The Global Wildland Fire Network (GWFN)
© GFMC / UNISDR Wildland Fire Advisory Group. Photos / graphics: GFMC, NASA, UNECE, Brandenburg Forest Service
A UNISDR Global Thematic Platform to Address Vegetation Fires, Global Change and Disaster Risk Reduction
Team of Authors – GFMC and Coordinators of the Regional Wildland Fire Networks and Resource Centers
Johann G. Goldammer (Global Fire Monitoring Center – GFMC), Oyunsanaa Byambasuren (Regional Central Asia Fire Management Resource Center
– RCAFMRC), Nikola Nikolov (Regional South East Europe / Caucasus Fire Monitoring Center – RFMC), Sergiy V. Zibtsev (Regional Eastern European
Fire Monitoring Center – REEFMC), Sundar P. Sharma (Regional South Asia Wildland Fire Network), Lara Steil (Regional South America Wildland Fire
Network), Gavriil Xanthopoulos (Regional Mediterranean Wildland Fire Network), Lucy Amissah (Regional Subsahara Africa Wildland Fire Network,
West Africa Region), Bambang Hero Saharjo (Regional Southeast Asia Wildland Fire Network)
Increasing occurrence of
uncontrollable wildfires
as a consequence of climate change
and altered natural fire regimes ?
Introduction: Background and Rationale • During the 1980s and 1990s: Rapid increase of the use of fire in conversion of
tropical and subtropical forests and other native vegetation to other land use,
fire-induced loss of biodiversity, destruction of natural ecosystems, vegetation
fire emissions affecting the global climate alerted the international science
community.
• Early 21st Century: Precursor signals of climate change are associated with
more frequent extreme droughts, which would create conditions favorable for
increasing occurrence of large wildfires with severe consequences on the
environment and human security.
• These projections have become reality, with an increasing occurrence of more
destructive large fire episodes throughout the world. Globally between 300 and
600 million hectares of vegetation, including forests, peatlands, savannas and
agricultural systems, are annually affected by wildfires and land-use fires. Up to
one to three hundred thousand people per year are suffering premature death
due to air pollution generated by vegetation fires.
• Many countries in the world – particularly in the tropics and subtropics but also
in parts of the temperate and boreal zone – are not capable to manage (prevent,
control and use) fire and cope with wildfire emergencies, particularly during
extreme weather and climate variability such as the El Niño
The Global Wildland Fire Network In 2001 the UNISDR Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) followed the suggestion of the
World Conservation Union (IUCN) and the Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC) to
address the theme of "Wildland Fire" by one of the four IATF Working Groups. In
order to secure the participation and inputs of the international community concerned
with wildland fires, the GFMC initiated the formation of the Global Wildland Fire
Network (GWFN), which by globally concerted action aims to
- Reduce the negative impacts of vegetation fires (“wildland fires”) on the
environment and humanity; and
- Advance the knowledge and application of the ecologically and
environmentally benign role of natural fire in fire-dependent
ecosystems, and sustainable application of fire in land-use systems.
As the follow-up of the Working Group 4 on Wildland Fire – the Wildland Fire
Advisory Group (WFAG) was established and mandated to
- Serve as an advisory body to provide technical, scientific and policy-
supporting advice to the United Nations System
- Act as a liaison between the United Nations system, the Global Wildland
Fire Network and its supporting partners
The GFMC is serving as Convener and Secretariat.
Geography of the Global Wildland
Fire Network
Fourteen Active Regional Wildland Fire
Networks are serving the regions
This state-of-science report on the role
and impacts of vegetation fires on the
Earth System provides rationale for
globally concerted action – elaborated
by the Global Wildland Fire Network
and associated scientists
Website of the Global Wildland Fire Network: http://www.fire.uni-freiburg.de/GlobalNetworks/globalNet.html
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International Fire Management Policy
Dialogue on Cross-boundary Fire
Management The Role and Offers of the Network in Wildfire DRR and the
Contribution to Implementing the Science and Technology Aspects
of the Sendai Framework
In following-up the UNECE/FAO Regional Forum on Cross-boundary Fire
Management the Network in 2014 operationalized the International Wildfire
Preparedness Mechanism (IWPM), a non-financial, voluntary instrument serving as
a facilitator between national and international agencies, programmes and projects
to share expertise and build capacities in wildland fire management. The IWPM
intensifies the exchange of scientific and technical know-how within and between the
regions and is working increasingly through Regional Fire Management Resource
Centers. Emphasis is given to community-based fire management approaches.
http://www.fire.uni-freiburg.de/iwpm/index.htm