Interactive Sessions and Showcases of Leading International Practices The “Forest Fire Prevention Strategies Forum,” organized by the National Center for Vegetation Cover (NCVC), commenced today, Sunday, and will run for two days. The event is held in collaboration with King Khalid University and Monash University in Australia, featuring participation from a distinguished group of experts and specialists in fire management, prevention techniques, risk mitigation strategies, and the role of community participation in achieving these goals. The forum includes a series of interactive training workshops and showcases some of the leading international practices in this field.
During the first day, the interactive training workshops covered several sessions, including fire management programs, the nature and types of fires in the Kingdom, integrated fire management, associated risks and impacts, and the necessary preparedness and readiness measures. The sessions also focused on defining the roles and responsibili
ties of effective firefighting teams, with a presentation of a real-world example of a successful local team and the key issues and future priorities they address.
In the forum’s opening session, CEO of NCVC Dr. Khaled Al-Abdulkader emphasized that forest fires are a global concern, and the Kingdom is not exempt from this issue. He noted that forest fires are particularly concerning given the increased focus on vegetation cover and afforestation. Dr. Al-Abdulkader expressed his confidence in the outcomes of this forum, stating that its recommendations will represent a significant step toward reducing forest fires and improving prevention strategies.
Vice President for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research at King Khalid University Prof. Hamed Majdou Al-Qarni highlighted the attention given by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, to vegetation cover across all environments in the Kingdom, particularly in forest areas. This commitment has been evident since the launch
of the Saudi Green Initiative and the Middle East Green Initiative by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud which aim to protect terrestrial and marine areas, restore degraded sites, and reduce carbon emissions to mitigate climate change.
The second day’s sessions are scheduled to continue discussions on prominent international practices in fire management, risk mitigation, integrated management, and the outcomes of reviews and analyses, including fire risk assessments and spatial data systems. The sessions will also cover training, community involvement, and the role of volunteer organizations in forest fire prevention, along with key training and educational programs on fire awareness, its impacts, and institutional arrangements to activate the roles of effective local teams in the field.
It is noted that NCVC is working on designing and establishing a system for monitoring forest lands. The goal is to develop a comprehensive forest fire management and prevention syst
em, which includes preventive tools, early warning systems, and response mechanisms to prevent fires. These tools involve sensing technologies, technical and human fire monitoring, initial fire response methods, early warning systems, and identifying methods to contain and extinguish fires. NCVC’s efforts also extend to rehabilitating affected areas through field studies to assess the extent of damage, identify and evaluate the causes of fires and the most frequently affected areas, and create databases on affected species to inform necessary actions. Additionally, NCVC is intensifying efforts related to planting native trees and shrubs to compensate for the loss of vegetation cover.
Source: Saudi Press Agency