and in defined areas. Prescribed burningis not an unknown chapter in Cyprus or other Mediterranean countries, as it can be traced in the past decades. It may be a distant memory for older Cypriots, when controlled burning was extensively practiced by professionals of the primary sector of the economy, such as livestock breeders and farmers, but also foresters. It was gradually abandoned as a result of the lack of a clear legal framework and distinct management objectives.
As “К” is informed, the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment is currently seriously considering the possibility of introducing the practice, in a scientific and research context, in Cyprus, after officers of the Department of Forests and the Department of Environment are trained abroad, where prescribed burning is applied with tangible results. The occasion was last week’s organization of a three-day participatory workshop in Nicosia under the coordination of the CERIDES Research Center for Risk Sciences and Decision Sciences of the European University Cyprus. From 14 to 16 October, the scientific team of the Pau Costa Foundation of Spain based in Catalonia was hosted in Nicosia, under the framework of the project “SEMEDFIRE”, funded by the European Commission through the “Horizon Europe” programme. In the workshop’s framework of Holistic Fire Management in Cyprus, the Spanish researchers presented the work carried out by countries in Europe and South America, especially in relation to the methodology of protecting forests from fires through controlled burning. Stakeholders such as the Department of Forests, Civil Defence, SBA authorities and volunteer firefighting teams participated in the workshop. On the second day of the workshop, Spanish experts visited areas of Cyprus together with officers of the Department of Forests. The visited areas are in need of clearing, mainly due to the abandonment of the countryside. The experts chose a site in the Nicosia district, considered as the most suitable to pilot the implementation of the prescribed and controlled burning practice around February 2025, with parallel demonstration to interested parties.
Sensitive subject
However, as controlled burning is a sensitive issue and because there are serious concerns from the Department of Forests about reactions that may arise, it was deemed necessary to initiate a dialogue with stakeholders and organizations in order to inform them, dispel their concerns and record their comments.
It is worth noting that on the third day of the presence of the Pau Costa Foundation team, the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Dr. Maria Panayiotou, requested to explore sending a team of officials of the Department of Forests and the Department of Environment to Spain, to be trained by Pau Costa Foundation and to slowly begin the implementation of controlled burning in Cyprus. However, the final decisions will come after the four-month period of informing bodies and organizations, in order for the “ground to be mature” for this new step in the field of fire prevention on the island.
Fuel volumes
The problem created in recent years by the large quantities of fuel in Cyprus, thus becoming a major factor in causing and expanding fires, is known and repeatedly stressed by the competent state services, without being drastically addressed. “One of the big issues that afflict our services and competent departments is the volume of fuel that remain in the soil, a product of both the general abandonment of the agroforestry area, and the extreme irregular weather conditions, which can on the one hand give rainfall resulting to fast growing vegetation, but on the other hand give a sharp even “overnight” temperature increase such that it turns vegetation into super-dry fuel, which is threatening to facilitate the explosion and expansion of fires”, explained Klelia Vassiliou, on behalf of the CERIDES Research Center of the European University Cyprus.
The methodology
She noted that mainly in Spain, but also elsewhere, Pau Costa Foundation implements controlled combustion with a predesigned and planned methodology, attributing to fire its essential property as one of the elements of nature, namely fire, water, air and earth. “The method is used strictly, in a carefully planned and controlled manner. The aim is to remove dead and dry biomass, such as leaves, branches and dry grass, and helps prevent catastrophic wildfires and manage ecosystem health,” she added. Burning is planned, not calendar-wise, but based on a checklist that bears precise meteorological characteristics, area, vegetation type, a special management team, burning limits, and fire intensity limits which are carefully controlled. At the same time, she stressed that it is commonly accepted that the use of fire is part of the natural regeneration of ecosystems in many regions of the world, mainly in Mediterranean-type ecosystems, such as those in Cyprus.
The objectives
In particular, according to what the Spanish experts told the participants of the workshop, the main objectives of controlled burning are four:
- Forest fire prevention: By removing dry material that can become fuel for uncontrolled fires, the risk of large-scale fires is significantly reduced
- Ecosystem management: Many forest ecosystems, such as pine forests, have adapted to survive and grow better after a fire. With controlled burning, forests maintain their biodiversity and natural functions.
- Alien species removal: Controlled burning can also be used to eradicate alien plant species that burden ecosystems, allowing local vegetation to grow
- Regeneration of soil and vegetation: After a fire, the soil is enriched with nutrients from the burning of organic matter, helping to renew vegetation.
The factors
Successful implementation of controlled burning requires detailed planning and preparation. Therefore, the process and factors considered by the agents applying the methodology are weather conditions (appropriate conditions, such as humidity, temperature and wind direction, are necessary to ensure that burning remains controlled), vegetation type (the amount and composition of vegetation to be burned are also important, as different plant species react differently to fire) and safety (before burning begins, measures are taken to ensure that neighbouring communities, wildlife and water resources are not adversely affected).
Are there any risks?
Replying to a relevant question, Ms. Vassiliou noted that this solution is not a panacea, nor does prescribed burning comes without risks. “Some ecosystems (rainforests, temperate and boreal forests, wetlands and alpine ecosystems) do not adapt easily to fire or recover easily, while others, such as pyrophilic or igneous, not only recover, but need fire to regenerate their seeds. The fact is that prescribed burning is a useful tool for managing and maintaining the health of forests and ecosystems, when used in a pre-designed, planned manner with accurate forecasting and checklists. It helps preventing catastrophic fires, enhances biodiversity and protects wildlife. However, it requires specialized knowledge and careful planning to avoid risks and achieve maximum benefits,” she said.
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