EU MODEX PT 2023 - exercise for forest fires
Preparing for another challenging summer of forest fire fighting across the EU, the EU MODEX field exercise in Portugal from 3-6 of May is focusing on forest fire response in a complex scenario.
Wildfires
The Portuguese national weather forecast agency (Instituto Português do Mare da Atmosfera - IPMA) has announced that after a generally dry winter, April 2023 was extremely hot and dry, with heatwaves in most regions of the country.
Several fires have already taken place, worsened by hot and humid air and conditions of atmospheric instability like thunderstorms and strong winds. It's against this backdrop that 'EU MODEX PT 2023' in Abrantes is testing the capacity of teams to response to the forest fires still to come in 2023.
International expert teams and equipment bringing their expertise
The exercise runs from 3-6 May, with internal briefings completed and the exercise control structures built up before the arrival of the international teams. Hosted by Portugal, the exercise benefits from the participation of six specialised modules from four countries: France (GFFFV*), Germany (GFFFV), Italy (GFFFV) and Spain (GFFF, FAST, AFFF*).
All of the teams will put their skills, protocols and gear to the test, but the most important thing will be seeing how well they can coordinate with one another in the field.
The weather conditions experienced in the exercise scenario will prompt a simulated request for EU Assistance through the UCPM. The international modules (teams and their equipment) will put their skills to the test as they cooperate in a scenario of significant forest fire incidents of varying complexity.
This is the fourth exercise run by the consortium leading on the current EU MODEX water related, forest fire and CBRN exercises. Modules field exercises provide the opportunity for modules and capacities to have a functional exercise at European level, according to EU civil protection policies and procedures.
* GFFFV: Ground Forest FireFighting using Vehicles / GFFF: Ground Forest FireFighting / FAST: Fire Assessment and Support Team / AFFF: Aerial Forest Firefighting
Exercise Day 1
The modules arrived in the affected area.
After installing their BoO (Base of Operations), they were tasked to assess the working sites, to draw up a joint plan of action and start the field operations.
During the first night of EU MODEX PT 2023, the scenario created tested their capacity for analysis, operational response, cooperation and interoperability.
Exercise Day 2
Day 2 was dedicated for ground and aerial coordinated operations to extinguish forest fires.
GFFF Modules were tasked to protect the villages in the Abrantes municipality. They work together in the field, testing their own operational procedures in an international environment.
The ground capacities have been reinforced with the aerial forest firefighting airplanes and helicopters.
Exercise Day 3
GFFF modules completed the field operations and handed over their work to the regional authorities for civil protection and the rotating UCPM modules who will continue the work based on their recommendations.
GFFF module presented the result of their interventions in all affected areas and provided to the local media details on their support given to the Portuguese Civil Protection authorities.
