Fire susceptibility of species and forest formations and identification of environmental stabilization needs

Code: PAO15338O

3 ECTS

Duration: 3 weeks/78 hours

Scientific Area: Forest Sciences

Teaching languages: Portuguese

Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese

Regime de Frequência: Presencial

Sustainable Development Goals

4. Educação de qualidade - Assegurar a educação inclusiva, e equitativa e de qualidade, e promover oportunidades de aprendizagem ao longo da vida para todos.

Learning Goals

Identify plant species, formations, structures, as well as their spatial distribution in Portugal. Understand the characteristics of vegetation and plant-based fuels and their relevance to fire behaviour, and estimate fuel loads and continuity. Master the classification of fuel models, their importance in fire behavior, and their distribution in Portugal. Understand and identify the impacts of fire on soil, air, water, and land management. Understand fire ecology mechanisms, fire adaptation of plant species, and their importance in fire susceptibility. Know the characteristics that determine fire resistance and resilience of the main forest species. Be able to distinguish and anticipate short- and medium-term responses of different plant species. Know how to assess fire severity and distinguish it from intensity. Anticipate potential impacts and emergency environmental recovery needs related to vegetation/soil/water, based on expected fire behavior.

Fire ecology, plant species' fire adaptation mechanisms, and their implications for fire behavior and susceptibility.
Fuel complexes and models: structure, layers, flammability, combustibility, and their relevance to fire behavior.
Composition and mapping of fuel models and their impacts on fire behavior.
Mitigation strategies for fire behavior and impacts based on the species and plant complexes present in the territory.
Emergency environmental interventions and landscape management to reduce fire impacts and improve future resilience to fire.
Forest management as a tool to increase tree resistance and resilience to fire and associated biotic factors.
Impact of fire on the composition and structure of existing plant formations.
Impact of fire on the spread and management of pests and diseases.
Impact of fire on the spread and management of woody invasive species.

Teaching Methods

The teaching-learning methodology should adopt a problem-based approach, focusing on practical cases and/or critical situations to ensure learner engagement and closeness to real-life scenarios. It should foster connections between distinct topics and facilitate the evaluation of complex scenarios?essential skills for the integrated rural fire management system. Collaborative learning should be promoted, allowing participants to develop complementary teamwork skills as well as the ability to self-evaluate, evaluate others, and engage in peer assessment.
An autonomous study component should be included, culminating in an individual practical project. The topic of this final project will be chosen by the participant from the subjects covered during the course.

Assessment

Evaluation methods:
Execution of training exercises during classes integrated in a final practical project, that correspond to 100% of the classification.
Evaluation criteria:
1. Understand the main plant species and formations in the country and their relationship with fire (behaviour and recovery).
2. Estimate the structure, load, and continuity of fuels.
3. Determine fire severity based on propagation conditions and land use.
4. Assess fire severity either directly through vegetation observation or indirectly through propagation conditions and land use.
5. Estimate the severity and direct and indirect impacts of fire, as well as the needs for emergency and subsequent interventions for ecosystem recovery and environmental impact minimization, based on predefined objectives.