COST Action CA22164 - European Network on Extreme Fire Behavior (NERO)

While rare and large wildfires have occurred in the past, recent catastrophic events point to the emergence of novel fire regimes characterized by extreme wildfires. Researchers argue that these regimes are the new normal since they are associated with increasing size, intensity, and severity. Extreme fire behavior (very rapid fire spread, massive spotting, crowning, deep flaming, pyroconvection) characterizes this new wildfire context. Although there have been significant advances over recent decades in understanding extreme fire behavior, the deep knowledge gained falls short in predicting the intensity and size of recent extreme events. There is still much work needed to advance our capability to identify those situations where extreme fire behavior may occur. This is a challenging endeavor that calls for re-evaluating current knowledge and introducing new paradigms.

NERO addresses this challenge by bringing together wildfire researchers and practitioners to advance the current state of the science, thus making a crucial step in improving fire management, firefighter training and safety, and public safety planning. NERO will establish and promote a new European culture that supports the effective transnational exchange of expert knowledge, including data and tools. More importantly, NERO will contribute to narrowing the gap between science and practice, thereby promoting efficient science-based wildfire management. To this end, it exploits COST networking tools to train a new generation of highly qualified researchers and practitioners, specialised in addressing the challenges of the dawning era of extreme wildfires.