Fire Management on Terrains contaminated by Unexploded Ordnance (UXO)

The work of REEFMC on Fire Management on terrain contaminated by radioactivity in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone is a cooperative effort with the Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC). In 2013, the GFMC published a White Paper directed to the United Nations and International Organizations entitled “Vegetation Fires and Global Change: Challenges for Concerted International Action”. This White Paper includes an analysis of dangerous wildfires affecting human security in the landscapes of Eurasia, including threats of fires burning on lands contaminated by radioactivity, UXO and land mines:

• White Paper directed to the United Nations and International Organizations „Vegetation Fires and Global Change – Challenges for Concerted International Action” (PDF, 3.7 MB)
• UN White Paper: Chapter 22 – Wildfires and Human Security in Cultural Landscapes in Transition – Examples from Temperate-Boreal Eurasia (by J.G. Goldammer) (PDF, 0.2 MB)

Related activities of GFMC on fire management on terrains contaminated by ammunition stemming from WWII and the Cold War in Germany can be monitored on web pages of GFMC, e.g.:

• GFMC / Fire Ecology Working Group: Service Portfolio for Germany (in German language)
• Development of systems allowing safe application of prescribed fire and wildfire suppression on terrains contaminated by UXO (in German language)
  

Wildfire Defense of Rural Communities adjacent to UXO-Contaminated Areas

In Ukraine, Germany and all over Europe, many wildfires affecting forest and protected areas are started by agricultural fires. Vice-versa, wildfires in vegetation around local communities threaten villages and farmsteads. Therefore, REEFMC and GFMC prioritize wildfire prevention and wildfire defense of rural communities. Relevant gudelines have been publish in Ukrainian language:

• Defense of Villages, Farms and Other Rural Assets against Wildfires: Guidelines for Rural Populations, Local Communities and Municipality Leaders in Eastern Europe (in Ukrainian)

A new tool for rural communities is the Welte TankBox, which was developed as a versatile system for forestry enterprises and rural municipalities. The system can be attached to forest machines as well as all agricultural tractors (Video). It has the options of high and low pressure extinguishing and therefore can be used not only for firefighting, but also watering of plants. The system has been inspired and co-developed by GFMC:

• Welte Tank Bag (in English)
• Welte Tank Bag (in German, more details)
  
• Video portal