PEATFIRE

LL-00007

Improving cross border cooperation in the field of peat fire prevention and response

Common territorial challenge (s) that will be tackled by the project

Peat wild fires are characterized by long and difficult extinguishing operations, can burn over large, difficult to reach areas, are unpredictable, complicated to combat and joint response and cooperation in prevention is in high matter, due to the impacts peat fire causes. Peat firefighting requires a large number of firefighters, and they have a high probability of reigniting as peat often burns in deeper layers. It is dangerous for people without equipment and knowledge to fight such fires, and the smoke is also felt over wider surrounding areas. Peat smoke differs from normal wood smoke, peat consists of partially decomposed vegetation and contains varying amounts of carbon, sulphur and nitrogen compounds. When a fire occurs these compounds produce gases that may be very odorous.

Project objective

Project overall objective is to increase resilience to peat wild fires and reduce an environmental pollution. This will be achieved by improving awareness, cooperation and capacity of rescue services to respond to incidents of peat wild fires in Latgale and Siauliai regions. Rescue services will develop and establish good cooperation practice for combating and preventing peat fires, and educate the local communities on measures and needed action to increase the resilience to peat wild fires.

Planned activities

To improve knowledge, technical capacity and practical skills of rescue services: - Joint experience exchange visit to EU country related to peat wild fire topics; - Development of guidelines (electronical methodological material) about extinguishing peat wild fires; - Purchase of needed equipment for Latgale region and Siauliai region; - Training in Firefighters training school in Vilnius, Lithuania; - Training of staff for safe use of equipment; - Organization of joint peat fire fighting trainings; - Communication on project objectives. To improve awareness and resilience to peat wild fires in Latgale and Siauliai regions: - Development of promotional and awareness raising materials for social campaigns; - Social campaigns in Latgale region and Siauliai region.

Project results

Exchange of information and cooperation between rescue services has to be maintained, public awareness should be increased and social responsibility acknowledged, and the technical capacity of both partners has to be improved.

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