“Proactive Human Response to Wildfire Outbreak:

Measure and Prepare for it”

PRoMPt

Province of Macerata

Kick-off meeting

19th - 20th December 2008, Patras

THE LOCATION OF THE PROVINCE OF MACERATA

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TERRITORY

The Province extends 2,774 Km² between the Adriatic sea in the east and the Province of Ancona in the north, Perugia in the west, Fermo and Ascoli Piceno in the south

The territory is divided from east to west in three parts: coast, hills and mountains

The mountainous area is predominant having a surface of about 1,773 km² a large part of which is occupied by the National Park of Monti Sibillini, as well as the natural reserve of Torricchio.

The hill area occupies almost all of the rest of the provincial territory, descending towards the coast.

The coast occupies a much smaller area but is more densely populated

DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION

301,523 inhabitants, 57 municipalities (two of these, Macerata and Civitanova, have over 20 thousand inhabitants.

7 Municipalities have a population of between 10 and 20.000 inhabitants; 7 between 5 and 10.000; 7 between 3 and 5.000. The other municipalities have a population of less than 3.000

PRINCIPLE ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES

The principal sectors are: agriculture, shoes, furniture, textiles, leather, paper, plastic and musical instruments. There are 36,478 companies operating in the Province, one company for every 8,2 inhabitants The activity rate is 50.01%, there is 5.23% unemployment and the average income is €19,115.80 per capita.

GENERAL ROLE AND COMPETENCIES OF THE ORGANISATION

The Province of Macerata is an Autonomous Local Authority and is the intermediary between the Municipalities and the Region.

National and regional laws assign specific tasks to the Province: the safeguarding of the territory, protection and valorisation of

the environment and the prevention of disasters, the coordination of local initiatives aimed at economic, territorial and environmental planning

With specific administrative acts the Marche Region has assigned to the Province some tasks regarding the activities of forecast and prevention of forest fires

ADRIATIC SEA Apennines

The areas most at risk from forest fire are concentrated on the mountainside of the principal and secondary Appennini chain, Sibillini mountains and on the Cingoli ridge.

Sibillini Mountains

Cingoli Ridge

CHARACTERISTICS OF FOREST AREAS AND FOREST FIRE RISK

CHARACTERISTICS OF FOREST AREAS AND FOREST FIRE RISK

Forest coverage

In these risk areas the forests are formed by different tree species (prevalent are Ostrya carpinifolia and Fraxinus ormus) and replanted conifer forest which are on the margins of populated areas and are crossed by territorial roads (in particular the roads SS 361, SS 77, SS 209) which link the valley with the mountain.

CHARACTERISTICS OF FOREST AREAS AND FOREST FIRE RISK

Presence of economic activities and urban settlements in interface areas

The Province of Macerata is tackling this problem in the civil protection programme of forecast and prevention by drawing up risk scenarios connected with forest fire.

Medium Risk

High Risk

Low Risk

200

mt.

ca

per

imet

er

PROBLEMS CONCERNING FOREST FIRES

Loss of human life Immediate and long term environmental effects to the entire eco-

system (loss of flora-fauna, loss of aesthetic value, recreation, tourism)

Predisposition for water geological disorder (soil erosion, instability of the mountainside etc.)

Economic damage estimated to € 5.500 for every hectare of forest burnt

CIVIL PROTECTION ORGANISATION IN THE PROVINCE OF MACERATA

Forest Fire Protection

Spotting of

OutburstsCivil

Protection Volunteers

Mobile Units Civil Protection

Volunteersand/or

Mountain Community Personnel

Provincial Emergency Operation Centre (E.O.C.)Coordination:Province of Macerata Management:Civil Protection Volunteers

CIVIL PROTECTION ORGANISATION IN THE PROVINCE OF MACERATA

SIGHTING POST: SPOTTINGFOREST FIRE

SIGHTING POST: SPOTTINGFOREST FIRE

OUTBURSTOUTBURST

E.O.C. of MacerataE.O.C. of Macerata

Fire Fire brigadebrigade

NFA(Forest)

MOBILE UNITMOBILE UNIT

EXTINGUISH YESEXTINGUISH YES

EVENT OVEREVENT OVER

MAYORMAYOR

Regional E.O.C.Regional E.O.C.

PROVINCIAL PRESIDENT

PROVINCIAL PRESIDENT

EVALUTE EVENT

EXTINGUISHNO

EXTINGUISHNO CONVENES

Provincial Committee of civil protection at E.O.C of Macerata

ALERT VIA RADIO

On stand by

ATTENTION PHASE – PRE-ALARM

Attention state

pre-alert state

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PHASE

E.O.CMACERATA:

PROVINCIAL COMMITTEE OF CIVIL PROTECTION:- President- Prefect- National Forest Authority- Fire brigade- Volunteers representatives-- Forest Fire ExpertHealth support function

E.O.CMACERATA:

PROVINCIAL COMMITTEE OF CIVIL PROTECTION:- President- Prefect- National Forest Authority- Fire brigade- Volunteers representatives-- Forest Fire ExpertHealth support function

MAYORMAYOR Regional E.O.C.

Regional E.O.C.

MAIN COORDINATION FORCE/AREA + NFA (Forest)

MAIN COORDINATION FORCE/AREA + NFA (Forest)

Activation of health support functions: 118IRC & National volunteer association

Activation of health support functions: 118IRC & National volunteer association

EXTINGUISH FIREEXTINGUISH FIRE

NFA(Forest)

NFA(Forest)Fire brigade

Fire brigade

VOLUNTEERS2°LEVEL

VOLUNTEERS2°LEVELHELICOPTER

MARCHEREGION

HELICOPTER MARCHEREGION

POST-EMERGENCY PHASE: CLEAN UP

E.O.C:MACERATA

E.O.C:MACERATA

MAYORMAYOR REGIONAL E.O.C.

REGIONAL E.O.C.

CENTRE OF CLEAN UP

CENTRE OF CLEAN UP

CLEAN UPFire site

CLEAN UPFire site

NFA(Forest)

NFA(Forest)

Volunteers1° Level

Volunteers1° Level

Coordination

Clean up operation END OF EVENT

SIPROCI – INTERREG IIIC

Province of Macerata – Lead partner of an INTERREG IIIC project: “Interregional Response to Natural and Man-Made Catastrophes” (SIPROCI)

Aim – to exchange and develop methods and practices among local and regional authorities to better respond to natural and man-made disasters.

Areas of cooperation:

Management and coordination

Risk mapping

ICT

Information and communication to the citizens

PROTECT – MEDprogramme

Province of Macerata – Lead Partner of a recently proposed project under the MED programme: “An Integrated European Model to Protect the MEDiterranean Forests from Fire” (PROTECT).

Aim - to develop a common integrated model for the prevention of forest fire

Areas of cooperation: The development of shared methods and techniques for risk mapping,

assessment and monitoring A sustainable economic model for forest maintenance with the

valorisation of biomass through e.g. renewable energy Information and training for a responsible environmental behaviour in risk

areas and/or in risk situations.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!