Programme

The Wildfire2024 Steering Committee are excited to announce a jam-packed programme - details of which are below.

We’ve compiled a rundown of core programme elements, including details of keynote speakers, themes and discussion topics. Day 1 focuses on the global perspective regarding wildfire and its mitigation, while Day 2 will focus on tackling these issues in the UK.

The sessions below will be taking place in two different rooms in order to provide you with a wealth of interesting talks and interactive sessions while maintaining a condensed schedule, as well as plenty of opportunity to visit our exhibitors and view our poster submissions.

Day 1: 12th November

Global Perspectives

Formal Conference Opening
Scottish Government Resilience Division - Minister

Opening Address
Katrina Candy - The Heather Trust

Keynote Speech
Marc Castellnou - University of Lleida Master Fuego

UK Wildfire Forecasts and Risk Assessments within an International Context
Met Office

Building Wildfire Resilient Communities in Europe: Insights from the UK and Ireland
Christine Eriksen - University of Bern

Speaker
Martin Ogilvie - Dumfries and Galloway Council

Not just water, but also fire! Wildfire management in The Netherlands
Edwin Kok - Netherlands Institute for Public Safety (NIPV)

Keynote Speech
Prof Tiago Oliveira - AGIF

Perceptions of Wildfire Science, Policy, and Management: A Pilot Study
Sarah Cowan - York University

Speaker
Torgrim Logg - Western Norway University of Applied Sciences

Keynote Speech
Val Charlton - Landworks South Africa

Assessing wildfire vulnerability of touristic infrastructures
Bruno Guillaume - Efectis France

Creating an International Evidence-Based Strategy for UK Community Wildfire Resilience  
Victoria Amato - SWCA Environmental Consultants

Keynote Speech
England and Wales Wildfire Forum

Burning down the house(s). Future fire severity likelihoods to inform fire management.
Douglas Kelley - UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology

Evaluating the radiative impact and secondary effects of albedo changes following African landscape fires
Michaela Flegrova -

The Great Fuel Moisture Survey: developing fundamental wildfire science and sustainable community owned agency
Nicholas Kettridge, University of Birmingham

Day 2: 13th November

What are we doing in the UK?

Keynote Speech
Francesca Osowska - NatureScot

Wildfire impacts on upland vegetation
Robin Pakeman - James Hutton Institute

Raising awareness of the public health impacts of wildfires in the UK
Andrew Kibble - UK Health Security Agency

An Integrated Wildfire Management Plan for the Cairngorms National Park
Colin McLean - Cairngorms National Park Authority

Fighting Future Fires: Integrating Sensors, Machine Learning and Satellite Earth Observation to Combat Wildfire Risk
Tia Crouch - The National Trust

What is the IDEAL UK Fire for?
Sarah Baker - University of Exeter

Towards a UK Fire Danger Rating System: developing tools for a resilient future
Gareth Clay - The University of Manchester

Shining a light on prescribed fire: claims versus evidence
Andreas Heinemeyer - University of York

Landscape controls on fuel moisture variability in fire-prone heathland and peatland landscapes
Kerryn Little - University of Birmingham

Round table: Prescribed burning to create resilient landscapes
Eric Baird - Glentanar Ranger Service (Chairing)
Craig Hope - SWFRS
Steve Maynard - Peak District National Park Authority
Ross Ewing - Scottish Land & Estates
Donna Smith - Scottish Crofting Federation
Alex Held - European Forest Institute

Challenges to controlled burning by crofters in the Scottish Highlands
Cathy Smith - Royal Holloway, University of London

Wildfire Recovery through Conservation Grazing: Building Resilience in an Upland Habitat
James Fisher - The National Trust

Keynote Speech
Jim Savege - Aberdeenshire Council

Social and other events during the conference

While a good conference should leave you feeling informed, inspired and motivated, no great conference is devoid of time to socialise! Expand the dropdown below to find out more about the various events happening around the conference, including the site visit on 11th November, and the Conference Dinner.

  • More information will be available shortly.

  • All day - poster viewing and exhibition

    17:30 - Joint meeting of the UK Wildfire Forums

    18:30 - Drinks reception

    19:00 - Conference dinner

  • All day - poster viewing and exhibition

Thank you to our sponsors

  • Scottish Woodlands logo

    Scottish Woodlands

  • Heather Trust logo

    Heather Trust

  • IAWF logo

    IAWF

  • NatureScot logo

    NatureScot

  • CNPA logo

    Cairngorms National Park Authority

  • Terberg DTS logo

    Terberg DTS

  • SSE Transmission logo

    Scottish & Southern Electricity