Laurent Alfonso has been a professional firefighter with 28 years of experience across local, national, and international levels. Specialising in crisis management for forest fires and natural areas, Laurent’s expertise spans all phases of disaster risk management.
His career includes leading national fire management operations, UCPM deployments in Chile (2017) and Bolivia (2019), and contributing to the French doctrine on forest fire prevention. He has also participated in EU projects, advised on forest fires in Czechia (2023), and supported the ERCC’s Wildfire Support Team.
Over your 28-year career, what are some of the most significant changes you’ve witnessed in firefighting techniques and wildfire management?
France adopted a doctrine for preventing and combating forest fires in the 1990s, following annual averages of over 30,000 hectares burnt each year. This doctrine, which remains in force, originated from the “Vulcain” mission and has successfully reduced the annual average to approximately 10,000 hectares, effectively dividing the previous figures by three.
This doctrine has been a “game changer” due to its foundation on three pillars: prevention, which includes information campaigns, legal brush-clearing obligations, and forest management; a massive attack strategy with coordinated air-to-ground efforts for all incipient fires, supported by pre-positioned ground and air resources; and a robust operational management and command system.
How would you describe the severity and extent of the wildfire season in your country this summer compared to previous years? Which regions or areas were most affected by wildfires in your country this summer?
The 2024 season was particularly favourable in terms of burnt areas, following a cycle of five more severe years. While the number of fires started remained high, the number of hectares burned was limited to around 12,000 hectares. This indicates that the initial attack on emerging fires is effective, but there is still work to be done in reducing the number of ignitions.
The main affected regions are those bordering the Mediterranean and the southwest.
What environmental factors (e.g., weather patterns, climate conditions) contributed to the intensity and spread of the wildfires this summer?
The summer in France was cooler than in previous years, and the rainy spring delayed the wildfire season. As a result, the wildfire season extended until September–October. The wind factor was, as often, decisive, acting as an accelerant and making early perimeter setting difficult. Additionally, the abandonment of certain cultivated lands and the phenomenon of "cabanisation"* complicated firefighting efforts.
* Cabanisation refers to the process whereby rural areas are abandoned, leading to the overgrowth of vegetation and an increase in fuel loads for wildfires.
Prevention is no longer seasonal. It requires year-round planning, consistent investment, and cooperation across all levels.
To what extent did human activities (e.g., land use changes, agricultural practices, accidental ignitions) play a role in the 2024 wildfires?
The human factor is decisive in fire ignitions (90% are of human origin), and land management is an aggravating factor. Abandoned lands and cabanisation, which are not mapped, complicate the firefighting strategy with difficult access, wild vegetation, and rapid spread.
How effective were the emergency response and firefighting efforts in managing the wildfires this summer? What were the key challenges faced by response teams during the 2024 wildfire season?
Following the catastrophic wildfire season of 2022 in France, particularly in the southwest, a series of additional measures were implemented in 2023 and further consolidated in 2024. These measures proved effective in 2024 by enhancing surveillance systems (such as towers, drones, cameras, and aerial units) to improve early detection, reinforcing brush clearing initiatives, and ensuring a satisfactory level of defensibility around peri-urban areas (forest-habitat interfaces).
This success was achieved through several strategies:
Additionally, France committed to expanding rescEU helicopter capacities to complement Canadair aircraft and hosted the pre-positioning of EU modules from Romania, Slovakia, Italy, Austria, Greece, and Slovenia. These reinforcements proved particularly effective and useful towards the end of the season.
Wildfires are not just about fighting flames. They are about protecting people, preserving ecosystems, and addressing the human and environmental challenges that arise.
What were the key lessons learnt from the 2024 wildfire season in terms of response and management?
How can European countries enhance their collaboration to create more unified and effective wildfire management strategies?
There is a need to establish Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for ground resources. Currently, there are too many disparities in techniques, protocols, types of vehicles, personal protective equipment, and radio means. We are still far from the desired interoperability. Additionally, developing a financing plan for national resources could support the UCPM during simultaneous fires, potentially reducing the number of activations. It may also be worthwhile to consider integrating activations from southern neighbouring countries, some of which have acquired aerial resources, into the UCPM to enhance its capacities.
Furthermore, establishing a European coordination centre for forest fires could help in developing forecasting and monitoring tools by involving scientists and experts. The French model might serve as a useful reference in this context. Such a centre could facilitate the dynamic management of EU resources, both ground and aerial, which might also be pre-positioned. The ARISTOTLE project could potentially play a larger role in producing forecast bulletins and analyses, as well as providing insights into fire behaviour and analysis.
Lastly, creating a common EU strategy for forest fire prevention could draw on frameworks like the Wildfire Peer Review Assessment Framework to ensure a cohesive approach across member states.
Involving younger generations, who are especially sensitive to the environmental impact, is key to raising awareness and fostering long-term solutions.
You’ve had extensive experience responding to wildfires across different regions. Is there a particular experience that left a lasting impression on you?
One experience that has stayed with me, and often doesn’t receive enough attention, is the devastating impact wildfires have on wildlife. Beyond the visible destruction of forests, property, and, tragically, human lives, I’ve always been deeply affected by the silent loss of animals, from insects to larger vertebrates, that simply cannot escape the flames.
During my deployment as Team Leader of the EUCP Team in Bolivia in September 2019, I witnessed this firsthand. In addition to tackling fires made worse by an unprecedented drought, we also visited a temporary rescue centre for animals affected by the wildfires. I’ll never forget seeing possums and sloths being treated for minor burns and later released beyond the burned zones. It was heartening to see them recover, but the skeletal remains of cattle nearby were a stark reminder of the scale of destruction.
I remember how the images of koalas caught in burning eucalyptus forests in Australia in 2020 brought this issue to global attention, just a few months after my experience in Bolivia.
For me, this is a side of wildfires we must not ignore. Preserving wildlife is an essential part of protecting our ecosystems and our natural heritage.