Luciano Lourenço

Mapping wildfire vulnerability in Mediterranean Europe: testing a stepwise approach for operational purposes

Vulnerability assessment is a vital component of wildfire management. This research focused on the development of a framework to measure and map vulnerability levels in several areas within Mediterranean Europe, where wildfires are a major concern. The framework followed a stepwise approach to evaluate its main components, expressed by exposure, sensitivity and coping capacity. Data on population density, fuel types, protected areas location, roads infrastructure and surveillance activities, among others, were integrated to create composite indices, representing each component and articulated in multiple dimensions. Maps were created for several test areas, in northwest Portugal, southwest Sardinia in Italy and northeast Corsica in France, with the contribution of local participants from civil protection institutions and forest services. Results showed the influence of fuel sensitivity levels, population distribution and protected areas coverage for the overall vulnerability classes. Reasonable levels of accuracy were found on the maps provided through the validation procedure, with an overall match above 72% for the several sites. The systematic and flexible approach applied allowed for adjustments to local circumstances with regards to data availability and fire management procedures, without compromising its consistency and with substantial operational capabilities. The results obtained and the positive feedback of end-users encourage its further application, as a means to improve wildfire management strategies at multiple levels with the latest scientific outputs.

Condições meteorológicas e ocorrência de incêndios florestais em Portugal Continental (1971-2010)

Em Portugal Continental, as ondas de calor e as ondas de frio sao fenomenos sazonais, esporadicos, mas recorrentes, e representam os riscos naturais mais mortiferos das ultimas decadas. Neste contexto, segundo metodologias distintas, este estudo pretende avaliar a perigosidade, vulnerabilidade e risco de ondas de calor e de frio no municipio de Torres Novas, vistos tanto a escala regional, como a escala local. Os resultados dos diferentes modelos evidenciam uma forte influencia dos condicionalismos geograficos e, particularmente, da diferenciacao topografica, nos contrastes termicos espaciais, bem como a importância das condicoes socioeconomicas no acrescimo da vulnerabilidade e do risco.

Risco de incêndio florestal em áreas de interface urbano-rural: o exemplo do Ave

Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) show different characteristics in Portugal, making it difficult to define and identify, as well as accurate strategies of prevention, protection and forest fire fighting.Considering Ave region as case study, between the years of 2001 and 2007, we have proceeded to the analysis and identification of territories corresponding to the WUI areas, using INE (National Statistic Institute) typology.

Principais causas dos incêndios florestais em Portugal: variação espacial no período 2001/12

The knowledge of the causes of forest fires, and the respective factors of ignition, is essential for the effective implementation of measures to prevent its occurrence. With this work we aim to analyze the spatial distribution, at the scale of the municipality, and the main causes that are source of ignitions, between 2001 and 2012, and to detect interrelations between the physical andhuman characteristics of municipal territories and the incidence of certain type of ignition.

FERNANDO REBElO, piONEiRO E gRANDE impUlsiONADOR DO EsTUDO DOs RiscOs Em pORTUgAl*

O dia 16 de setembro de 2013 foi de festa e de natural regozijo para o Professor Doutor Fernando Manuel da Silva Rebelo, por ter completado a bonita idade de 70 anos e, por conseguinte, ter atingido a sua jubilação na Universidade de Coimbra, onde leccionou na Faculdade de Letras e exerceu as funções mais diversas, durante quarenta e três anos de intensa atividade, que culminaram nas de Reitor da Universidade de Coimbra.

Large forest fires in Portugal: from recent history to the present

Over the last years, Portugal has not been able to stop the forest fires, both in respect to the number of occurrences and in the size of burnt areas, especially during the summer season, when the high temperatures and the drying fuel generates an environment favorable to the spread of fires, whose ignition has its origin in human acts, negligent and intentional, in more than 90% of the cases.In order to better understand the origin of the forest fires, this study aims to analyze the causes responsible for its ignition in Portugal and monitor how they have progressed, both over the time and in terms of spatial distribution,between the period of 1996 and 2010.

Spatial dimension of the risk(s) in Portugal mainland and the Porto metropolitan area: 9th grade students´ perception

This study sets out to assess the perception of 9th grade students about some fundamental concepts related to the science of risk and to ascertain their ability to identify and classify the natural and mixed risks most likely to occur, both at a national level and in Porto Metropolitan Area (PMA). A survey was carried out by means of a questionnaire and the results show that the students rated the risk of the occurrence of forest fire highest, not only nationally but also in all municipalities of the PMA, with a classification of fire occurrence ranging between high (nationally) and moderate (PMA municipalities). Some differences in the ranking defined for the different typologies of risk for the municipalities are noted. The study also suggests that most of the students have difficulty in identifying the origin, consequences and mitigation measures of the risks they identified as being the most likely to be found in the respective municipality of residence.This study sets out to assess the perception of 9th grade students about some fundamental concepts related to the science of risk and to ascertain their ability to identify and classify the natural and mixed risks most likely to occur, both at a national level and in Porto Metropolitan Area (PMA). A survey was carried out by means of a questionnaire and the results show that the students rated the risk of the occurrence of forest fire highest, not only nationally but also in all municipalities of the PMA, with a classification of fire occurrence ranging between high (nationally) and moderate (PMA municipalities). Some differences in the ranking defined for the different typologies of risk for the municipalities are noted. The study also suggests that most of the students have difficulty in identifying the origin, consequences and mitigation measures of the risks they identified as being the most likely to be found in the respective municipality of residence.

Natural Hazards in Sao Vicente (Cabo Verde)

Abstract São Vicente island (República de Cabo Verde) lies within the Sahelian zone and faces a number of natural hazards, of which the most significant ones are erosion and gully formation, desertification and flash flooding hazards. Based on examples, we set out to examine the main factors involved in the development of these natural hazards from a regional point of view, while simultaneously assessing the importance of anthropic action as a structural factor. The investigation of Lazareto’s gullies (located to the west of Mindelo) aimed to determine the main factors of the gullies formation. It also sought to demonstrate that the gullies’ formation is a reliable indicator of the high rates of erosion on a regional scale. The approach to the desertification hazards was based on farmers’ perception related to the evolution of agricultural production, strategies to mitigate drought and desertification issues, consequences and future prospects based on a set of interviews conducted in Ribeira da Vinha. Finally, the intense rainfall event that occurred on August 26, 2008 was analysed to identify the main vulnerability factors of the city in light of the flash flood hazard.

Alcafache: 30 anos depois

Res_por:Ao relembrar Alcafache, 30 anos depois do fatidico acidente ferroviario que, no final de tarde do dia 11 de setembro de 1985, ceifou a vida a um numero indeterminado de pessoas, mas seguramente superior a uma centena, fazemo-lo com a firme conviccao de que, em materia de acidentes ferroviarios, podermos aprender com o passado. Assim, esta obra tem por objetivos: i. Dar voz aos protagonistas que, a epoca, participaram tanto no socorro como na difusao da informacao sobre o acidente de Alcafache; ii. Proceder a analise de outros acidentes ferroviarios, que servem de enquadramento ao tema; iii. Tratar de acidentes especificos mais recentemente ocorridos em Portugal, Espanha e Franca; iv. Relatar a importância da dimensao do fator humano na seguranca ferroviaria; v. Apresentar o atual contexto de organizacao do socorro as vitimas. A multidisciplinaridade dos temas abordados neste volume permite uma boa reflexao e, ao mesmo tempo, um melhor conhecimento sobre a problematica dos acidentes ferroviarios, ja que ela nao se circunscreve a catastrofe de Alcafache, dando assim uma visao mais global da importante tematica que se apresenta nesta obra, cuja leitura a todos nos enriquecera.

Linha do Tua: o acidente e o socorro

No dia 12 de fevereiro de 2007, registou-se um dos mais tragicos acidentes na Linha do Tua, verificando-se a queda da composicao “Bruxelas” para o rio Tua, arrastando cinco pessoas. A leitura e analise de noticias, entrevistas e reportagens, possibilitou o conhecimento da sequencia diaria dos acontecimentos relacionados com o socorro, bem como dos meios envolvidos e, tambem, da situacao de cada uma das vitimas.