UK, UNDP cooperate to increase resilience against forest fires

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the UK Government, through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), partner on a joint project on "Increasing Communities' Resiliency Towards Forest Fires" in the most vulnerable areas in Mount Lebanon.  

Partnering with the Mount Lebanon Governate, the project aims to strengthen disaster risk management capacities and promote climate security for early-warning and early-actions solutions. The project has also established three first responders teams to respond quickly in an emergency.  

Based on recent data from the National Council for Scientific Research (CNRS), the number of forest fires in Mount Lebanon increased by 19 percent in the last eight years. In 2021, there were 135 forest fires in the Mount Lebanon region, burning around 1,417 hectares of land.  

Additionally, the CNRS conducted a forest fires risks and hazards assessment identifying the three intervention areas in Mount Lebanon: the Union of Municipalities of Western Shahhar, the Union of Municipalities of Norther Eklim, and the Union of Municipalities of Higher Maten.   

First responders, involving 45 municipal police officers from 57 municipalities, were equipped with forest firefighting tools, including personal protective equipment (PPEs), manual tools, and portable firefighting units for a fast response during emergencies. Additionally, the training involved 60 volunteers from the community.  

Awareness sessions were also conducted targeting the youth, women, and the public. Local forest fire plans, namely prevention, preparedness, and response measures at the local level, were developed to ensure that communities are aware of prevention measures to reduce forest fire risks.