In November 2024, for one week, the Bundesland of Brandenburg in Germany was the focal point of a wildfire-specific peer review, marking a milestone as the first regional review under the UCPM Peer Review Programme.
The overall objective of the peer review, coordinated by the European Commission's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO), was aimed at enhancing Brandenburg’s wildfire governance and disaster risk management.
The peer team consisted of four senior experts from Portugal, Spain, and Italy, who were supported by DG ECHO and the Euro-Mediterranean Center for Climate Change (CMCC).
After more than six months of intensive work in close collaboration with the Brandenburg authorities, the report (EN / DE) is now released.
Today 14 July, during a workshop in Potsdam, the Director General of DG ECHO, Mr. Maciej Popowski, handed over the report to the authorities, represented by Dr. Sascha Dietel from the Ministry of the Interior and Municipal Affairs of the State of Brandenburg (MIK).
Mr. Popowski congratulated the Brandenburg side for volunteering to undergo a peer review and for the entire team effort of all authorities involved from the Land level and the federal level (BBK). He also expressed trust that the active contribution of Land Brandenburg to the UCPM will continue.
Dr. Dietel appreciated the very good work of the peers involved, the very collaborative approach to the entire process and expressed an overall satisfaction with having undergone a peer review. Dr. Dietel went on to mention the report will be discussed at an advisory board meeting with relevant stakeholders in October, with the view to identify the future actions.
The workshop included a brief presentation of the report key findings followed by an open discussion with key authorities and experts involved. Participants expressed trust that the political level will take recommendations of the review into account and mentioned that some recommendations will go beyond the responsibilities of the authorities directly involved in the peer review process, a fact that should be considered.
The decision to undergo the peer review was initiated by the Brandenburg State School and Technical Facility for Fire and Disaster Protection of Brandenburg (LSTE) and the Brandenburg Ministry of Interior and Municipal Affairs of Brandenburg (MIK), with full support from national authorities including the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI) and the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK).
The review mission took place from 17 to 23 November 2024. Over 40 relevant organisations were involved in the discussions, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Climate Protection, Brandenburg Natural Landscapes Foundation, the State Forestry Office of Brandenburg, Brandenburg State Fire Brigade Association, several research and scientific organisations, forest owners. The Polish region of Gorzow Wielkopolski was also involved, as it shares a border with Brandenburg, and the two regions have a bilateral agreement on collaboration and assistance across the border.
The peer review, based on the Wildfire Peer Review Assessment Framework (Wildfire PRAF), concentrated on several key areas: legislative and institutional frameworks, wildfire risk management planning, prevention and preparedness, and recovery and lessons learned.
The current risk of wildfires in Brandenburg requires a comprehensive and long-term approach due to factors like climate change, historical heritage, specific land use situation, and taking into account governance arrangements. One unique challenge is the presence of unexploded ordnance (UXO) located within approximately 292,000 hectares of Brandenburg's forests (out of about one million hectares in total), posing significant threats to forest management and firefighting operations.
To address these challenges, the review highlighted the need for an overarching wildfire risk management strategy, improved integration of wildfire prevention in forest management plans, and increased support for local authorities. Establishing a Wildfire Competence Centre is also underway to enhance collaboration and knowledge sharing among stakeholders.
The peer review not only sets a precedent for regional assessments in Germany but also underscores the importance of collaborative efforts in managing wildfire risks effectively. The peer review team hopes that the insights gained from the review will contribute significantly to shaping wildfire management strategies in Brandenburg.
Final report
The report is now published on the Union Civil Protection Knowledge Network web site in English and German.
Risk drivers
Thematic series