FLAMEX -Andalousia – SOP1 :

27-30 April 2026

Sierra de los Filabres

This campaign is dedicated to testing measurement strategies, as well as obtaining first observations under controlled fire conditions. Two prescribed fire zones were chosen by EMA.

The campaign relies on a coordinated multi-platform measurement strategy, combining ground-based, airborne and remote sensing observations. The following key parameters will be measured:

• landscape characteristics (before and after fires)
• Fire behavior
• Gases and Aerosols (concentrations and absorption properties)
• Meteorological conditions
• Plume dynamics 

Activities

Campaing LogBook

Friday April 22:

Arrival in Seville of the firstteam to test the two Drone VTOL payload (aerosols CNRM & Gaz LAERO) at Dronetools (EMA’s drone service provider).

Monday April 26 :

Final preparations of FLAMEX were underway yesterday as we prepared for the prescribed burn.

🗺️ The experimental strategy and the operational zones of the various research and operational platforms have been finalised.

🌡️ 30 thermocouples were installed at the site to characterise the fire regime and its behaviour, including flame height, residence time and rate of spread.

🛩️ The final flight tests of the payloads of gases and aerosols were conducted on the fixed-wing drone near Séville.

📡 Some remote sensing instruments have now been deployed.

• Test flights of aerosol and gas payloads on VTOL drones near Seville

Test flights of aerosol and gas payloads on VTOL drones near Seville

Briefing at INFOCO Air Base (Hernán-Valle)

Reconnaissance of the prescribed burn site at Gérgal (Sierra de los Filabres, 1600m) and commencement of vegetation sampling and thermocouple installation for INIA-INFOCA

Tuesday, April 28 : prescribed Burn

On Tuesday 28 April, the EUBURN scientific consortium took part in a prescribed burn that was organised by the Andalusian Civil Protection Service (INFOCA-EMA Junta de Andalucía) in Granada province in south-eastern Spain. This prescribed burn had the objective to protect the surrounding forests against larger and more destructive wildfires.

𝐅𝐋𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐗 𝐢𝐧 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬
– 5 operational sites
– 3 days of operations before, during and after the fire
– 45 firefighters
– 26 scientists
– 2 multicopter drones equipped with LiDAR and infrared, visible and multispectral cameras
– 1 fixed-wing drone equipped with 2 in-situ playloads
– 30 thermocouples deployed within the plot
– 8 ground-based in situ and remote sensing instruments
– 15 radiosoundings launched

𝐅𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐠𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐝 : several operational challenges were encountered during deployment due to difficult environmental conditions, complex terrain and heavy rainfall. This required all participants to be highly flexible and self-controlled.

Wednesday, April 29 : Debriefing

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 of initiating deep collaboration between research and operational firefighting service by deploying multiple ground-based and airborne platforms during complex operational fire conditions. A unique dataset has been acquired that includes information on vegetation types and conditions, fire behaviour, meteorological parameters and the emission of gases and aerosols. We have also begun training firefighters to use radiosoundings, which could help them to adapt their deployment strategy for firefighting resources during wildfires.