About ECFF

Welcome to the European Center for Forest Fires – ECFF) website.

During the 8th Ministerial Meeting of the Open Partial Agreement (OPA) of the Council of Europe (CoE) on Dealing with Major Disasters (EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement) member states, which took place on the the 21th of February 2000, in Athens following a relevant proposal from Greek side, it was decided the establishment of a European Center for dealing with forest fires in Athens with headquarters at the General Secretariat for Civil Protection.

On the 3rd of June 2000 in Paris, at the Meeting of the National Representatives of OPA member countries it was decided the inauguration of the European Center for Forest Fires (ECFF). The Center, after a probation period of two years, joined in 2004 the network of specialized Euro-Mediterranean Centers, which operate in the framework of the Agreement.

The focus of the Center is to conduct research on issues relevant to wildfires, such as fires in forest-urban mixed zone (suburban forests), use of chemical substances in forest firefighting, personal protective equipment and health protection measures against wildfires. Both the objectives and the activities of the Center are aligned with the objectives and priorities of the Council of Europe and the Open Partial Agreement, such as the protection of vulnerable groups of population against disasters related to wildfires.

Workshops

• "Lessons learned” from forest fires of summer 2003 in Europe. Workshop in english, held on the 14th of October 2003 in Athens. 
  More information in FFNet, Volume 2 
• “Short and long term health impacts of forest fire smoke on the fire fighters and the exposed population” teleconference in english which took place on the 31st of May 2005. 
  More information in FFNet, Volume 3
• “Air-quality monitoring in the field and personal protective equipment in big forest fire incidents: a state-of-the art and beyond”. Workshop in english which took place in Paris, 12-13 of December 2005.
  More information in FFNet 4
• ECFF cooperated with Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC) for the organization of the “Air Pollution from Wildfires-Problems related to Fire Smoke Pollution, Human Health & Air Traffic/Aerial Firefighting Security" meeting.