Joint action to prevent forest fires – scientific and professional cooperation between the University of Sopron and the Disaster Management Authority

The University of Sopron, as the Green University of Hungary, works in a long-term strategic partnership with the Disaster Management Department to protect forests. Prof. Dr. Attila Fábián, rector of the University of Sopron, said: “Hungary’s forest resources are a national treasure, the protection of which is our shared responsibility. That is why we have formed an alliance with the National Disaster Management Authority. In education, research and innovation, we are working to prevent the formation of fire nests, and if a fire does occur, the intervention should be as fast and effective as possible.” The rector pointed out that in addition to education and awareness-raising, the university also cooperates with the disaster management authority in the training of volunteer firefighters and in the application of artificial intelligence and modern geospatial tools: “our goal is to develop a real-time, three-dimensional forest map system in Hungary, like the ones already used in Canada or the United States. This would allow specialists to carry out rescue and firefighting operations more precisely and in a more coordinated manner.” The University of Sopron and The Hungarian National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Hungarian National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) launched their joint conference series three years ago, which now attracts more than 600 professionals and students both online and in person. The participants agree that combining scientific and practical knowledge is key to preventing and managing forest fires. “We don’t want conferences to be more frequent because there are more fires, but because there are fewer of them,” concluded Prof. Dr. Attila Fábián.

Dr. Fire Brigade General Balázs Bognár, director of the Vas County Disaster Management Directorate, emphasized: “It can be safely stated that we are living in a period of extremes. 2024 was the warmest year in Hungarian meteorological history, and the number of drought days is constantly increasing. According to forecasts, the number of these days may increase to twenty by 2050, and to over thirty by 2100. This will result in the drying out of forested areas, and firefighters will have to attend more and more fires.” The Brigadier General added that EU data also show a dramatic increase: “at the European Union level, an area of ​​one million square kilometers has already been affected, and in our country, firefighters have been alerted to approximately 9,800 outdoor fires so far in 2025, of which more than 4,600 affected forest areas”.

Dr. Balázs Bognár highlighted that similar professional events are essential for effective prevention and protection: “such scientific workshops, such as the Sopron workshop, are crucial. Together, we are looking for what developments, new methodologies and international experiences can help prevent forest fires in the future and increase the efficiency of interventions”.