The Work of the UNECE/FAO Team
of Specialists on Forest Fire

One of the main activities of the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) in the field of forest fires is (1) the periodic collection and publication of fire statistics of the member states, and (2) the work of the ECE/FAO Team of Specialists on Forest Fire.
The fire statistics are collected and evaluated by the UN-ECE Trade Division, Timber Section, Geneva. The statistics include all Western and Eastern European countries, countries of the former Soviet Union, the U.S.A. and Canada. The last data set covers the period 1999-2001. The statistics can be obtained via:

http://www.unece.org/trade/timber/ff-stats.html

As a result of limited secretariat resources, countries members of the Joint FAO/ECE/ILO Committee on Forest Technology, Management and Training, have taken the challenge to undertake more work themselves, by entrusting to Teams of Specialists several of its activities, especially those where specific expertise is required. The Team of Specialists on Forest Fire was created in the 1980s and reorganized in 1993.
The team's main task is to provide a critical link in communication and cooperation between fire scientists, managers and policy makers. The main activities embrace (1) the production of International Forest Fire News (IFFN) in support of the Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC); (2) organization of seminars; and (3) promotion of synergistic collaboration between governments, non-government institutions, and individuals, with emphasis on science and technology transfer, and support for developing fire management policies. The scope of the work of the Fire Team includes the countries belonging to the six Regional Wildland Fire Networks geographically located within the ECE region, as well as countries and Regional Wildland Fire Networks outside the ECE. See: UNISDR Global Wildland Fire Network.

International Forest Fire News
International Forest Fire News (IFFN) is published bi-annually since 1988. It initiated a steadily increasing communication process in international fire matters. Since then IFFN provides an international information platform on which advances in fire research, technology and policy development are reported and disseminated. Currently the printed version of IFFN is subscribed by more than 1000 agencies, research laboratories and individuals all over the world. Starting with its 19th issue (August 1998) the IFFN are available on the website of the Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC). The website includes all past issues since 1990 which are organized in 80 country folders and several other special files.

Seminars
Thematic seminars and conferences conducted by the FAO/ECE Team of Specialists on Forest Fire between 1981 and 2004:

Forest Fire Exercise
In conjunction with and as a follow-up of the Antalya conference the Team of Specialists organized a forest fire exercise together with the host country Bulgaria:

UNISDR Regional Wildland Fire Networks within the ECE Region
Since 2002 – and especially since its official endorsement by the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) – the Global Fire Monitoring Center is facilitating the establishment of Regional Wildland Fire Networks. Within the UNECE region four regional networks have been established:

Team Members

Team Meeting Reports

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