North east conference on wildfires is attracting global interest

The conference will acknowledge the challenges and opportunities the climate emergency, land use change, emerging science and the behaviours, expectations and attitudes of the public bring to an already complex situation.

Organisers say the two-day event, to be held at P&J Live in November, is expected to draw in 300 delegates who will come from a diversity of backgrounds and interest groups.

It will appeal not just to firefighters, but also land managers, regulatory and enforcement agencies, academics, environmental groups, community leaders, planners and more.

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Day one will focus on the global perspective regarding wildfire and its mitigation, while day two will centre around tackling these issues in the UK.

Break-out sessions will be held over the course of the event allowing delegates to benefit from a wealth of interesting talks and interactive discussion.

Still to be announced is the Scottish Government minister who will officially open the conference which will explore the theme of “Resilience in a Changing World”.

Keynote addresses will be given by Marc Castellnou, Commander in the Catalan Fire Service; Prof Tiago Oliveira, Agency for Integrated Rural Fire Management; Val Charlton, Landworks South Africa; Francesca Osowska, NatureScot; and Jim Savege, Aberdeenshire Council.

Alongside the keynote speakers, the event will feature presentations from sector experts from Norway, Switzerland, The Netherlands and France as well as ‘home-grown’ specialists such as Sarah Baker of the University of Exeter, Douglas Kelley of the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Robin Pakeman of the James Hutton Institute.

Exhibitors, poster submissions, a dinner and pre-conference site visit will add to the event which is already attracting delegates from around the globe.

More information on the programme can be found online at: https://wildfire2024.co.uk/programme