Overview of the Wildfire2024 programme

The Wildfire2024 event, set to take place on 12-13 November, has recently unveiled its programme outline.

This early release offers attendees a glimpse into the diverse range of speakers and topics scheduled, which includes contributions from NatureScot, the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, the James Hutton Institute, the Cairngorms National Park Authority, several prestigious universities, and the National Trust.

The organisers said: “We’re delighted to announce that the programme outline is now available to view.

“Whilst the programme and running order will see more additions in the coming weeks, the published speaker names and talk titles so far give you a tantalising taste of what’s in store for 12-13 November.”

Keynote speeches and discussions

The event promises a comprehensive agenda that spans across two days.

Day one, 12th November, branded as ‘Global Perspectives’, will commence with an opening address by a minister from the Scottish Government’s Resilience Division, followed by a series of keynote speeches by Marc Castellnou from the University of Lleida and Prof Tiago Oliveira from AGIF.

The discussions will cover a wide range of topics from UK wildfire forecasts and risk assessments to the building of wildfire resilient communities in Europe.

Day two will focus more on UK-specific issues, with Francesca Osowska from NatureScot and Colin McLean from the Cairngorms National Park Authority discussing the impacts of wildfires on upland vegetation and the integration of wildfire management plans, respectively.

Enhancing fire safety knowledge and practices

In addition to keynote speeches, the programme includes several practical sessions aimed at enhancing the attendees’ understanding of fire safety and management.

Topics such as ‘The Great Fuel Moisture Survey’ by Nicholas Kettridge and ‘Evaluating the radiative impact of landscape fires’ by Michaela Flegrova are set to provide significant insights into the science of wildfire management.