The main goal of the OFIDIA2 Project is the development of a software platform for fire danger prevention, able to predict fire risk and the dangers in case of fire outbreak, based on the constant measurement of some environmental variables detected through appropriate sensors across Apulia and Ioannina Regions.

Key topics are:

Building on the capitalization of OFIDIA1

• Reinforcing and extending existing pillars from the first project

Forecasting, data platform and monitoring

• Increased resolution of weather models w.r.t. OFIDIA1 (2 x 2 km)

• Calibration of existing Fire Danger indices with observed data;

• Fire behaviour (based on model and/or observed data from sensors)

• Processing chains and related scientific data management platform

• Time-series based analytics from real time monitoring (e.g. sensors)

• Real-time monitoring (link to existing sensors network)

Advanced GUI and DSS

• GIS based tools/DSS for the management/routing of people and vehicles

• Advanced multichannel, visualization tools (extension of current ones)

Infrastructure

• Data and computational platform (extension of the existing one)

• Integration/new installation of sensors/network, IP cameras, tablets, control room equipment, drones.

OFIDIA1 May 2013 – November 2015 (Interreg Greece-Italy 2007-2013)
OFIDIA2 March 2018 – March 2020 (Interreg Greece-Italy V-A 2014-2020)

The overall objective of OFIDIA2 is to increase the cross-border operational capability of the stakeholders to prevent, detect and fight forest wildfires. It emphasizes the “real time” dimension by providing sensor data and weather forecasts in the two regions, as well as developing a fire-behavior projection model and dedicating a control room to the operational management of wildfires in Apulia.

The partnership aims to protect the biodiversity in sensitive rural areas across the Apulia and the Epirus regions by setting up an operational big data infrastructure. This will allow the forecasting and real-time monitoring of fire hazard along with the protection of the rural areas by means of a dedicated wildfire control room and specific equipment. Moreover, the project is aimed at environmental lifelong learning, by raising awareness of forest and biodiversity protection.

Following the main objective, the project specific goals are:

• substantially expanding the operational infrastructure of the cross-border area in terms of environmental monitoring sensors, video equipment and off-road vehicles for real-time patrolling of the forest, enhanced visualization systems of weather and fire-danger parameters, ICT equipment for data analysis and storage, as well as setting up the Wildfire Control Center in Modugno (BA);

• enhancing and improving the cross-border capability of forecasting, preventing and fighting forest wildfires through tools to accurately predict the weather, model the fire behavior, visualize the sensor data in real-time and manage complex fire-danger factors over geographical maps;

• promoting public knowledge and providing cross-border education and lifelong learning on the biodiversity of the target areas, as well as sharing best practices across an expanded list of stakeholders.