Optimizing the Portuguese wildfire fuel reduction program
Summary: The escalating wildfire problem in Portugal motivated policymakers to develop a wildfire management plan that calls for rural fuel reduction throughout the country. The plan specifies fuel treatments on 250,000–300,000 ha per year over 10 years. Spatial priorities for treatments were delega...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Cell Reports Sustainability |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949790625000576 |
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| Summary: | Summary: The escalating wildfire problem in Portugal motivated policymakers to develop a wildfire management plan that calls for rural fuel reduction throughout the country. The plan specifies fuel treatments on 250,000–300,000 ha per year over 10 years. Spatial priorities for treatments were delegated to regional and municipal entities. We use a scenario optimization model to allocate and map fuel treatment projects using three hazard metrics (ignition probability, building exposure to wildfire, and potential large fires). The results reveal sharp decision trade-offs among the three priorities within many municipalities. Allocating a proportion of treatments to all municipalities rather than focusing on those with the highest hazard significantly reduces treatment efficiency. European countries that are grappling with climate-driven extreme wildfire events can utilize this methodology to systematically optimize the implementation of new wildfire policies, rather than rely on local, ad hoc prioritization of fuel management investments to achieve fire policy goals. Science for society: As European countries begin to grapple with an increasing frequency of extreme wildfire events, there is a broad consensus that a paradigm shift is needed to focus on managing wildland fuels rather than responding with additional investments in fire suppression. Multiple countries in the Mediterreanean basin and elsewhere have launched new national strategies aimed at reducing fuels on highly flammable peri-urban landscapes. The success of these policies may well hinge on how strategic, top-down policy goals are correctly interpreted in the field to prioritize fuel management in high-risk areas. In this study, we employed a scenario planning model to optimize the implementation of a national fuel management plan in Portugal and to understand tradeoffs among specific risk reduction objectives. The methods and modeling can be extended beyond fuel reduction programs to design longer term, optimized land use strategies that can potentially improve fire resiliency and reduce future fire suppression costs under a changing climate. |
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| ISSN: | 2949-7906 |