The awarded project ER126 “Joint actions for improving local rescue fire services to protect forests and settlements in EE-RU border area” (LOCAL FIRE) (Project) is officially launched on 1st of September 2019 and will be implemented by five partners: Administration of Pskovskiy area, Administration of Gdovskiy area, Administration of Pechorskiy area, Administration of Palkinskiy area (Russia) and Alutaguse Municipality Government (Estonia).
The project will contribute to reduction of the number of uncontrolled forest fires, as well as minimization of the damage caused by fires to the population and nature. Measures for the prevention and localization of seasonal fires on the border territories will be improved.
Project foresees the complex of the particular improvements of the small municipal infrastructure for state rescue services and local volunteer rescue teams to prevent or localize the uncontrolled fires in the woods and land territories around the settlements and recreation areas.
The following joint forest protection actions will be carried out: reduction of exits to the forest, equipping/clearing of fire reservoirs, reconstruction of the existing fire suppression ponds, land works for reduction of number of forestry connecting roads with main routes in the woods, renewal or purchase of small fire-fighting equipment, purchase of uniforms and equipment for volunteer fire brigades, installation of prohibiting signs.
On the administrative level project partners will improve the approaches and mechanisms of the local action to prevent or localize forest and land fires and protect the inhabitants and territory (nature) from uncontrolled fires. Also the volunteer rescue team and public fire inspectors’ methods will be developed during the project lifetime.
Project is supported under the Programme Thematic Objective 6 – Environmental protection, climate change mitigation and adaption and will be implemented within 24 months.
The project overall budget is EUR 453 597,83 which includes Programme co-financing in the amount of EUR 376 079,69.