On 9 October 2025, the Carlos Reis House-Museum, in Lousã, hosted the 4th Meeting of the Wildfire Innovation Community (CWI), the final gathering of this community within the framework of the European project FIRE-RES.
Organised by CoLAB ForestWISE and the School of Agriculture (ISA/ULisboa), with the support of the Municipality of Lousã and the Municipality of Penafiel, the event marked the end of a 46-month cycle of intense cooperation between science, practice, and local communities.

The meeting brought together researchers, technicians, practitioners, local agents, decision-makers, and community representatives for a moment of reflection and future-oriented discussion, reinforcing the crucial role of local authorities in consolidating the Portuguese Living Lab, established in the territories of Lousã and Vale do Sousa. Over the past four years, this living ecosystem enabled the testing, implementation, and replication of innovative solutions with real impact on the ground.

A day of reflection, knowledge sharing and collective building

Throughout the day, the main lessons learned from the FIRE-RES project were revisited, and the Innovation Actions developed in Portugal were presented. These actions addressed key topics such as field team safety, the safe use of fire, risk communication, training platforms, and strategic planning for wildfire suppression and post-fire restoration.

Technological and social solutions tested within the Portuguese Living Lab were also highlighted, including the ForestSIM® simulator (developed by 2BForest) and the ImFire decision support system (developed by REN), alongside innovations from other European and Chilean Living Labs, such as Firefence®, EmberEye®, and awareness videos developed by AGIF.

The event concluded with a collaborative session dedicated to the 2030 Roadmap — a strategic planning exercise focused on the future of fire-resilient landscapes.

Beyond FIRE-RES

According to the organisers, this meeting marked the end of a cycle, but also the beginning of a new phase. For Brigite Botequim, Senior Researcher and Co-Leader of the Portuguese Living Lab at CoLAB ForestWISE, “it is time to return to the community what we have built, to recognise the role of every partner, and to consolidate the foundations for the future of our FIRE-RES network.”
José G. Borges, Associate Professor at ISA/ULisboa and Work Package 2 Coordinator, highlighted that “addressing wildfire risk requires an integrated approach grounded in science, strategic planning, and the active participation of decision-makers and communities.”

The initiative reinforced the importance of sustaining the Wildfire Innovation Network and enhancing synergies between territories and communities, aiming to build landscapes that are safer, better adapted, and more resilient.