October 8, 2024

Optimizing the Portuguese wildfire fuel reduction program

The escalating wildfire problem in Portugal motivated policymakers to develop a wildfire management planthat calls for rural fuel reduction throughout the country. The plan specifies fuel treatments on 250,000–300,000 ha per year over 10 years. Spatial priorities for treatments were delegated to regional and municipalentities. We use a scenario optimization model to allocate and map fuel treatment projects using three hazardmetrics (ignition probability, building exposure to wildfire, and potential large fires). The results reveal sharpdecision trade-offs among the three priorities within many municipalities. Allocating a proportion of treatments to all municipalities rather than focusing on those with the highest hazard significantly reduces treatment efficiency. European countries that are grappling with climate-driven extreme wildfire events can utilizethis methodology to systematically optimize the implementation of new wildfire policies, rather than rely onlocal, ad hoc prioritization of fuel management investments to achieve fire policy goals.

Download
Ager, A., B. A. Aparício, and J. M. Pereira. 2025. Optimizing the Portuguese wildfire fuel reduction program. Cell Reports Sustainability 2. doi: 10.1016/j.crsus.2025.100361
https://www.fs.usda.gov/rm/pubs_journals/2025/rmrs_2025_ager_a001.pdf

More

Publications

Show more

Synergistic effects on fire hazard from combined linear fuel breaks and mosaic fuel treatments

Read more
Read more

Optimizing woody fuel treatments to reduce wildfire risk to sagebrush ecosystems in the Great Basin of the western US

Read more
Read more

Maximizing opportunities for co-implementing fuel break network and restoration projects

Read more
Read more