From 28 July to 4 August 2024, Eduard Kok of the Netherlands Fire Service joined the wildfire analysis group (NAD-AIR) of Portugal’s National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC), guided by Dr Akli Benali and the team of ANEPC wildfire analysts.
Learning by doing
Every day started with a strategic wildfire analysis for the following three days. After a few days of following the process, Eduard prepared a strategic analysis himself and presented it to the NAD-AIR team. He saw how systematically the analysts work, both strategically and in real time, using the Ciclope camera system on watchtowers, information from aircraft and ground units, and weather data.
He also learned to use GIS for fire mapping and building fire timelines. With ANEPC commanders he discussed resource management, prepositioning of units, and the EU’s Civil Protection Mechanism and rescEU. He joined daily briefings and a situation meeting with the Emergency Response Coordination Centre in Brussels.
Why it matters for north-west Europe
The mission has strengthened the relationship between the Netherlands Fire Service and ANEPC. As a north-west European country, the Netherlands needs to work closely with countries that have far more wildfire experience, to prepare for a future in which larger and more extreme wildfires are likely to become more frequent in the region.
About the grant
| Grantee | Eduard Kok |
| Home institution | Netherlands Institute for Public Safety (NIPV), Netherlands |
| Host | National Wildfire Decision Support Cell (NAD-AIR) of ANEPC, with the University of Lisbon, Portugal |
| Dates | 28 July – 4 August 2024 |
| Grant type | Short-Term Scientific Mission |
This grant was funded by COST Action CA22164 – European Network on Extreme Fire Behaviour (NERO), supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology).
