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The views expressed are purely those of the authors and may not, in any circumstances, be regarded as stating anofficial position of the European Commission

EUFIRELAB

EVR1-CT-2002-40028

D-09-05

http://eufirelab.org

EUFIRELAB:

Euro-Mediterranean Wildland Fire Laboratory,a wall-less Laboratory

for Wildland Fire Sciences and Technologies

in the Euro-Mediterranean Region

Deliverable D-09-07

Fire suppression management and planning:

A state of the art: final version

Sophie SAUVAGNARGUES-LESAGE, Claude PICARD

Sonia VASCONSELOS, Gavriil XANTHOPOULOS

December 2006


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SUMMARY

1 General introduction ...........................................................................................................................................1

1.1 Forest fires in the euro-mediterranean basin : regional panorama...............................................................1

1.2 Interest of the subject and expected objectives ............................................................................................1

1.3

Tables and figures.........................................................................................................................................2

2 National organisations involved in forest fire management in the mediterranean basin....................................3

2.1 Responsibility distribution, interdepartementallogics ....................................................................................3

2.1.1 In France .............................................................................................................................................3

2.1.2 In Greece.............................................................................................................................................6

2.1.3 In Italy ................................................................................................................................................10

2.1.4 In Portugal .........................................................................................................................................13

2.1.5 In Spain .............................................................................................................................................17

2.2 Synthesis : comparable organisations ........................................................................................................20

3

National devices for forest fire suppression .....................................................................................................22

3.1 Classification of resources for fire suppression..........................................................................................22

3.1.1 Ground intervention means...............................................................................................................22

3.1.2 Aerial intervention means..................................................................................................................28

3.2 Operational assessments: quantitative or qualitative approach ?...............................................................40

3.3 Flexible response capacities: development of bilateral co-operation in forest fire fighting.........................41

4 Conclusion........................................................................................................................................................44

5 Bibliographical references ................................................................................................................................45

6

Figures and illustrations....................................................................................................................................46

6.1 Figures.........................................................................................................................................................46

6.2 Maps............................................................................................................................................................46

6.3 Photos .........................................................................................................................................................46

6.4 Tables..........................................................................................................................................................46

7 Websites...........................................................................................................................................................47

7.1 Cartography & imagerie ..............................................................................................................................47

7.2 Forest fires...................................................................................................................................................47

7.3 Organisations in charge of forest fire management ....................................................................................47

7.4

Legislation ...................................................................................................................................................47

7.5 European Union...........................................................................................................................................47

8 Glossary............................................................................................................................................................48

9 Appendix: Classification of intervention aerial means in Spain and their distribution on the territory..............50


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1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1 FOREST FIRES IN THE EURO-MEDITERRANEAN BASIN : REGIONALPANORAMA

Fire is the principal cause of forest destruction in theMediterranean countries.

Approximately 50.000 fires devastate on theaverage each year about 500.000 hectares (ha) ofMediterranean forest inducing enormous ecological andeconomic damages as well as loss of human life [DGE,2006].

Compared to the previous decades, the problemincreased during the Seventies and even more duringthe Eighties in regard to both the number of fires andthe devastated surfaces (VELEZ, 1990).

Forest fires in the Mediterranean basin represent asignificant percentage of all the fires in the world.

The total cost for fighting and safety devices is

estimated at more than one billion dollars (FAO1 data).Approximately 30.000 men are mobilized everysummer in the Mediterranean region to fight fires; inextreme situations, this number can go up to 50.000men - including the participation of the army.

The stake is gigantic, beyond the indisputable needto protect people, goods and the environment; it is thesocio-economic balance that is threatened by the fires.

Mediterranean countries have continuouslyincreased their response capacities.

Although these countries are among the mostoperational in the world regarding forest fire fighting,this stability is weak.

The continuous deterioration of climatic conditionsrequires to be more alert.Although national policies work according to an

identical system divided into four categories(prevention, fighting preparedness, fighting anddamagerepair), each country has its own legal means -financial and technical , which highlight nationalcharacteristics.

Nowadays, national reality itself is not sufficient, assometimes countries cannot face catastrophes alone.

International co-operation for forest fire fightingappears as one of the priorities of the European Union.

The EU therefore provides technical and financial

support to its Member States.This globalisation context seems to be a major

advantage for forest fire suppression.However it is necessary to evaluate the impacts.Even if it is unquestionable that the new conditions

encourage evolutions in the fighting field, we have tomeasure the effects.

The following question arises how can weupgrade forest fire suppression in the Euro-Mediterranean region? .

It is important to answer this question but it requiresexamining the role of the institutions, the existingfighting devices and their efficiency.

1 Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations

With nearly 600.000 km2 of forests, Mediterraneancountries (France, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain)are among the most wooded of the EU.

Thirty five percent of the total surface of these fivecountries is covered with forests.

Disparities appear among these five countries(Table 1.1).

Spain and Greece, followed by Portugal, register thestrongest concentrations on their territories Figure 1.1.

Most forest fires have occurred in Portugal andSpain, with respectively 34% and 30% of the totalnumber of fires in the five countries.

Despite the importance of its surfaces vulnerable tofires, Greece is far behind with only 3%.

However, it should be noted that this extremely lownumber for Greece is the result of the definition used torecord a fire as a forest fire, so immediate comparisons

may be misleading.Fire evolution trends show a continuous increase of

fire occurrences for Portugal and Spain since 1980,whereas for other countries they have decreasedbefore stabilizing (except for exceptional years).

These tendencies result mainly from the effortscarried out in forest fire management.

However, the average burned surfaces/number offires ratio shows that Greece has undergone a majorityof large fires, contrary to France and Italy (Figure 1.2).

This, again, is a statistical artefact resulting from thelow number of fires recorded in Greece,

1.2 INTEREST OF THE SUBJECT ANDEXPECTED OBJECTIVES

Many research programs, co-ordinated by theEuropean Commission (EC), are currently developed inorder to increase the knowledge on forest fires andimprove response capacities.

Since 1998, the Directorate-General of Environmentsupports the EUFIRELAB project whose first objectiveis to improve sciences and technologies on forest firesby creating a virtual laboratory, European ResearchArea for forest fires (Cf. Appendix 1).

This study is the continuation of the work carried out

in 2001 by the Suppression unit of the EUFIRELABproject on Wildland Fire Suppression Managementand Planning: a State of the Art (COLLECTIVE,2001).

The objective of this study is to produce a syntheticdocument on forest management for Europeancountries of the Mediterranean basin.

Besides gaining knowledge improvement, theinterest of this study is that it will compare the devicesand means of all these countries.

The current Community context encouragesscientific, technical and operational co-operation andthe EUFIRELAB project wants to be a leader in this

aspect.The long-term objective is to offer possibleimprovements to national devices by using positiveelements from neighbouring countries.


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1.3 TABLES AND FIGURES

Surface of the

country (K m 2)

Percentage of w ooded

surfaces in the country

Num ber of fires

since 1980

France 675 417 21,7 125 513

Greece 131 940 49,3 39 570

Italy 301 230 29 267 718

Portugal 92 391 36 420 573

Spain 504 782 51 380 551

Table 1-1 - Forests in the Euro-Mediterranean countries and first evaluations of fires(From Eurostat & DGE, 2005)

0

100 00 0

200 00 0

300 00 0

400 00 0

500 00 0

600 00 0

700 00 0

800 00 0

France Greece Ita ly Portugal Spa in

Surface o f the coun try (Km2) Wooded su r faces (Km 2)

Figure 1-1 - Importance of wooded surfaces on the national territories

Figure 1-2 - Burned surfaces (ha) since 1980 in the Euro-Mediterranean countries


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2 NATIONAL ORGANISATIONS INVOLVED IN FOREST FIRE MANAGEMENT IN THE MEDITERRANEANBASIN

In front of the importance of the forest firephenomenon, Governments of Mediterranean countrieshave created their own crisis management plans.

This supposes the intervention of public and/or

private actors according to a precise organisationpattern: preparation (prevention, prevision, planningand formation) precedes crisis management.

For better comprehension, each national forest firemanagement system has to be considered in its whole.

This chapter will present, for each Mediterraneancountry, the national organisation for forest firemanagement.

First, we will identify the qualified institutions andorganisations; afterwards we will explain the mainpolicy orientations; and finally the preventive, previsionand fighting aspects.

2.1 RESPONSIBILITY DISTRIBUTION,INTERDEPARTEMENTALLOGICS

The State has the responsibility of implementing allmeasures necessary to protect citizens, belongings andthe environment.

Within this responsibility framework, forest firemanagement is a Public competence.

Several Ministries share this mission.

2.1.1 In France

2.1.1.1 Administrative organisation and command ofCivil Protection operations

Many administrations and services are involved incivil protection.

Responsibilities are shared between Ministries,Departments and Communes.

Civil Protection is based both on actions undertakenby State structures as well as on facilities set up forrelief throughout the country.

In addition they are supported by decentralisedauthorities (Cf. Figure 2.1).

Forest fire management is organised under thecompetence of three ministerial departments:- The Ministry of the Interior pilots French Civil

Protection operations and controls the main part ofnational rescue means. The Management ofDefence and Civil Safety (DDSC)2 is the centralstructure and is in charge of prevention (incollaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture) andoperations - through several operation centres. TheDirector of Civil Protection and Security is a high-rank official (Prefect), appointed by the Ministry ofInterior ;

- The Ministry of Agriculture is in charge ofprevention and forest management ;

2 Direction de la Dfense et de la Scurit Civile

- The Ministry of Territorial Management andEnvironment participates in rural areas and inforest management policies (COLLECTIVE, 2001:2).

This central organisation is distributed on the Frenchterritory at various administrative levels where theresponsibilities and competences are organised on ahierarchical basis.

The French Civil Protection is structured aroundoperation command centres:- National level, the Inter-ministerial Operational

Crisis Management Centre (COGIC3) is theOperational Centre of the Civil Protection andSecurity Department. It offers permanentsurveillance and Government decision aid. It informsthe Cabinet of the Ministry of the Interior on any

situation requiring emergency measures ;- Zonal level: the Civil Security Zone Staff (EMZ4)

co-ordinates operations. Each of the seven EMZ ismanaged by a headquarter chief (professionalfireman officer) who is placed under the authority ofthe zonal sub-prefect and the prefect. Under theauthority of the chief of the EMZ, the OperationalZone Centres (COZ5) co-ordinate relief operationsfor several departments or for those requiringnational reinforcements. The zonal headquarter isthe interface between the departments of each zoneand the direction of the Civil Defence and Security ;

- Departmental level: Civil Protection actions are

managed by the Operational Centre for Fire andRelief Operations (CODIS6). Each departmentpossesses its own Departmental Fire and ReliefService (SDIS7) managed by a fireman officer(COLLECTIVE, 2001:2).

Actions carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture forforest fire protection, are taken in charge:- at the national level by the National Forestry Office

(ONF8) ;- at the regional level by the Regional Agriculture and

Forest Management (DRAF9) ;- at the departmental level by the Departmental

Management of Agriculture and Forest (DDAF10).

3 Centre Oprationnel de Gestion Interministriel des Crises4 Etat Major de Zone5 Centre Oprationnel de Zone

6 Centre Oprationnel dIncendie et de Secours7 Service Dpartemental dIncendie et de Secours8 Office National des Forts9 Direction Rgionale de lAgriculture et de la Fort10 Direction Dpartementale de lAgriculture et de la Fort


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2.1.1.2 Orientations of the forest fire defence policy

The forest fire defence policy is based on four typesof actions combining prevention, prevision and firefighting:- knowledge of risks and fire causes : a strong

observation network of forest ecosystems, the

evaluation of meteorological risks and systematicresearches to identify fire origins upgradeprevention and fighting ;

- forest massif monitoring in order to detect firestarts : during the high fire risk season : forestobservation combines lookout towers and mobilemonitoring with different kinds of patrols ;

- forest massif equipment appears as part of theglobal management and maintenance policy forrural and forest areas. Protection plans alsointegrate prevention management (forestry,agriculture, roads networks, etc.) ;

- information and public awareness through

education in academic environment, professionaltraining, conferences, etc.

2.1.1.3 Fire prevention

In France, prevention is managed by various publicorganisations, especially by the ONF and DDAF(Ministry of Agriculture) and the CODIS (Ministry of theInterior). Many research organisations such as theCEMAGREF or the INRA (research institutes inagriculture and environment engineering dependingfrom Ministry of Agriculture) are also part of themechanism.

Within the prevention frame, their missions concern:

-Forest protection: elaboration of prevention plansfor the forest massif scale (PIDAF11) or communalscale (PPRIF12). The PIDAF is a contractual planwhich aims at preventing fire by defining forestmanagement policies and areas that have to becleared in order to prevent fire starts and spread.The PPRIF is a regulation plan that defines the risklevel and implies security rules and obligations ;

- Elaboration of vegetation cover maps from aerialpictures and databases ; these maps are updatedevery ten years ;

- Forest management: to reduce fire risk ignition andpropagation (fire breaks, etc), or to facilitate firefighting (strategic establishments of water tanks forexample) ;

- Public information ;- Repression if instructions given in forests areas are

not respected (COLLECTIVE, 2001 :3).

11 Plan Intercommunal de Dbroussaillement etdAmnagement Forestier12 Plan de Prvention du Risque Incendie de Fort

2.1.1.4 Fire prevision

Forest fire risks are evaluated on a daily basis bythe metrological unit of each EMZ.

Risk maps are then sent to all the CODIS of theforest fire zone (Cf. Figure 2.1).

With this information it is possible to identify high-

risk areas and thus allocate resources (equipment,monitoring) to reduce intervention time in case of fireignition.

The vehicles and personnel of the DDAF and ONForganise patrols in order to monitor the situation.

2.1.1.5 Fire fighting

Fire fighting is managed by the Civil Protection.It is organised at the department geographic scale

by the CODIS.The CODIS acts in collaboration with the national

headquarters.Its missions concern :

-

alert and means dispatching ;- requisition of the necessary means located outside

the fire area ;- assistance to public organisations implied in crisis

management ;- real time information to the COGIC and to the

Prefect.

The CODIS provides fire fighting plans andsupervises their application.


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2.1.1.6 Figures

Figure 2-1 - Map of meteorological fire danger forecast in the Southern defence zone(From Mto France, 07.07.2006)

Figure 2-2 - Synthesis on the French organisation for forest fire fighting(From DGE, 1999)


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2.1.2 In Greece


Civil Protection, in Greece, is organised mainly atthree administrative levels: national, regional andlocal. Greece is divided into 13 Regions.

Each Region includes a certain number ofPrefectures which, themselves, shelter severalMunicipalities.

Greece, on the whole, gathers 54 Prefectures and1033 Municipalities.

Emergency planning is organised throughout theabove cited three administrative levels.

At the national level, planning is defined by theEmergency National Plan XENOKRATES,established by the General Secretariat for the CivilProtection (GSCP).

The Regions and Prefectures, in agreement with theGSCP, establish their own emergency plans,

respectively at the regional and local level (Cf. Figure2.4).

The management of forest fires in Greece is basedon three central organisations that supervise theoperations:

Until 1997, all functions of forest fire management,including suppression, were in the responsibility of theForest Service, which was headed by the GeneralSecretariat for Forests and Natural Environment(GSFNE) and was part of the Ministry of Agriculture.

The Greek Fire Service (GFS) (alternatively calledthe Greek Fire Corps), which was responsible forurban firefighting and also worked on other incidents(industrial fires, earthquakes, floods, etc.), supportedthe Forest Service in forest firefighting when needed(e.g. for wildland-urban interface fires).

On May 25, 1998, a new law transferred theresponsibility for forest fire fighting to the GFS(XANTHOPOULOS 1999), widening its field ofcompetence.

The responsibility for most aspects of fire preventionremained with the Forest Service.

The GFS is under the responsibility of the Ministryof Public Order; it has a semi-military structure and isheaded by its Chief.

The Chief as well as the top of its managementstructure are situated at the Fire Corps Headquarters inAthens.

In regard to forest fires, its duties are focused on firesuppression but it also carries out certain preventionfunctions.

The General Secretariat for the Civil Protection,was set up in 1995.

It belongs to the Ministry of Interior, PublicAdministration and Decentralisation (MIPAD) and issituated in Athens.

According to law 3013/2002, the GSCP isresponsible for the planning and implementation of thenational policies for fire prevention, preparation,education of the public, management and reduction ofnatural and technological disasters and other majorrisks.

The GSCP ensures the co-ordination of all needed

state and even private entities for handling all types ofdisasters, including forest fires.Within this framework, it provides logistic support -

material and human- to the Fire Services from localauthorities (Regions, Prefectures, Municipalities).

The operations are directed from the Centre of theOperations of Civil Protection and Emergencies ofthe GSCP that is permanently active, ready to respondto all kinds of major disaster emergencies.

However, unimportant incidents such as smalllocalised forest fires of low disaster potential, aregenerally handled by the GFS, while the GSCPoperations center simply keeps being informed of the

evolution of the event without further action.The pre-1998 top-down structure of the Forest

Service was changed after moving forest firesuppression responsibility to the GFS.

First, the Forest Service lost its immediate politicalhead: The General Secretariat of Forests and NaturalEnvironment, became a General Direction (called theGeneral Direction for the Development and Protectionof Forest and Natural Environment (GDDPFNE)) in theMinistry of Agriculture (now called Ministry ofAgricultural Development and Foods (MADF)).

Second, it was broken down into a region-basedstructure; while the General Direction now belongs to

the MADF, the regional offices now belong to theMIPAD.

At each of the 13 regions of the country there is aRegional Direction of Forests under the direct authorityof the General Secretary of the Region.

Under this Direction, there is a Forest Direction atevery prefecture.

At larger prefectures or at those having extensiveforests, these Forest Directions have a co-ordinatingrole, while operations are carried out by the local ForestService offices called dasarheio.

In the post 1998 period, funding declined, andalthough most fire prevention functions still remain inthe responsibility of the Forest Service very little can bedone without the appropriate funds.

One example is the lack of needed funds tomaintain the network of forest roads.

Another example is abandonment of efforts tocontrol forest fuel built-up, and even abandonment ofactive forest management, except in the mostproductive forests.


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The fire prevention activities are under the principalresponsibility of the Forest Service with the support ofthe GSCP, GFS, GDDPFNE, and local authorities.Each organisation ensures specific missions:

The Forest Service is responsible:

- for the preparation of fire preventioninfrastructures (water tanks, maintenance of forestroads, firebreaks, etc.) and

- for forest maintenance in order to reduce thecombustible mass in parallels with the otherforestry activities; foresters carry out patrols so asto monitor the forest throughout the summer.

- Furthermore, the Forest Service has theresponsibility of maintaining contacts with the local people in order to know its area and identify potential problems. The General Direction, alsotries to work on publications and organise activitiesthat help inform people about forest fires and

make them love and respect the environment (COLLECTIVE, 2001 :5);

The GFS sets up dissuasion patrols that can becombined with the monitoring patrolswhen the risksare at their peak.

The GFS is also responsible for fire causeinvestigation;

Since 2001, the GSCP is quite active in the field offorest fire prevention.

It carries out many activities, most notable being:- the annual preparation and publication of the

national plan of prevention,- monitoring of application of the specific actions

foreseen by the plan (e.g. attendance of garbagedumps that are identified as potential fire ignitionsources), and

- collaboration with the mass media for publiceducation and sensitisation, as well as for diffusinginformation to the public when high fire dangerlevels are predicted for certain areas(COLLECTIVE, 2001:6)


The GSCP is responsible for the daily preparation of

a fire danger prediction map for the country.A fire danger map is prepared by 13:00 of each day.It is based on evaluation of the meteorological

predictions, vegetation condition (degree of greenness,water stress) etc., and is valid for the next day.

Fire danger assessment is done at the dasarheiolevel (Cf. Figure 2.3).

The map is immediately forwarded to all the forestauthorities, and to all organisations (GFS, Police, AirForce, etc) involved in fire suppression where it isdiffused to their operational units.

At high danger levels, the Regions, Prefectures andMunicipalities affected are informed and put into alert.

Different mobilisation levels and specific actions,such as road closures, and increased ground and aerialpatrols, are foreseen for each fire danger level in thepresuppression plan of each prefecture.

Also, it is not uncommon for the GFS to moveresources from one area to another, especially to theGreek islands, in anticipation of a heavy firefightingload.

The fire danger prediction map, is made public atthe website of the GSCP(www.civilprotection.gr/dailyfire.htm), soon after its

preparation.The example below (fig. 2.3) is the fire danger map

for the 28th of June 2006.Special announcements for increased alertness of

the public messages, based on this map, are alsoissued and communicated through the mass media.


Forest fire fighting lies under the responsibility of theGFS, service of the Ministry of Public Order that co-ordinates the national security forces.

The GFS has a top-down structure, one of the fewstate organisations that have not been broken down

into a regionalized structure in the 1990s. This is asignificant advantage for the task of fire fighting as itallows easy mobility of resources between regions andgood central co-ordination (COLLECTIVE, 2001 :8).

In addition to the Fire Corps headquarters, whichco-ordinate the activities of the GFS, other offices orservices take part in the organisation of the system :- regional administrations of the Fire Services in the

13 Regions of the country ;- administrations of the Fire Services in the 54

prefectures ;- Local Fire Stations, ranked in classes (A, B, C and

D) according to the density of population and nature

of the disaster (risk and danger) in their areas ofresponsibility ;

- the Operational Co-ordination Centre on forest firefighting (SKED) located in Athens. It is operationalat all times. It centralises calls of emergencies of allnatures and co-ordinates the forces of fire fighting.It has direct responsibility for the region of Attica,while it offers help around the country whenincidents exceed local capacity. It has the mainresponsibility for all the aerial fire fighting means inthe country (COLLECTIVE, 2001 :8).

The policy for suppression of forest fire of the GFS

is organised around the following orientations :- systematic implementation of analysis on large

fires so as to identify potential difficulties to beencountered during the fighting operations ;

- optimal management of human and materialresources ;

- collaboration with all the authorities implied in thefighting operations.

The co-ordination Centre of the GSCP involves itsresources only on fires of great importance.


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2.1.2.5 Figures

Figure 2-3 - Daily map of fire risk in Greece


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9

Figure2-4-SynthesisontheG

reekorganisationoftheforestfire

fighting

(FromD

GE,1999)


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2.1.3 In Italy


In the majority of European countries, CivilProtection is assigned to a particular organisation or tosmall public structures.

In Italy, every organisation of the State is involved inthis function: from the Ministry of Interior to the smallestcommunes, all of the civil society is representedthrough the National Service of Civil Protection - andin particular through the Organisation of voluntaryServices - founded by the Law n225/1992 of 24February 1992 of organisation of Civil Protection.

Under this scheme, the responsibilities are dividedbetween the services of the Civil Protection on alladministrative levels :- State (responsible: the President of the Council or

the Minister of Interior Department) ;- Region (responsible: the President of the Region) ;

-Province (responsible: the President of theprovincial Administration) ;

- Commune (responsible: the Syndic).

The forest fire management system is based on amulti-partnership organisation (Cf. Figure 2-5) :- the Department of Civil Protection of the Ministry of

Interior co-ordinates the activities of Civil Protectionunder the authority of the Prime Minister. Thesystem depends on all the corps which constitutethe State, the National Corps of Fires Monitoring(CNVF13), implied in the activities of fire preventionand in charge of fire fighting operations;

- the Ministry of Agriculture and the ForestryPolice intervenes on fire prevention activitiesthrough the State Forest Corps (CFS14) ;

- the Region ensures the implementation forest fireprotection plans and deals with the co-ordination ofthe Voluntary Corps15 of Forest Fire protectionAIB of Civil Protection, present all over theregional territory. E.g. the Region of Piedmont thatcounts approximately 6200 volunteers subdivided in51 basic sectors.

The ministerial Corps possesses centres thatcommand the operations for which they are responsiblefor:

- the Unified Permanent Operational Room(SOUP16) of the CNVF directs all the operations ofCivil Safety for the Department of Civil Protection ;

- the Operational Centre of the CFS co-ordinatesprevention missions and emergency managementfor the environment, as well as assistance actionsfor Civil Protection.

13 Corpo Nazionale dei Vigili del Fuoco14 Corpo Forestale dello Stato15 Corpo Volontari16 Sale Operative Unificate Permanenti

These national centres are in permanent alert and inco-ordination with the Regional Centres of Controls(COR17), the Provincial Operational Centres (COP18)and Local Operational Centres (COL19).


The Law n353/2000 of November 21st, 2000

concerning forest fires redefined the axes of thenational policy by underlining the supremacy offorecasting and prevention in the fighting system andby putting the Regions in charge of programming andplanning prevention activities in co-ordination with thelocal agencies.

Defence activities regarding forest fires areimplemented at the Regional level under the authorityof the Department of Civil Protection, and by theregional Plan for the programming of forecast,prevention and active forest firefighting activities20 articulated around four sections: territorypresentation, fire hazard analysis and forecast,

implementation of prevention and fighting activities.2.1.3.3 Fire prevention

In Italy, prevention is a responsibility shared by theMinistry of Agriculture (CFS) and the Ministry of Interior(CNVF). Theirs missions concern:

Fuel reduction and its foreseeableconsequences: forestry, forest police, maintenance ofaccess in forests, etc ;- reduction of fire-hazard origins: reinforcement of

territory monitoring, information programs for thepublic concerning fire hazard and individualprotection measures against forest fires.


The Fire Risk Service of the Department of CivilProtection, in collaboration with the meteorologicalnational service, develops -since 2003- an informationsystem called Ris.I.Co21 (Cf. Figure 2.6), for forestfires. It provides every day- data for fire riskforecasting and management at the Provincial level.The forecasting model Ris.I.Co is based on threedocuments :- the dynamics of danger planned for the day ;- a graphic document with fire intensity and spread

maps determined for the main hours of the day,based on local climatic characteristics ;

- forecasts for the successive days defined startingfrom localised important meteorological parametersleading to forest fires.

17 Centri de Controllo Regionale18 Centri Operativi Provinciale

19 Centri Operativi Locali20 Piano regionale per la programmazione delle attivit diprevisione, prevenzione e lotta attiva contre gli incendiboschivi21 Rischio Incendi e Coordinamento


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Fire fighting is under the responsibility of theMinistry of Interior (Department of Civil Protection andCNVF).

Interventions are directed by the OperationalCentres of the territories concerned by the fire.

The fire fighting system is based on complementary

actions:

- identification and monitoring of the sectors wherefire risk is important ;

- setting off of the alert from the Regional OperationalRoom ;

- fire suppression on the basis of territorialorganisation defined by the Regional Plan.

2.1.3.6 Figures

Figure 2-5: Synthesis of the Italian organisation for forest fire fighting


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Figure 2-6: Model of forecasting Ris.I.Co(From DPC, 2003)


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2.1.4 In Portugal

2.1.4.1 Administrative organisation and command ofCivil protection operations

Civil Protection services are present at the national,regional, district and municipal level.

Their main missions in the field of forest fires relates

to prevention, planning, information, fighting co-ordination, etc.

The National Service of Firemen and CivilProtection (SNBPC22) depends on the Ministry ofInternal Administration.

The Ministry is responsible for Civil Protection,Prevention and Management of Emergency situationsat the national level.

The system is based on three pillars structuredaccording to the Portuguese administrativeorganisation (Cf.Figure 2.8) :- - SNBPC represented in 18 Districts by the District

Relief OperationalCentres (CDOS23) and placedunder the direct authority of the Ministry of InternalAdministration ;

- - the Regional Service of Civil Protection(SRBPC24) of the autonomous regions (Acores andMadeira), for which the responsibility is imparted tothe president of these territories: governors assumethis responsibility in their respective departments ;

- - Municipal Service of Civil Protection(SMBPC25) under the authority of the Mayor.

The central organisation is structured aroundOperational centre of emergencies and CivilProtection (COEPC26) according to the nationaladministrative organisation.

Their purpose is to ensure the direction of CivilProtection operations, and the co-ordination ofemergency measures that have to be implemented.

The centres are gradually activated according to thenature and intensity of the occurrence.

The CNOEPC co-ordinates the operations at thenational level.

At the local level, a centre, in departments(CDOEPC) and municipalities (CMOEPC), receives analert when a major incident breaks out depending on itsadministrative region.

Prevention and forest protection missions areensured by the Directorate-General of the ForestResources (DGRF27) of the Ministry of Agriculture,via the forest services decentralised in Regions.

22 Servio Nacional de Bombeiros E Civil Proteco

23 Centros Distritais de Operaes de Socorro24 Regional Servio of Bombeiros E Civil Proteco25 Servios Municipais de Proteco Civil26 Centros Operacionais de Emergncia de Proteco Civil27 Direco-Geral Recursos Florestais

2.1.4.2 Orientations of the defence policy of theforest fires

The Portuguese government has defined fourpriority areas for forest fire defence:- reduce territory vulnerability to forest fires :

support global management of forest areas and

preventive intervention in strategic sectors ;- reduce fire occurrences : through publicawareness campaigns, systematic investigations onfire origin, increase dissuasion capacity andrepression ;

- improve fire fighting and fire managementefficiency : this requires an articulation ofmonitoring and detection systems with firstintervention means, a reinforcement of interventioncapacities and extended attack, the improvement ofplanning, prevision and decision, etc ;

- recover and reorganize ecosystems to regaintheir original condition (DIRECCAO, 2006).

These political orientations are defined in theNational Plan for Forest Defence Against Fire(PNDFCI28), updated each year by the DGRF (thePlan 2006 was approved by Resolution of the MinistersCouncil n65/2006).


In Portugal fire prevention activities are under theresponsibility of the DGRF (Ministry of Agriculture).

The DGRF is organised by agricultural regionswhich manage public forests (5% of the total),supervise all forest activities in the country and co-ordinate fire detection devices.

The fire detection system is organised around anetwork of manually operated fire detection towers thatare in communication with the operational centre of theSNBPC.

DGCRF also has terrestrial mobile patrols acting 24hours per day.

The other entities involved in fire prevention are :- the National Association of Portuguese

Municipalities29 responsible for promoting fireprevention infrastructures (roads, firebreak, watersources, watch-towers) and supporting the logisticsof fire suppression activities in their areas ;

- the Cellulose and Paper Pulp Industries thatglobally own 10% of the National afforested area(COLLECTIVE, 2001 :10) ;

- the Nature Conservation Institute (ICN30).

These entities have their own watch-tower network.They also possess terrestrial and heli-transportedmobile patrols.

The activity of fire detection has recently becomeone of the major missions of the firemen and theSNBPC.

28 Plano Nacional de Defesa da Floresta Contra Incndios29 Associao Nacional de Municipios Portugueses30

Instituto da Conservao da Natureza


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The Portuguese Meteorological Institute (IM) is incharge of the Fire danger evaluation.

This entity depends on the Ministry of Science andHigher Education.

The information provided by the IM through its

Analysis and Weather Forecast Centre31 includesthe following general daily provided information (Cf.Figure 2.7) :- meteorological observation from the national station

network ;- weather chart ;- national and regional weather forecast bulletins ;- satellite imagery;- wind field forecast for the next 24 hours with 3 hours

intervals.

The IM computes and delivers more specificinformation such as :- the forest fire danger index for about 60

meteorological stations. Since 1998, the IMinformation related with fire danger indexes hasbeen based on the Canadian Forest Fire WeatherIndex System (FWI), computed between May 15thand October 15th. Since autumn 2002, the FWIindex is being computed along the whole year ;

- charts with forest fire risk classes by regions. Theclasses are computed as a function of the FWI andtake into consideration the number of fires andburned areas in each region during past years ;

- charts of forecasts and danger index tendencies forforest fires ;

- weather bulletins for 48 hour forecasts specific for

fire prevention (on a daily routine basis from June toSeptember) (COLLECTIVE, 2001 :10).

This is an example of a daily map of fire risk in thecountry for June 27, 2006.It is downloadable on the site of the PortugueseMeteorological Institute:http://web.meteo.pt/pt/previsao/riscoincendio/risc_class

_conc.jsp

31 Central of Anlise E previso C tempo


Fire fighting activities are the responsibility of theSNBPC. In each District there is an EmergencyOperation Co-ordination Centre under the directionof a District Coordinator.

These centres work in connection with the National

operations co-ordination centre based near Lisbon.Fire suppression activities are carried out by Fires

Brigade Corporations.Volunteers compose the large majority of these

Corporations.Almost all cities have their Fires Brigade Unit that is

sponsored by a private association, and supported bypopulation and by Government through the SNBPC (COLLECTIVE, 2001 :10).

There is also some Professional Fire fightersCorporation.

These are usually present in the District capitals.

Their respective Municipality generally sponsorsthem.Although they are equipped mainly for urban fires,

they have great experience in forest fire fighting.


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2.1.4.6 Figures

Figure 2-7 - Map of Fire Risk in Portugal


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Figure 2-8 - Synthesis on the Portuguese organisation for forest fire fighting(From DGE, 1999)


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2.1.5 In Spain

2.1.5.1 Administrative organisation and command ofCivil Safety operations

Spain is divided into 17 autonomous Communitiesthat manage, since 198532, the protection of the forestagainst fires, with the support of three departments of

the government:- Directorate-General of Biodiversity (DGB33)

under the supervision of the Ministry ofEnvironment (MMA34), is responsible for themanagement of aerial means (planes andhelicopters) and equipment planning for all theterritory. The DGB shares responsibilities with theregional governments, particularly in the co-ordination of forest fire fighting (aerial means andcommunications). The Service of NatureProtection (SEPRONA35) of the Ministry ofEnvironment collaborates in the preventionactivities with the local Authorities ;

-Ministry of Agriculture36 takes part in preventionand forest management ;

- Ministry of Interioris the supreme authority in CivilProtection. The Directorate-General of CivilProtection (DGPCE37) is the national corps thatcarries out the programs of emergency intervention.

The central organisation is structured around theNational plan of Civil Protection for Forest Fires (Cf.Figure 2.10) that defines procedures and rules for theimplementation of assistance on national interest, andreinforces the Plans of the regional governments. TheNational plan defines :

- the organisation of the information systems :national data base, risk maps, meteorologicalprevision and risks, information on potential risks,data bases for resources ;

- the national structure of forest fire fighting ;- the attribution of the national resources in the

regional and local Plans ;- the operational plan according to the fire risk level.

Even if the regional governments have theresponsibility of forest fire fighting, the structuresdiffer from one region to another.

Each regional government elaborates an"INFOCA38 Plan" that defines the system on itsterritory.

The resources are unequally distributed.Andalusia concentrates the major part of the

national information system.The Region represents 18% of the national territory

for 20% of the total population.

32 Law n2 of 21 January 1985 which defines the functionsand the general organization of Civil Protection33 Direccin General de Biodiversidad

34 Ministerio de Medio Ambiente35 SErvicio de PRoteccin de la NAturaleza36 Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentacin37 Direccin General de la Proteccin Civil y Emergencias38 INcendios FOrestales en la Comunidad Autnoma

For example, the implementation of the INFOCAPlan of Andalusia (JUNTA, 2004) is based upon theregional administrative organisation :- the Regional Centre of Operation (COR) co-

ordinates the operations from Seville ;- 8 Province Operation Centres (COP) assist the

system ;-

at local level, 17Forest Defence Centres

(CEDEFO) are distributed according to the firehazard level.


Defence activities against forest fires are defined inthe Spanish Forester Plan, of the MMA.

The co-ordination of the activities with theautonomous Communities is ensured through theCommittee of Forest Fires Fighting (CLIF39),composed by MMA representatives and the preventionand fighting services of the autonomousAdministrations.

The annual Plan defines three orientationcategories:- fire planning and co-ordination by updating a fire

database (EGIF - Estadstica General de IncendiosForestales), prevision of daily risks, training ofprofessionals and education programs on forestfires ;

- fire prevention ;- fire fighting : support to the autonomous

Communities is carried out from special bases andbrigades (DGB, 2002).


Prevention activities are implemented by theMinistries of Environment and Agriculture (DGB andSEPRONA).

Their missions concern :- information and public awareness campaigns

(media at the national level, creation of Websites,school programs, etc) ;

- attribution of subsidies to the autonomousCommunities for planned work in the IntegratedPrevention Plans (PIP) concerning activitymonitoring, increase of preventive infrastructuresand forestry activities;

- Teams for integral Protection against Forest

Fires (EPRIF) in collaboration with the autonomousAdministrations located in the regions where fire riskis high. Their missions are : fire cause investigation,public awareness campaigns, promotion ofcontrolled burnings ;

- use of satellite images during forest fire fighting: during the summer campaign, the DGB Center ofoperations uses MODIS systems installed onTERRA and AQUA satellites of the NASA. It allowsto locate hot spots and to consider surfaces burnedby large fires.

39 Comite de Lucha contra Incendios Forestales


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In collaboration with the DGB, the National Instituteof Meteorology elaborates risk maps for the next dayand diffuses them to the autonomous Communities.

These maps are based on NDVI Index (NormalizedDifference Vegetation Index) and indicate the quantity

of biomass and the water content of living plants (Cf.Figure 2.9).

This map indicates the risks for July 7th, 2006: therisks are graduated in colors classes, the hot colorsindicate the strongest risks.

(www.mma.es/images/general/biodiversidad/defensa_incendios/ndvi.gif).


The Directorate-General of Civil Protectionestablishes the national Plan of Civil Protection forforest fires.

Planning is treated on a hierarchical basis :- National Plan, approved by the Government upon

proposal of the National Commission of CivilProtection (CNPC40) ;- Plans of the autonomous Communities,

approved by qualified organisations from eachCommunity, from proposals of the Commission ofCivil Protection of the Community and approved bythe CNPC. The Plans of local organisations(Municipalities, Delegation, etc) are integrated intothe Plans of the Communities ;

- Plans at local level, approved by a corps ofqualified respective Corporations and approved bythe Commission of Civil Protection of thecorresponding autonomous Community. Plans of

Self-protection of the companies, cores of isolatedpopulation, urbanization, etc. are integrated in theseplans ;

- Plans of Self-protection (SARMIENTO, 2001 :5).

In this organisation, the levels of National andautonomous Communities' planning are fundamental.

To guarantee a good organisation between theplans, co-ordination and responsibility transfer corpshave been set up (Management Committee, formed ofrepresentatives of the State Administration and eachone of the autonomous Community concerned)

40 Comisin Nacional de Proteccin Civil


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2.1.5.6 Figures

Figure 2-9 - Daily risks map of the Spanish Meteorological National Institute

Figure 2-10 - Synthesis on the Spanish organisation for forest fire fighting


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2

1

FirePre

vision

FirePrevention

FireFighti

ng

Meteoro

logica

lnat

ional

inst

itute

Ministryof

Agr

icul

ture

(ONF/DDAF)

Meteoro

logica

lCel

lofEMZ

Ministryof

Interior

(CODIS)

Ministryof

Pub

licOrder

(GFS)

Ministry

ofInterior,

Pub

licAdministrat

iona

nd

Decen

tral

isat

ion

(GSCP)

Ministryof

Agr

icul

ture

(GDDPFNE)

Ministryof

Agr

icul

turean

dFores

tPol

icy(C

FS)

M

inistryof

Interior

(DPC/CNVF)

Por

tuguese

Meteoro

logica

lIns

titute

Ana

lysisan

dWea

ther

Forecas

tCen

tre

Ministryof

Env

ironmen

t(DGB/SEPRONA

)

Ministryof

Agricul

ture

France

Gre

ece

Por

tugal

Spa

in

Italy

DGB

Ministryof

Interior

(DGPCE)

Helen

icNat

iona

lMeteoro

logica

lService

GSC

P

GFS

GSCP

Meteoro

logica

lnat

iona

lins

titute

DGB

Ministryof

Agr

icul

ture

(DGF)

Ministryof

Interior

(COGIC)

DPC/SRI

Meteoro

logica

lServ

ice

(Ministryof

Defence

)

DPC/CNVF

Ministryof

Internal

Administra

tion

(SNBPC)

Table2-1-Synthesisofthenationalorganisationsinchargeofforestfiremanagement

CFS:StateForestryCorps

CNVF:NationalCorpsofFiresMonitoring

CODIS:CentreofFireand

Help

COGIC:InterministerialOperationalCrisisManagementCentre

DDAF:DepartmentalDirectionofAgricultureandForest

DGB:GeneralDirectionofBiodiversity

DGF:GeneralDirectionofForestry

DGPCE:GeneralDirectionofCivilProtectionandEmergencies

DPC:DirectionofCivilPro

tection

EMZ:CivilSecurityZoneStaff

GDDPFNE:GeneralDirec

tionfortheDevelopmentandProtectionofForestandNaturalEnvironment

GFS:GreekFireService

GSCP:GeneralSecretaria

tforCivilProtection

ONF:NationalOfficeoftheForest

SEPRONA:ServiceofNatureProtection

SNBPC:NationalService

ofFireBrigadeandCivilProtectio

n

SRI:ServiceofForestFire

sRisks


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3 NATIONAL DEVICES FOR FOREST FIRE SUPPRESSION

The fighting device is articulated around variousactors that possess shared competences.

The fighting system is based on the organisation ofthe relief operations command chain.

Its role is essential as it directs and co-ordinatesintervention means for the entire national territory.Even though the tendency shows a diversity of

these means within the five countries, their technicalperformances and complementarities do not make anydoubts.

This chapter will present, in detail, the completeresources associated with terrestrial and aerialinterventions for each country.

The interest lies in the possibility to identify theircharacteristics and consider the potential modularity ofa country towards another.

3.1 CLASSIFICATION OF RESOURCES FORFIRE SUPPRESSION

Civil Protection services must face differentphenomenon that do not have the same materialrequirements.

Forest fires can mobilize a variable quantity ofequipment and human resources according to theimportance of the phenomenon.

During the forest fire season, an importantpreventive device is set up.

The resources of each Mediterranean country havein common, the complementarily between theground and the sky (HAUT, 2006 :12).

Nevertheless, national characteristics emerge asintervention means are preferred to others dependingon cultural heritage or financial choice.

Ground and aerial means used in Mediterraneancountries can be classified according to technicalcriteria which will be defined in this chapter.

In all countries, fighting devices are entirely basedon the co-ordination between local and national means.

The origin and deployment of the means is carriedout at various levels of responsibility within the CivilSociety.

3.1.1 Ground intervention means

Ground devices for fire suppression combineshuman and material resources.

Suppression mainly relies on the local firemencorps.

Their action is reinforced by national means.The fighting personnel and their vehicles are the

main element.

Forest fire fighting vehicle are as varied as there arecountries concerned.

It is possible to classify the means according to theirtechnical specifications and, in particular, their

functions, sizes and water capacities.Accordingly, we separate fighting vehicles(tankers) from special vehicles used for command orliaison.

3.1.1.1 Special vehicles

This type of vehicle does not directly take part in firefighting.

They are all-terrains vehicles.

They are used for command and logistics,communications or material transport. Each country isequipped with this kind of vehicle.

Command vehicles can transport up to five peopleand are used by the leaders of the operations.

If they are named differently from one country toanother, their characteristics are almost identical.

For example, France has All-terrain LiaisonVehicle (VLRTT41), equipped with radios and GPS,when Portugal has Tactical Command Vehicles(VCOT42).

On important interventions other vehicles are set up

near the disaster area: an All-terrain MobileCommand Post (PCMTT43 - France) or Commandand Communications Vehicles (VCOC44 -Portugal). (Photos 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3)

During the summer period, the VLRTT-DFCI ismobilized on forest fires.

It intervenes at the request of the CODIS formissions of assistance in forest fire fighting (Cf.Figure3.2), using operational cartography (GIS toidentify the intervention zone and its environment,realization of tactical situations - SITAC - withtransmission to the CODIS by GPRS, impression of

maps), GPS statements (real time mapping of firestarts and successive fire out-line - Cf. Figure 3.1 -,etc.) and realization of numerical photographs.

The established maps can be printed on site. Inaddition, this work contributes to the development of acartographic database on the annual balance sheet offorest fires (GUIRAUD, 2006). Figure 3.2

Spain has 12 Mobile Units of Meteorology andTransmissions (UMMT45).

These vehicles are equipped with an automaticmeteorological station and radio communicationsystems with aerial and terrestrial bands and thecapacity of sending and receiving digital andcartographic images.

Its principal mission consists in supporting theDirector in charge of the fighting within the autonomousCommunity.

These vehicles ensure complementary missions ofvigilance or fire contour drawing with GPS (DGB, 2005:20). (Photo 3.4)

41 Vhicule de Liaison Radio Tout Terrain42 Veculo de Comando Tctico43 Poste de Commandement Mobile Tout Terrain44 Veculo de Comando e Comunicaes45 Unidades Mviles de Meteorologa y Transmisiones


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3.1.1.2 Fighting vehicles

Three categories of fighting vehicles may beencountered:- light vehicles for initial attack with a water content

capacity under 1000 litres (L) ;- fighting trucks with water capacities between

1500 and 4000 L ;- fighting trucks with water capacities exceeding10.000 L.

LIGHT VEHICLES FORINITIALATTACK

With their small water capacities, these vehicles areintended to intervene on starting fires.

The Spanish, Greek and Portuguese fire fightingservices are equipped with these vehicles.

The models are different and may be either All-terrain vehicles or trucks equipped with fixed ordismountable light extinction modules.

These vehicles carry out fire detection missions in

their territory.Subsequently they are able to intervene within a

short time frame on starting fires.At the beginning of the Seventies, the Greek Forest

Service acquired its first firefighting vehicles that wereUNIMOG Mercedes 4WD vehicles having a watercapacity ranging between 1000 and 1300 L.

Their small size, high clearance from the groundand 5-person cabin made them a success.

Furthermore two of them could be fitted in a militaryC-130 transport plane making it possible to send suchunits to support firefighting in islands of the Aegean andIonian sea where resident resources are often

inadequate to fight fires that escape initial attack.In 1993, the Forest Service was equipped with

Dodge Dakota 4WD vehicles (600 L), that addedsignificant patrol and initial attack capacity in spite ofone characteristic they had that proved to be adisadvantage.

They were gasoline powered instead of using dieselfuel.

These units were passed on to the Greek Fire Corpswhen it took the responsibility for forest firefighting in1998.

Then in the beginning of the new century Fire Corpsselected a different vehicle, Nissan Terrano 4WD (600L) as its new light vehicle for initial attack.(COLLECTIVE, 2001 :20).

Spain and Portugal respectively use Vehicles ofVigilance and First Attack (VVPA46) and Light firesfighting vehicles (VLCI47).

France uses Forest Fire Light Tankers (CCFL48),with a water capacity of 600 L.

The CCFL is the principal machine used for firesuppression in France it is conceived to access allterrain types. Photos 3.5 and 3.6.

46 Vehculo de Vigilancia y Primer Ataque47 Veculo Ligeiro de Combate a Incndios48 Camion Citerne Feux Lger

France uses special vehicles such as All-terrainvehicle reel (DATT49) trucks.

This vehicle has not been created for fire attack. Itcontains 1800 meters of hoses of 110 mm and 800meters of hoses of 70 mm and is mainly used in DIH(Division of Helitransported Intervention) and DIS(Division of Specialized Intervention) groups.

It carries out establishments on long distancesduring the forest fire season. Photo 3.7.

FIGHTING VEHICLES OF AVERAGE CAPACITY

These vehicles are the most widespread on theMediterranean basin because they combine adequatewater capacity with agility missing from heavier tankers.Each country has particular models of thesevehicles.

In this category, France has Forest Fire MediumTankers (CCFM50) equipped with a water reserve of3500 L and a reserve of 500 L for additives specific to

forest fires.It also has a spraying system to protect it against

fire heat. Photo 3.8.

Italy mainly uses three types of vehicles :- GIPPONE Iveco 40.10 (reserve of 1100L) and

UNIMOG Mercedes U1650 (capacity of 2500 L).Their water pump can be activated when the vehicleis running. It covers a distance of 900 L/min for apressure of 7 bar, and 250 L/min for 30 bar ;

- self-pump Iveco 80.17 BARRIBI, equipped with awater reserve of 2500 L that is pulverized withaverage and strong pressure from a centrifugal

pump. Photos 3.9, 3.10 and 3.11.Greece uses several models of medium size

vehicles for fighting. Among them, the MercedesAtego (1500 L), the UNIMOG Mercedes 4WD(between 1700 and 2500 L), Iveco Ff135 E23 Wr(2500 L), Steyr (2500 L) and Renault Camiva Ccf4000 Type (3000 L) (COLLECTIVE, 2001 :20).

The Portuguese fighting trucks of Portuguesehave water capacities between 1500 and 4000 L.

Models vary in size according to their capacity.Fighting services have three main models:Rural Vehicle for Fire Fighting (VRCI51) and

Forester Vehicle for Fire Fighting (VFCI52). They arefirst intervention vehicles equipped with a fire cannon,water reserves between 1500 and 4000 L, and anyother equipment needed for fire suppression ;

Special Vehicle for Fire Fighting (VECI53) areequipped with special extinction means (additiveagents) and a capacity of more than 4000 L. Photos3.12, 3.13 and 3.14.

49 Dvidoir Automatique Tout Terrain50 Camions Citernes Feux Moyens51 Veculo Rural de Combate a Incndios52 Veculo Florestal de Combate a Incndios53 Veculo Especial de Combate a Incndios


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HIGH CAPACITYFIGHTING TRUCKS

High capacity vehicles ensure attack or logisticalsupport missions by providing additional waterresources.

France uses the two following types of vehicles.

The Super Forest Fire Tanker (CCFS) (Cf. Table3), with a water capacity that ranges from 8000 to10.000 L, is used for direct attack; the High CapacityTanker (CCGC) (Cf. Table 3.1), water carrier of 14.000L, is used in urban area and forest fires.

This vehicle takes an active part among fire attackforces during the summer season. Table 3.1 and Photo3.15; Table 3.2 and Photo 3.16.

Greece also uses this type of vehicle representedby : Iveco Tlf 24/120-5 (12 000 L), Magirus Deutz(12000 L) and Steyr (10 000 and 12 000 L)(COLLECTIVE, 2001 :20).

Portugal has three high capacity vehicles:- Rural Tactical Tank Vehicle (VTTR54) and Forest

Tactical Tank Vehicle (VTTF55). They are vehiclestype 4*4, equipped with fire cannons and waterreserves of 16.000L;

- High Capacity Tank Vehicle (VTGC56), equippedwith fire cannon and a water reserve higher than16.000 L. Photos 3.17, 3.18 and 3.19

-

54 Veculo Tanque Tctico Rural55 Veculo Tanque Tctico Florestal56 Veculo Tanque Grande Capacidade


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3.1.1.3 Figures, tables and photos

Photos 3-1, 3-2 and 3-3 - VLRTT vehicle (France), VCOT and VCOC vehicles (Portugal)(From SDIS 30 & www.bombeirosdeportugal.com)

Figure 3-1 - Map of fire out-line in real time for the assistance in the fighting management(From S. Sauvagnargues-Lesage, 2006)

Figure 3-2 - Role of the VLRTT in the forest fires campaign(From S. Sauvagnargues-Lesage, 2006)


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Photo 3-4 - UMMT vehicle, Spain(From DGB, Ministry of Environment, Spain)

Photos 3-5 and 3-6 - VVPA (Spain) and VLCI vehicles (Portugal)(From DGB, Ministry of Environment, Spain & www.bombeirosdeportugal.com)

Photo 3-7 - DATT vehicleFrance (http://cs.gemenos.free.fr)

Photo 3-8 - CCFM vehicle, France(From DDSC, Ministry of Interior, France)

Photos 3-9, 3-10 and 3-11 - GIPPONE Iveco 40.10, UNIMOG Mercedes U1650 and Iveco 80.17 BARRIBI vehicles(From CFS, Ministry of Agriculture, Italy)


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Photos 3-12, 3-13 and 3-14 - VRCI, VFCI and VECI vehicles, Portugal(www.bombeirosdeportugal.com)

Identifier CCFS

Technical characteristics Super fire tanker

Frame 4*4, 2 or 4 place s

Water tank 8000 to 10000 L

W etting agent tank 400 L

Emulsion tank 600 L

Cannon 3000 L/minutes - 15 bar

Table 3-1 - 3 - Technical index of CCFS and Photo 3-15 - CCFS vehicle, France(From DDSC, Ministry of Interior, France)

Identifier CCGC

Technical characteristics High fire tanker

Frame 6*4, 2 or 4 places

Water tank 8000 to 14000 L

Table 3-2 - Technical index of CCGC and Photo 3-16 - CCGC vehicle, France(From DDSC, Ministry of Interior, France)

Photos 3-17, 3-18 and 3-19 -VTTR, VTTF and VTGC vehicles, Portugal(www.bombeirosdeportugal.com)


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3.1.2 Aerial intervention means

Aircrafts of the Civil Safety are divided in twodistinct fleets, one for planes, the other forhelicopters.

Their participation in forest fire suppression varies infrom one country to another.

Indeed, if all Civil Protection aerial means can beused in operations against forest fires, the activity ofthe helicopter fleet represents only a small part of thedevice in France, contrary to the situation in Greece.

On the other hand, the plane fleet is primarilydesigned for forest fire suppression in complement ofterrestrial means.

A majority of countries use their aircraft fleets withinthe framework of their armies: Greece, Spain andPortugal.

This situation has changed in Italy according to theFrench example (HAUT, 2006 :30).

Unquestionably aircrafts are a major advantage in

forest fire suppression activities: in addition to theirfast intervention and high dropping capacities, they jointly ensure surveillance missions (armed aeriallookout), fires attacks, fighting support, and logistictransport.

Diversity of aircraft models is important, but it ispossible to classify them according to their technicalspecifications and in particular their water capacities.

The following categories are distinguished:- aerial means for initial attack (light planes and

helicopters) ;- aerial means for wide attacks (average planes

and helicopters) ;

-aerial means for large fires (heavy planes andhelicopters).

This general classification should not be consideredin a rigid and absolute manner as intervention meansdepend on fire position and resource proximity.

Thus, average and heavy aircraft can intervene onstarting fires.

3.1.2.1 Origin and deployment of aerial means on theterritory

Each country organizes its aerial device accordingto precise procedures of means deployment.

The qualified ministerial Directions establish theseprocedures in legal and operational documents.

For example, one will quote the Forest FireNational Operations Order57 (Cf. DDSC/ORDRE,2005) or a publication of the Italian Department of CivilProtection Operational Procedures for co-operation ofthe State aerial fleet in the event of forest fires58 (Cf.DPC, 2006),

57 Ordre dOprations National Feux de Fort 58 Procedure operative per il concorso della flotta aereadello Stato nel caso di incendi boschiv

INFRANCE

French Aircraft fleets are gathered in operationalservices of the Sub-directorate of the DDSC, inGrouping of Aerial Means (GMA59).

They are responsible for operational conditions ofboth: crews and aircrafts and of carrying out aerial

missions for the public service. The helicopters and maintenance and support

means are reassembled in Helicopters Grouping(GH60), entity forming integral part with GMA, ofcentral administration of Ministry of Interior. Operationalmeans are at disposal of department Prefects foremployment (HAUT, 2006 :14).

The plane fleet is based in Marignane in the PlanesBasis of Civil Safety (BASC61).

Although, during fire periods, detachments are sentto the Southern defence zone (Cannes, Carcassonneand Corsica). BASC means are also owned bycentral administration of Ministry of Interior. They are

implemented on decision of State representative (HAUT, 2006 :18).

A water bomber plane fleet is present in the mostsensitive Mediterranean regions (Cf. Map 3.1).

This localization may be changed when forest firerisks increase in another region.

INITALY

The department of Civil Protection co-ordinates theresources on their national territory, through theUnified Aerial Operational Center (COAU62).

Forest fire suppression activities are operated withinan aerial fleet of the State in co-ordination with theRegions (DPC, 2006 :6).

The fleet belongs to the State and to the Regions.Aerial means of the State are placed at the disposal

of the State Forest Corps, the National Corps of FiresMonitoring, the Navy and the Air Force (Cf. Map 3.2).

INSPAIN

The Ministry of Environment possesses 64 aircrafts,distributed in 34 bases in the 27 Provinces of thecountry.

It offers a support to the autonomous Communities

for forest fire suppression.The Ministry of Environment manages the means,with the Aerial Service of Civil Guard for BK-117helicopters, under the terms of a convention signedbetween the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry ofInterior.

The device plans a different distribution of aerialmeans on the national territory during summer andduring the winter (Cf. Maps 3.3 and 3.4).

59 Groupement des Moyens Ariens60 Groupement Hlicoptres61 Base Avions de la Scurit Civile62 Centro Operativo Aereo Unificato


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INGREECE

In Greece co-ordination of the aerial means is doneby the Greek Fire Corps and more specifically by itsFire Services Co-ordination Center (FSCC) that issituated in Athens. The FSCC controls both thenational firefighting air fleet and the fleet of contracted

helicopters.The national fleet consists of

- Fourteen (14) Canadair CL-215 water bombers thathave been built between 1974 and 1989.

- Ten (10) Canadair CL-415 water bombers that havebeen acquired in the 1999-2004 period.

- Eighteen (18) PZL M-18 Dromader aircraft acquiredin 1984 and used mainly for initial attack.

- Three (3) Grumman agricultural aircraft with 700litters load, used for patrol and initial attack

- Three BK 117 helicopters used for co-ordination infirefighting and other incidents

-

One (1) Super Puma helicopterThe airplane fleet above are operated by the Greek

Air Force on behalf of the Greek Fire Corps while thefour new helicopters (less than 4 years old) areoperated directly by the Greek Fire Corps.

The fleet of contracted helicopters varies slightlyfrom year to year. For example, in 2005, this fleetconsisted of:- Four (4) MIL MI-26 heavy helicopters using Bambi

buckets- Three (3) Sikorsky S-64 helicopters modified and

operated as Erickson AirCrane firefighting

helicopters with water refilling capacity throughpumping from fresh water boies or scooping fromthe sea.

- Two (2) MIL MI-8-MTV helicopters- Three KAMOV KA-32 helicopters

All aerial means, during the fire season (May-October) are distributed at bases around the country inan effort to provide effective initial attack.

The main base for the fleet of Canadair water-bombers is at the military airport of Elefsis a few kmwest of Athens where their normal maintenance is alsocarried out.

The corresponding base for the fleet of PZLs is atthe military airport at Tatoi, a few km north of Athens.

In general there is a plan that specifies the locationswhere the aerial means will be situated during the fireseason.

A number of bases are located necessarily on theislands of the Aegean and Ionian sea such as Corfu,Rhodes, Crete, Lesvos, and Samos, because this is theonly way to offer initial attack support there.

However, relocations of specific aerial means arequite often ordered by the FSCC, for one or more days,in response to next-day predictions for elevated firedanger in a specific area (mainly for the islands).

It should be noted that although care is taken toavoid leaving any fire-prone regions of the countrywithout aerial support at any time, the management ofthe aerial fleet by the Greek Fire Corps, a semi-militaryorganisation with a top-down hierarchy and structure,ensures maximum flexibility at relocation of the meansboth at the prevention phase and for fire fightingpurposes, without serious regional pressure.

NB. Information was not communicated to us by theservices of Portuguese Civil Protection.


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Map 3-2 - Deployment of aerial means in Italy(I.GIRAUD, 2006 - From DDSC, Ministry of Interior, 2006)


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3

3

Map3-4

-Distributionofaerialmeansbyt

heMinistryofEnvironment-winte

r2005Campaign

(Fro

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MA,2005)

NB:nomenclatureofmeansclassificationisinconsultationinAppendix


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3.1.2.2 Plane fleet: a key device for fire fighting

LIGHT PLANES FOR INITIAL ATTACK

Light planes were initially designed for agriculture.They were afterwards adapted for forest firesuppression. They have a watercapacity ranging from

1800 to 2500 L. Their main advantages are:- possibility of operations on small take-off runways;- reduced operation and maintenance costs.

Their major limits are :- low speed and autonomy ;- very sensitive to meteorological conditions (winds

and turbulences in particular) due to its reducedweight (COLLECTIVE, 2000).

Spain, Greece and Portugal are using this type ofmeans. Spain and Greece have PZL M-18 Dromaderand Grumman 164 bombers planes. France hasthree Beechcraftplanes for liaisons missions. Photos

3.20, 3.21, 3.22PLANES ADAPTED FOR WIDE ATTACK

These planes have a water capacity of 4000 L forbetter autonomy.

All of the studied countries are equipped with theseplanes.

The Canadair Amphibious bombers planes arethe most used in the Mediterranean region.

The first models Canadair CL-215are still in activityin Spain and Greece.

The Canadairs CL-215 were bought by Spain in1971 and transformed into CL-215 T in 1989.

The CL-215 is equipped with water tanks having a5300 L capacity. (COLLECTIVE, 2000).

The first Bombers CL-415 (Cf. Table 3.2) werepurchased in France in 1995; in 2006 the French fleethas 11 Canadair CL-415. Photo 3.23.

Both the French fleet and Spanish fleet possess terrestrial water bombers which are loaded on theground.

The Tracker bought in the Eighties by France cancarry more than three tons of water or chemicaladditives (Cf. Table 3.4).

Plane of old design, initially intended for armies,

the Tracker was to be withdrawn from the service in2008. A technical revision programme of great size washowever launched to maintain them in activity until2020. At the end of 2006 fire season, Trackers will bewithdrawn from the service, which will bring back thenumber of apparatuses to 9 units (HAUT, 2006 :14).

Since 1996 Spain usesAir Tractor AT-802planes.They are American planes using new technology.Spain chose these planes because their technical

characteristics are adapted for fire suppression :- high technical reliability and high cruising speed ;- load capacity of more than 3000 L ;-

dropping system conceived to be used in anycircumstances ;- possible to operate on the same airport

infrastructures as the light planes.

This plane, initially designed for fire suppression, isthe most suitable tool for extended attacks in territorialzones where the budget allows it.

It could even gradually replace light planes. Photo3.25.

HEAVY PLANES SENT ON LARGE FIRES

Heavy planes have capacities between 10.000and 12.000 L.

Spain, France and Greece prefer this type ofmeans.

The fact they have to operate from a large airport isa considerable constraint.

The dimension of these apparatuses limits theirmanoeuvrability.

However, their exceptional capacities make theseplanes a privileged tool for large fire suppressionespecially over relatively flat terrain.

These planes carry out water bombing missionsduring the fire season and liaison missions during the

winter season.Spain and Greece are equipped with the military

transport aircraft Lockheed C-130 Hercules thatpossesses a chemical additives capacity of 12.000 L.

In Greece the C-130 belongs to the Air-Force and isbasically a transport plane, Three MAFFS (ModularAirborne Fire Fighting System)were acquired in themid-1980s and were fitted in the C-130 planes uponrequest of the firefighting co-ordination center(preparedness time 1-4 hours).

They operated mainly from the military airport ofElefsis where a retardant base was built.

The result was decreased efficiency at largedistances from Athens. After 2005 the use of thissystems has been practically discontinued. Spain hasDouglas Aircraft DC-6 and DC-7planes.

Currently France is equipped with two Dash planes(Cf. Table 3.5) acquired in 2005 by the Ministry ofInterior. Photos 3.26, 3.27 and 3.28.

3.1.2.3 Helicopter use in fire fighting

Dedicated to people assistance operations,helicopters can also ensure forest fire fighting missions.

LIGHT HELICOPTERS FOR INITIAL ATTACK

Light helicopters can transport 5 to 8 people withtheir suppression equipment.

These helicopters can be equipped with an externalload hung device under the apparatus; its averagewater capacity is 500 L.

These apparatuses are very polyvalent and can beused for all types of fires.

However, as they have limited capacities they areonly used for initial attack.

Spain uses light helicopters for initial attack.The country possesses Alouette and BK-117

helicopters (old EC-145).Photos 3.29 and 3.30.


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France and Greece have apparatuses forreconnaissance missions, liaisons and command.Homogeneous and modern, the French fleet has 40apparatuses including 30 EC-145 (Cf. Table 3.6), 6Alouette III(Cf. Table 3.7) and 3 Ecureuil (Cf. Table3.8). Photos 3.32 and 3.33.

Italy uses light helicopters NH-500D. Their water

load capacity is 530 L, with a crew of 5 people. Photo3.34.

AVERAGE HELICOPTERS FOR WIDE ATTACK

The average helicopters used for extended attackshave watercapacities between 1000 and 1500 L andcan carry 8 to 10 people.

The water bomber helicopters, one-turbine ortwin-turbine engines, are intended for personneltransport.

They are equipped with external load hung devicesunder the apparatus, generally twin-turbine engines

for better safety.The Spanish fleet is composed of two models

frequently used:- one-turbine American Bell 205helicopter,

equipped with an external or ventral load device;- Polish helicopter PZL-W3A Sokol, equipped with

an external load device. Photos 3.35 and 3.36.

Italy possesses average AB 412helicopters (Cf.Table 3.9) equipped with external water systems.

This helicopter has characteristics identical to theBells used in Spain. Photo 3.37.

HEAVY HELICOPTERS SENT ON LARGE FIRES

The heavy water bomber helicopters have watercapacities above 4000 L. They provide an importanttransportation capacity for personnel, and externalwater devices.

All countries are equipped with theseshelicopters but the Spanish fleet is the mostdiversified.

Since 1999, Greece and Italy use the AirCranehelicopter.

Since 2004, the French Civil Safety rents anAirCrane from the company HELIPACA during the

summer season.The apparatus is based in Bastia in Corsica. With a capacity of 9000 L, its contribution is particularlyinteresting in the difficult relief zones, because of itshigh operation capacity. Its speed is relatively slowwhich explains why it is mainly used regionalframeworks of action, but this is compensated by a highdropping rhythm (DDSC, 2006 :9).

After the accident of a Canadair plane on August 1,2005 and the suspension of all Canadairs fromoperations, the AirCrane was repatriated to thecontinent; for a few days the AirCrane remained theonly heavy aerial means for fire suppression. Photos

3.38 and 3.39.

Spain and Greece respectively use Mil Mi-8MTVand Mil Mi-16 helicopters, with average transportcapacities of 24 people and their equipment; its watercapacity is established at a level of 15.000 L with theadditional possibility to use an external water device of3000 L as in the Spanish fleet. Photo 3.40.

The Spanish fleet is composed by Puma and

Superpuma, and Kamov Ka-32helicopters.Used for their capacities of 5 000 L and their

manoeuvrability they are very appropriate for firesuppression (COLLECTIVE, 2000).

Greece has Kamov Ka-32 Thelicopters with watercapacities of 5.000L, using a bambi bucket.

The French fighting device has two tactical Pumahelicopters. Photos 3.41, 3.42 and 3.43.

Italy uses tactical transport helicopters CH-47,equipped with external water systems of 5000 L.

They have a 2h50 flying autonomy. Photo 3.44.

SPECIFIC HELICOPTER USE IN SPAIN

The Directorate-General of Biodiversity (DGB)has set up "Helitransported" Brigades (BRIF63)composed of firemen specialized in forest fires.

Even though these brigades intervene on small firesaround their bases, their presence is strongly requiredon large fires.

The BRIF intervenes all over the national territory.They are organised on a hierarchical basis

according to their size :- BRIF-A is composed of three teams of sixteen

firemen and one forest technician. It operatesbetween the 1st of July and the 30th of September.

The brigade is transported by helicopters of averageand great capacity, Sokol PZL or Superpuma, withexternal water devices having 1500 to 2500 Lcapacities;

- BRIF-B is composed of three teams of nine firemenand one forest technician. Their training, capacityand working conditions are identical to those ofBRIF-A; but they have a different size. They have attheir disposal average helicopters of type Sokol PZLand Bell-212 with an external water device of 1500L. They are operational from the 1st of July to the30th of September.

The autonomous Communities have their own"Helitransported" Brigades (ex. BRICA in Andalusia,EGRAF in Catalonia, etc).

These brigades use helicopters of small or averagecapacities equipped with external or ventral reserve.

Their operation vary according to the Community'sconcerns. Photos 3.45, 3.46 and 3.47.

Since 1992 the DGB uses Aircraft of Co-ordination and Observation (ACO) for aerial firemonitoring missions.

The first planes OPTICAL OA7have been replacedby Cessna 337 Skymaster Push Pull.

These planes are equipped with devices that takeand send images.

63 Brigadas Helitransportadas


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Photos 3-26, 3-27 and 3-28 - Lockheed C-130 Hercules, Douglas Aircraft DC-7 and Dash 8 Q 400 MR(From DGB, Ministry of Environment, Spain & DDSC, Ministry of Interior, France)

Identifier DASH 8 Q 400 MR

Technical characteristics Terrestrial bomber

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