Near East Network on Wildlands and Forest Fire

Near East Network on Wildlands and Forest Fire

Near East Network on Wildlands and Forest Fire

Near East Network on Wildlands and Forest Fire 

Wildfires are an increasing threat to the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region due to environmental and socio-economic changes including land use and land cover change and extreme weather conditions. In 2023 alone, over 103 000 hectares of land in the region were affected by forest and wildfires. Fires devastate forests and rangelands, with cascading impacts on people, livelihoods, infrastructure, economies, and ecosystems. 

In response, the Near East Network on Wildlands and Forest Fire (NENFIRE) was established by the FAO Regional Office for Near East and North Africa to advance Integrated Fire Management and promote regional cooperation. NENFIRE is a voluntary network established under the request of the Near East Forestry and Range Commission. 

The network brings together 20 countries across the region to strengthen fire prevention, enhance monitoring and response capacities, and ensure sustainable forest and rangeland management. By sharing knowledge, improving policies, mobilizing resources and enhancing regional coordination, the network aims to reduce fire risks, protect natural ecosystems and strengthen the resilience of communities, landscapes and livelihoods to wildfires.  

The NENFIRE 2025–2030 Roadmap 

NENFIRE’s five-year roadmap provides a strategic framework for strengthening Integrated Fire Management (IFM) across the NENA region through coordinated regional action, science-based approaches, and inclusive partnerships. 

The roadmap focuses on: 

• Strengthening regional cooperation and governance  

• Enhancing fire monitoring and early warning systems  

• Building national and regional capacities  

• Promoting research and data-driven decision-making  

• Supporting policy integration and institutional development  

• Increasing community engagement and public awareness  

• Ensuring long-term sustainability and knowledge sharing 

   

The roadmap is aligned with FAO Regional Priority 3: Greening agriculture, water scarcity and climate action and Regional Priority 4: Building resilience to multiple shocks and crises.

Roadmap Phases (2025–2030)

Phase 1 — Foundation and Capacity Building (2025–2026)

Establish governance structures, national focal points, regional coordination mechanisms, pilot projects, and training programmes.

Phase 2 — Enhanced Fire Monitoring and Research (2026–2027)

Develop regional fire monitoring systems, integrate fire into existing monitoring and early warning systems, strengthen data sharing and expand collaboration with global fire management institutions.

Phase 3 — Policy Integration and Stakeholder Engagement (2027–2028)

Integrate IFM into national forestry, climate, environment and disaster risk reduction policies and strengthen engagement with governments, civil society, academia and the private sector.

Phase 4 — Community Engagement and Public Awareness (2028–2029)

Promote awareness campaigns, community participation, locally driven and inclusive fire prevention and response efforts, and mainstreaming gender, age and disability considerations.

Phase 5 — Sustainability and Knowledge Sharing (2029–2030)

Establish long-term sustainability mechanisms, regional knowledge-sharing platforms and evaluation frameworks, and promote collaboration with other regions and initiatives.

The network’s objectives

• Enhance regional cooperation by strengthening collaboration between national agencies, research institutions, and international organizations to improve integrated fire management strategies.
• Improve fire monitoring and response through developing and strengthening regional fire data systems integration with multi-hazard early warning mechanisms and supporting anticipatory action and rapid response capabilities.
• Strengthen fire prevention efforts by promoting risk reduction strategies, fire smart land use planning and community engagement.
• Support post fire restoration through ecosystem recovery, reforestation and sustainable land use management.
• Develop policies and institutional capacity by advancing integrated fire management, fostering community-based approaches, improving governance frameworks and securing investment in fire risk reduction.

Member Countries

Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

Get involved

NENFIRE collaborates with national governments, research institutions, United Nations agencies, and international fire management organizations, including the Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC), the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) and the Global Fire Management Hub.

For governments and institutions
Partner with NENFIRE to enhance national fire management systems.

For researchers
Contribute to fire monitoring, risk assessment and fire prevention studies.

For local communities
Join awareness campaigns and participate in fire prevention activities.

Forests Publications

• Near East Network on Wildlands and Forest Fire five-year road map
• Integrated fire management voluntary guidelines

Twitter

• FAO in NENA
• FAO Forestry

Related links

• NENFIRE D group
• Global Fire Management Hub
• NENA region steps up wildfire resilience efforts at COP30’s Global Fire Management Hub showcase

News

• Greater sustainable management needed for Mediterranean forests - new FAO report
• FAO’s Near East Forestry and Range Commission Marks 70 Years of Action with Landmark Session in Saudi Arabia
• The Near East Network on Wildlands Forest Fire wraps up a workshop on integrated fire management for post-fire restoration practices in Morocco
• NENFIRE meeting drives regional collaboration on wildfire prevention and response
• NENFIRE Unites to Tackle Escalating Forest Fire Crisis

Contact

Chair: Fouad Assali

Focal point: Fidaa Haddad

Senior Programme Officer, FAO Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa