The fight against wildfires took an important step forward this week in Barcelona during the 2nd Monitoring Meeting of the European project SenForFire, a leading initiative seeking to transform fire prevention and management in the most vulnerable regions of southwestern Europe.
During two intensive days, researchers, public administrations, universities, and companies from Spain, Portugal, France, and Andorra shared the technological advances of the project, which integrate next-generation environmental sensors, electronic instrumentation, communication networks, cloud software, and pilot field trials.
One of the key themes of the meeting was scientific communication and collaboration with local and regional actors, which are essential for the technology to have a real impact. ‘Without a good communication and training strategy, technology does not transform realities,’ said Macarena Parejo, from the University of Extremadura, head of the project’s communication group.
In addition, SenForFire is characterised by the active participation of the end users, who collaborate directly in the design and validation of the technological tools. Among them are the City Council of Fundão, INFOEX, the Directorate General of Cultural Heritage of Castilla y León, the Las Médulas Foundation, the Diputación de Ávila and the Agency for Research and Innovation of the Principality of Andorra.
MEMS Sensors, Wireless Networks, and Fire Simulation
Among the results presented were prototypes of micro and nanosensors based on MEMS technology, capable of detecting gases, particles, and soil moisture, as well as identifying hot spots and measuring wind speed and direction. New prototypes of low-cost multisensor monitors were also showcased to record temperature, humidity, wind, and emissions (gases and particles) from vegetation combustion.
These devices are integrated into a wireless network and transmit their data to cloud-based software, which enables real-time visualization, fire spread simulation, and fire risk prediction. This system may also provide useful information to the public about air quality in their surroundings.
Pilot Trials in Different Settings
The project has carried out its first pilot trials at the INIA wind tunnel (Madrid), the ICIFOR-INIA-CSIC experimental facility, and during controlled burns in the provinces of León and Ávila. These tests were conducted in collaboration with the Forest Fire Reinforcement Brigades (BRIF) of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO).
The data collected is already helping advance the design of final devices, which are aimed not only at prevention and early warning but also at providing environmental information to the public.
International Cooperation Against Climate Change
SenForFire is coordinated by Esther Hontañón from the Institute of Physical and Information Technologies (ITEFI) of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), and includes partners such as the University of Évora, the French CNRS, and the University of Coimbra.
The project is part of the European Interreg Sudoe program, which promotes transnational cooperation to address common challenges in southwestern Europe, such as climate change and the sustainable management of natural environments.
