Programme

The Wildfire2024 Steering Committee was proud to present a jam-packed programme

The core programme featured keynote speakers, themed discussions and key topics. Day 1 explored the global perspective on wildfire and its mitigation, while Day 2 focused on addressing these challenges within the UK.

Sessions took place across two rooms, offering a diverse range of talks and interactive discussions while ensuring a condensed schedule. Delegates also had ample opportunities to visit exhibitors and view poster submissions.

We’re excited to continue the conversation beyond the conference! As promised, the presentation slides are now available for you to explore. Whether you missed a keynote or simply want to dive deeper into the content, you can access these slides below.

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Presentation Materials

Day One- The Global Perspective

Formal Opening
Jim Fairlie MSP, Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity

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Programme

Presentation Materials

Day One- The Global Perspective

Formal OpeningJim Fairlie MSP, Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity

Opening addressKatrina Candy, The Heather Trust

The new normal: Communities learning to live with fire Val Charlton, Landworks South Africa

UK wildfire forecasts and risk assessments within an international context and in a changing climateWill Lang, Met Office

Building wildfire resilient communities in Europe: Insights from the UK and IrelandChristine Eriksen, University of Bern

Creating resilience for buildings and people in the re-wilded coastal heathlands of Norway – copying and modernising the Vikings land management practisesTorgrim Log, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences

Not just water, but also fire! Wildfire management in The NetherlandsEdwin Kok, Netherlands Institute for Public Safety (NIPV)

The Portuguese wildfire challenge and the landscape fire governance frameworkTiago Olivera, President AGIF

Perceptions of wildfire science, policy, and management: A pilot studySarah Cowan, University of York

Creating an international evidence-based strategy for UK community wildfire resilienceVictoria Amato, SWCA Environmental ConsultantsLinda Kettley, Firewise UKFiona Newman-Thacker- PhD Candidate, Wageningen University & Research, NL

Shining a light on prescribed fire: claims versus evidenceAndreas Heinemeyer, University of York

State of wildfiresDouglas Kelley, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology

Peat fires: How we can respond to a growing threatAnton Beneslavskiy, Pyrocene Alliance

Limited spatial co-occurrence of wildfires and muirburn across Scottish moorlandsStuart Smith, The James Hutton Institute

Assessing wildfire vulnerability of touristic infrastructuresBruno Guillaume, Efectis France

The great fuel moisture survey: Developing fundamental wildfire science and sustainable community owned agency in traditionally non-fire prone societies Nicholas Kettridge, University of Birmingham

Adapting international ideas to help develop wildfire strategies in Scotland / UK​Michael Bruce​, Firebreak Services Ltd​

Day Two- The UK Story

Welcome to Aberdeen and AberdeenshireChris Foy, VisitAberdeenshire

Wildfire: Adapting and increasing resilience within the landscapeFrancesca Osowska, NatureScot

Wildfire impacts on upland vegetationRobin Pakeman, The James Hutton Institute

The drivers of urban wildfires in London in the summer of 2022Jamie John, Imperial College London

An integrated wildfire management plan for the cairngorms national parkColin McLean, Cairngorms National Park Authority

Raising awareness of the public health impacts of wildfires in the UK Iestyn Jones, UK Health Security Agency

Towards a UK fire danger rating system: Developing tools for a resilient future Gareth Clay, The University of Manchester

What is the IDEAL UK Fire for?Sarah Baker, University of Exeter

Fighting future fires: Integrating sensors, machine learning and satellite earth observation to combat wildfire riskTia Crouch, The National Trust

Landscape controls on fuel moisture variability in fire-prone heathland and peatland landscapes Kerryn Little, University of Birmingham

Developing local multi-agency arrangements to respond to the wider consequencesMartin Ogilvie, Dumfries and Galloway Council

Challenges to controlled burning by crofters in the Scottish HighlandsCathy Smith, Royal Holloway, University of London

Wildfire recovery through conservation grazing: Building resilience in an upland habitat James Fisher, The National Trust

Policy and technology for more resilient communities - opportunities and risksMark Jones, Aberdeen City Council

Scottish Woodlands

Heather Trust

IAWF

NatureScot

Cairngorms National Park Authority

Vallfirest

Scottish & Southern Electricity

Waterax

Forestry and Land Scotland

Angloco

Pau Costa Foundation

Brodies

Scottish Forestry

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Formal Opening
Jim Fairlie MSP, Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity

Opening address
Katrina Candy, The Heather Trust

The new normal: Communities learning to live with fire
Val Charlton, Landworks South Africa

UK wildfire forecasts and risk assessments within an international context and in a changing climate
Will Lang, Met Office

Building wildfire resilient communities in Europe: Insights from the UK and Ireland
Christine Eriksen, University of Bern

Creating resilience for buildings and people in the re-wilded coastal heathlands of Norway – copying and modernising the Vikings land management practises
Torgrim Log, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences

Not just water, but also fire! Wildfire management in The Netherlands
Edwin Kok, Netherlands Institute for Public Safety (NIPV)

The Portuguese wildfire challenge and the landscape fire governance framework
Tiago Olivera, President AGIF

Perceptions of wildfire science, policy, and management: A pilot study
Sarah Cowan, University of York

Creating an international evidence-based strategy for UK community wildfire resilience
Victoria Amato, SWCA Environmental Consultants
Linda Kettley, Firewise UK
Fiona Newman-Thacker- PhD Candidate, Wageningen University & Research, NL

Shining a light on prescribed fire: claims versus evidence
Andreas Heinemeyer, University of York

State of wildfires
Douglas Kelley, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology

Peat fires: How we can respond to a growing threat
Anton Beneslavskiy, Pyrocene Alliance

Limited spatial co-occurrence of wildfires and muirburn across Scottish moorlands
Stuart Smith, The James Hutton Institute

Assessing wildfire vulnerability of touristic infrastructures
Bruno Guillaume, Efectis France

The great fuel moisture survey: Developing fundamental wildfire science and sustainable community owned agency in traditionally non-fire prone societies
Nicholas Kettridge, University of Birmingham

Adapting international ideas to help develop wildfire strategies in Scotland / UK
Michael Bruce, Firebreak Services Ltd

Welcome to Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire
Chris Foy, VisitAberdeenshire

Wildfire: Adapting and increasing resilience within the landscape
Francesca Osowska, NatureScot

Wildfire impacts on upland vegetation
Robin Pakeman, The James Hutton Institute

The drivers of urban wildfires in London in the summer of 2022
Jamie John, Imperial College London

An integrated wildfire management plan for the cairngorms national park
Colin McLean, Cairngorms National Park Authority

Raising awareness of the public health impacts of wildfires in the UK
Iestyn Jones, UK Health Security Agency

Towards a UK fire danger rating system: Developing tools for a resilient future
Gareth Clay, The University of Manchester

What is the IDEAL UK Fire for?
Sarah Baker, University of Exeter

Fighting future fires: Integrating sensors, machine learning and satellite earth observation to combat wildfire risk
Tia Crouch, The National Trust

Landscape controls on fuel moisture variability in fire-prone heathland and peatland landscapes
Kerryn Little, University of Birmingham

Developing local multi-agency arrangements to respond to the wider consequences
Martin Ogilvie, Dumfries and Galloway Council

Challenges to controlled burning by crofters in the Scottish Highlands
Cathy Smith, Royal Holloway, University of London

Wildfire recovery through conservation grazing: Building resilience in an upland habitat
James Fisher, The National Trust

Policy and technology for more resilient communities - opportunities and risks
Mark Jones, Aberdeen City Council