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.
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.
