The Generalitat will lead a Valencian innovation cluster to reduce the risk of large forest fires

VALENCIA, Oct. 5 (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Generalitat will lead a Valencian innovation cluster to develop environmental methodologies that reduce the risk of large forest fires. This initiative is part of the DesirMED project, one of the largest initiatives related to adaptation to climate change in the Mediterranean, in which the Environment and Interior ministries will work together.

The project, which will start in January 2024, will be directed by the General Directorate of Forest Fire Prevention and the General Directorate of Quality and Environmental Education. In addition to the Generalitat, the public company Vaersa will participate in the project, as a management instrument in the territory, and Medi XXI, as an agent of innovation in the field of forest fires. The work team will have a total budget of 1.7 million euros and its execution period will be five years, details the regional administration in a statement.

DesirMED is part of the European funding program for research and innovation Horizon EU, in which the Generalitat participates along with 32 other partners from 10 countries.

The general director of Quality and Environmental Education, Jorge Blanco, has indicated that "DesirMED will develop two pilot projects aimed at adapting Valencian forests to the risks derived from climate change, especially to apply nature-based solutions in reducing risk of forest fires".

Jorge Blanco added that within the framework of the project "methodologies, techniques and technological innovation related to the comprehensive management of forest fires will be applied and, especially, focused on the implementation of green firebreaks supported by the application of water circularity through use of purified water".

For his part, the general director of Fire Prevention, Francisco José Aparisi, has assured that "from the Generalitat we want to continue modernizing everything related to fire prevention, incorporating the most cutting-edge technologies and practices, and therefore, the "Actions proposed in the project are aimed at the design of an integrated system for research and knowledge exchange in the prevention of forest fires."

"One of the priorities of the new Consell is the protection of our forest heritage, and through this program we have the opportunity to give an important boost in this area and position ourselves as a leading administration in the field of prevention for other European regions," Aparisi has highlighted.

Within the framework of this project, two pilot actions will be developed. The first is the so-called 'Mosaic Strategy', it is based on the unification of criteria, actions and application of solutions throughout the Valencian Community, through a single service for coordinating public information and application throughout the territory regarding fire prevention. forestry. The main objective of the "Mosaic Strategy" is to reduce the effects of forest fires on the ecosystem and society through the sustainable integrated management of forest soils.

The other initiative consists of the design of a defensible space in the urban forest interface, that is, the area in which the forest land comes into contact with built areas. To this end, the implementation of green firewalls is proposed through the application of the circular water economy, using purified water with prescribed irrigation guidelines so that the vegetation does not burn easily.