Local adaptation of a Fire Risk Index to the Mediterranean context. Protection of the Mediterranean forests against fire

Wildfires represent a major danger in Mediterranean area, influencing patterns of vegetation and fauna, forest management activities, resource values, property and, even, human life. The Protect project, led by the Province of Macerata, had the aim of creating and sharing a common and integrated model for the prevention of forest fires in the Mediterranean. One of the most important project output was the realization of a software for the daily forecast of forest fire hazard, through a field and site-specific adaptation of the Canadian “Fire Weather Index” (FWI). During the fire season fire managers must make decisions each day on how many resources they will need and where those resources should be positioned. The local adaptation of FWI can provide a useful tool with detailed indications for fire prevention and fight