- Within the scope of the GIT EUROACE COM VIDA project, co-financed by the European Union through the Interreg Spain–Portugal (POCTEP) 21–27 programme.
Source: Cross-Border Initiatives Office of the Regional Government of Extremadura
The ‘Border Dialogues’ forum, promoted by the Cross-Border Initiatives Office,took place on Tuesday, 25 November, with a programme focused on the serious problem of forest fires affecting Spain and Portugal, especially in the inland border areas that make up the EUROACE euroregion (Alentejo, Central Region of Portugal and Extremadura).
This periodic event has established itself as a space for dissemination and dialogue to address issues inherent to the border between the two countries, promoting the participation of specialists, debate among participants, and the exchange of ideas and good practices from both sides of the Raia. After previous editions dedicated to the importance of Europe in border regions and the challenges of cross-border workers, this edition made it possible to analyse fire behaviour, current challenges, and possible prevention and response strategies.
POCTEP projects
The meeting also sought to encourage greater involvement of citizens and local groups in order to strengthen social awareness regarding prevention. The programme opened with lectures by Domingos Xavier Viegas, director of the Centre for the Study of Forest Fires, and Professor Juan Picos, coordinator of the POCTEP cross-border cooperation project FIREPOCTEP+.
Next, two round tables were held: the first focused on combating sixth-generation fires, addressing aspects such as early warnings, with a presentation by David Rivera, coordinator of the POCTEP project RAT EOS PC – Early warning networks for remote detection of risks derived from climate change, for Civil Protection response; operational management and training; and the second dedicated to the prevention of megafires through medium- and long-term landscape transformation.
The full programme can be consulted both in Spanish and in Portuguese on the EUROACE euroregion website (www.euro-ace.eu).
Border Dialogues is an activity framed within the project GIT EUROACE TERRITÓRIO COM VIDA, co-financed by the European Union through the Interreg Spain–Portugal (POCTEP) 2021–2027 cooperation programme, and with partners including the Regional Government of Extremadura and the Regional Coordination and Development Co