Class Preventing and Fighting Rural Fires

   

Not applicable

1. The Portuguese Forest. 1.1. Distribution and characterization. 1.2. Main threats and protection. 1.3. Economic, social and environmental aspects. 1.4. Land occupation, planning and management versus the problem of fires. 2. Impact of Fire. 2.1. Analysis of fire statistics in Portugal. 2.2. Economic, social and environmental impacts. 2.3. Species and ecosystems mechanisms to fire adaptation. 2.4. Possible use of fire in ecosystem management and structural fire risk. 3. Organization of Defense Against Forest Fires (DFCI) in Portugal. 3.1. Legislation. 3.2. Identification and characterization of the entities. 4. Fire prevention planning. 4.1. Structural prevention planning. 4.2. Fuel management techniques. 4.3. Prescribed fire. 4.4. Prevention vs combat. 5. Suppression of forest fires. 5.1. Fire behaviour. 5.2. Safety rules for fighting forest fires. 5.3. Decision support techniques. 5.4. Fire analysis. 5.5. Fire fighting techniques and tactics.

Teaching is based on classroom work and independent study. Theoretical-practical sessions include content presentation, discussion, and application to real cases, possibly involving experimental or field activities. Students actively participate and present their work. Tutorials support individual study. A practical assignment will be proposed and assessed, focusing on applying course content, while also encouraging creativity and research. This work promotes self-learning and deeper knowledge acquisition.

Fernandes, P., Botelho, H., Loureiro, C. (2002). Manual de Formação para a Técnica de Fogo Controlado. Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro. Fernandes, P.M. (2009). Combining forest structure data and fuel modelling to assess fire hazard in Portugal. Annals of Forest Science, 66(4): 415p1-415p9. Fernandes, P.M., Botelho, H.S. (2004). Analysis of the prescribed burning practice in the pine forest of northwestern Portugal. Journal of Environmental Management, 70(1): 15-26. Raposo, J.R., et al. (2018). Analysis of the physical processes associated with junction fires at laboratory and field scales. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 27(1): 52–68. https://doi.org/10.1071/WF16173. Viegas, D.X., et al. (2011). Incêndios Florestais. D.X. Viegas (Ed.). Verlag Dashöfer Edições Profissionais Unip., Lda.: Lisboa. Viegas, D.X., et al. (2021). Fire downwind a flat surface entering a canyon by lateral spread. Fire Safety Journal, 122, 103349.