Forest fires in the Alps

Forest fire activity in the Alpine region will probably increase in the near future, due to the increasing intensity of drought periods and heat waves and the increasing fire hazard resulting from rural abandonment and more recreational activities. This report proposes a framework for an integrated fire management, which addresses the drivers of the current and future fire regime in mountain forests, considers the needs of people living in and visiting the Alpine region and aims to mitigate the negative impacts of fires.

The recommendations are:

1. Design and implement short- and long-term prevention measures;
2. Adapt suppression measures to the specific conditions of the Alpine region;
3. Improve the understanding and measures on post-fire management;
4. Support knowledge transfer and exchange of experiences.