FIRESAFENET

2025, 2026, 2027, Financing, Project, Resilience, management, and disaster risk reduction

July 21, 2025

Principal/Financier: European Commission – Interreg VI-A Italy-Slovenia Program.
Period: June 1, 2025-May 31, 2027.
Total budget: 1,061,605.88 EUR
ERDF Budget: 849,284.70 EUR
Partners: Public Fire and Rescue Institute-Fire Brigade Nova Gorica (SI), Municipality of Ajdovščina (SI), Association of Fire Brigades of Slovenia (SI), Municipality of Monfalcone (IT), University of Trieste (IT), Institute of International Sociology in Gorizia (IT).
Associated partners: Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Protection and Relief (SI), Ajdovščina Fire and Rescue Center (SI), Civil Defense of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region (IT), Veneto Region – Forestry, Silviculture and Hydraulic Forestry System Directorate (IT), Veneto Region – Civil Protection, Security and Local Police Directorate (IT), Environmental Surveillance Forestry Corps – Autonomous Region Of Sardinia (IT), National Research Council – Institute for Bioeconomy (IT).
Description: The FIRESAFENET project aims to strengthen the capacity to adapt to climate change and prevent environmental risks through the creation of an integrated cross-border system for the prevention, early detection, and effective management of wildfires. The initiative stems from the need to address severe vulnerabilities in the border area between Italy and Slovenia, which was hit in 2022 by devastating fires that destroyed more than 3,500 hectares of forest on the Karst plateau.

FIRESAFENET promotes a joint and innovative approach to risk management, based on advanced digital solutions, joint training, shared action plans, and a network of sustainable cooperation between emergency services and local communities. Special attention is paid to overcoming legal and administrative barriers that limit rapid and coordinated response across borders.

The project also aims to increase public awareness of the effects of climate and anthropogenic changes on ecosystems, especially in protected natural areas, thereby strengthening the resilience of the entire transboundary area.

FIRESAFENET builds on solid foundations, enhancing experiences and good practices gained in previous Horizon, Interreg and other international projects to build an effective and lasting system of cross-border cooperation.

Strategic Goal: PO2 – A resilient, greener, low-carbon Europe but in transition to a zero net carbon economy through the promotion of a transition to clean and equitable energy, green and blue investments, the circular economy, climate change adaptation and mitigation, risk management and prevention as well as sustainable urban mobility
Specific Objective: SO 2.4: Promote climate change adaptation, disaster risk prevention, and resilience by considering ecosystem approaches
Objectives: the project aims to strengthen climate change adaptation capacity and risk prevention by creating a cross-border system for prevention, early detection and efficient fire management. By enhancing action plans, adopting innovative digital solutions, joint training and raising awareness among local communities, the project will help increase the cross-border region’s resilience to natural disasters.
Expected results:
- Development of an action plan for joint intervention in cross-border fires, which will include integrated risk management systems, guidelines for implementing prescribed fires, and the use of new digital tools. The plan will be implemented through a participatory process.
- Creation of a network of organizations responsible for responding to forest fires and other natural disasters in the cross-border area and the wider European area.
- Joint development of two innovative digital solutions to support fire management in the cross-border area: a risk analysis tool and a digital simulation model for fire spread control.
- Capacity building of rescue units and local communities through study visits, training programs, and the establishment of a virtual training center
- Organization of a joint cross-border exercise.

Web site: https://www.ita-slo.eu/it/firesafenet

In the FIRESAFENET project, ISIG is involved in stakeholder and local community involvement, analysis of existing legal and administrative frameworks, support for the development of joint protocols and shared action plans, and development of the virtual training center. It also contributes to the dissemination of results and the strengthening of cross-border cooperation.