Floods and Fire risk assessment and management (LIFE FLIRE)

FLIRE is a demonstration project aiming to the development of an integrated Decision Support System (DSS) for both flash floods and forest fires risk assessment and management. Floods and forest fires can be among the most devastating natural disasters, causing severe socioeconomic impacts, including loss of life, the destruction of private and public property and the disruption of economic activities and cultural heritage. Efficient risk assessment and effective management of floods and forest fires are national priorities for most Mediterranean countries, where peri-urban areas are particular vulnerable to the combined effects of these natural hazards. Floods and forest fire risks have traditionally been assessed separately, with separate systems for collecting information and modelling risks.

The DSS tool will be designed by using state of art tools, technologies and methods and taking into account prevention, adaptation and interaction issues. The final model will be online available to key stakeholders and relevant authorities (local and national) for the combined, effective and efficient floods and fires risk management. The FLIRE’s area of implementation is the peri-urban environment of the Eastern Attica region, more specifically the Rafina river basin (Greece), a typical Mediterranean area extends over approx. 130 km2 with rapid and uncontrolled urbanization. This pilot area is quite prone both to flash floods and forest fires resulting in its gradual ecological degradation, with significant consequences for the almost 5 million inhabitants of Athens. Main objectives of the DSS development are: (i) minimize of the impact of floods and forest fires on human lives, ecosystems and properties; (ii) improve Floods’ prevention level; (iii) improve the Flash flood mitigation; (iv) improve the Forest fires’ prevention level and forests’ protection; (v) raise awareness on both hazards of flash floods & forest fires and their combined effects in both environmental and socio-economic aspects of Eastern Attica and Athens city.