Wildfires are worsening in the Mediterranean due to longer fire seasons, and mega-fires. A key challenge is ensuring that wildfire management uses science-based innovations.
SIMMER invites scientists, practitioners, and decision-makers to collaborate, share best practices to improve fire management. This includes understanding wildfire behavior, trends, and climate change impacts to better manage landscapes, ecosystems, and response effectiveness.
SIMMER will implement pilot activities in five countries involving civil protection, nature protection organizations, local authorities, and volunteers.
The project will use ecosystem-based methods like prescribed burning and grazing, Artificial Intelligence, remote sensing, for risk assessment and early warning, drones for burn severity mapping, and community-based post-fire assessment.
Image from the kick off meeting of SIMMER in Nicosia, on Tuesday December 9, 2025
Why the project matters Wildfires in the Mediterranean region are increasingly recognized as a critical aspect of climate change adaptation and disaster risk prevention. The area burned by forest and wildland fires in the Mediterranean basin in 2023 alone exceeded 490,000 hectares. The situation is expected to deteriorate due to rapidly rising temperatures, leading to heatwaves, extended droughts, and consequently increased risk and scale of wildfires. The current approaches to manage wildfires in the Mediterranean basin invest heavily in trying to combat fires with fire brigade resources, rather than preventing them through better protection of ecosystems and inclusion of local communities and forestry agencies in a standardized manner during the prevention phase. There is also a significant gap between research and operation in disaster risk prevention and management.
What it aims to achieve
To develop a science-policy framework for fire management regarding prevention, response, and post-fire restoration strategies.
To simulate prevention, response, and restoration exercises in selected pilot areas.
To implement pilot activities in Greece (prescribed burning), Cyprus (Volunteer Group for prevention issues), Jordan (grazing), Palestine (Community training on prevention and response) and Lebanon (volunteer training on post-fire assessment). Each pilot will be co-designed by at least 2 partners or associated partners.
To implement pilot activities in Greece (prescribed burning), Cyprus (Volunteer Group for prevention issues), Jordan (grazing), Palestine (Community training on prevention and response) and Lebanon (volunteer training on post-fire assessment). Each pilot will be co-designed by at least 2 partners or associated partners.
Expected change
Improved the efficiency and effectiveness of wildfire management while reducing risks to firefighters and communities.
Enforced adoption of nature-based solutions, such as green infrastructure, ecosystem restoration, and natural firebreaks, to enhance ecosystem resilience and reduce wildfire risk
Restored degraded landscapes.
Improved water retention.
Habitat provided for biodiversity while reducing fire spread.
Improved water retention.
Habitat provided for biodiversity while reducing fire spread.
What the project delivers
Inventory of scientific tools in fire management including, software, and applications utilized in the prevention, monitoring, analysis, and response to wildfires, predicting fire behavior, satellite imagery for early detection and monitoring.
Development of a science-policy framework for fire management regarding prevention, response, and post-fire restoration strategies.
Implementation and evaluation of the developed SIMMER framework and selected technologies for prevention, response, and restoration in five pilot regions in Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine.
Creation of a comprehensive online platform for fire management that serves as a central hub for stakeholders.
Establishment of a comprehensive training framework for wildfire management professionals and engage communities in wildfire prevention, post-fire landscape restoration and safety education.
Implementation and evaluation of the developed SIMMER framework and selected technologies for prevention, response, and restoration in five pilot regions in Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine.
Creation of a comprehensive online platform for fire management that serves as a central hub for stakeholders.
Establishment of a comprehensive training framework for wildfire management professionals and engage communities in wildfire prevention, post-fire landscape restoration and safety education.
Who benefits
• Public administrations (20).
• Fire services and emergency services (15 organizations and 500 individuals).
• Local authorities (200).
• Environmental organizations (20).
• NGOs and Communities and (30 organisations and 100 000 people).
• Private sector (300 organisations).
• Local authorities (200).
• Environmental organizations (20).
• NGOs and Communities and (30 organisations and 100 000 people).
• Private sector (300 organisations).