From wildfire risk assessment and Nature-Based Solutions to communication and stakeholder engagement, the University of Balamand team is helping shape a more proactive approach to wildfire prevention in Lebanon and across the Mediterranean.
Across the Mediterranean, wildfires are becoming more frequent, more intense, and more difficult to manage. In Lebanon, where mountainous landscapes, changing climate conditions, and limited resources create additional challenges, prevention is increasingly recognized as the most effective path forward.
This belief lies at the heart of the University of Balamand’s contribution to MedFireWise. Through research, stakeholder engagement, project coordination, and on-the-ground action, the Lebanese team is helping advance a shared vision for wildfire resilience across the Mediterranean.
During a series of conversations with members of the University of Balamand team, one theme emerged again and again: the need to move beyond reacting to wildfires and invest more in preventing them before they occur.
As the Lebanese partner of the MedFireWise project, the University of Balamand, through its Institute of the Environment and Land and Natural Resources Program, brings together scientific expertise, field experience, and strong connections with local communities and stakeholders. Their work focuses on understanding wildfire risks, improving preparedness, and promoting practical solutions that can strengthen the resilience of both landscapes and communities.
For Dr. George Mitri, Full Professor and Director of the Land and Natural Resources Program, wildfire management begins long before the first flames appear.
During our discussion, he repeatedly returned to the idea that prevention must become the cornerstone of wildfire management.
“We need to invest more in prevention, preparedness, and landscape management to reduce risks before fires occur,” he explained.
For many years, Dr. Mitri and his team have worked on wildfire risk assessment, forest monitoring, land degradation, climate impacts, and ecosystem resilience. Their expertise combines Earth Observation technologies, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing, field data, and environmental modelling to better understand wildfire risk and support decision-making.
One of the team’s most significant achievements is FireLab, Lebanon’s national wildfire risk assessment and forecasting platform, which has been operational since 2016. Developed entirely at the University of Balamand, the platform combines satellite observations, fire history records, vegetation analysis, climate information, and socioeconomic data to help authorities improve preparedness and reduce wildfire risk.
As Dr. Mitri pointed out, wildfires are not simply an environmental issue. They are also linked to governance, land management, and human behaviour.
“99% of the fires are human-caused,” he noted, highlighting the importance of awareness, prevention, and community engagement alongside technological solutions.
Lebanon faces many of the same challenges experienced across the Mediterranean: hotter summers, prolonged droughts, changing rainfall patterns, and increasing pressure on natural landscapes. At the same time, mountainous terrain, limited firefighting resources, and unmanaged vegetation create additional complexities.
This is where MedFireWise comes in.
When speaking about the project, Dr. Mitri described it as an opportunity to move from a reactive approach to a proactive one. Through Nature-Based Solutions such as prescribed burning and silvopastoral practices, the project aims to reduce fuel loads, improve ecosystem resilience, and help landscapes become less vulnerable to severe wildfire impacts.
Importantly, he stressed that the goal is not to eliminate fires entirely.
“MedFireWise does not claim that it will stop fires 100%. It is more an approach to reduce the impact of fire and limit its effects on landscapes and communities.”
Scientific knowledge alone is not enough. Turning research into practical action requires coordination, stakeholder engagement, and a deep understanding of local realities.
Karen Gebrael, Research Assistant at the Institute of the Environment, contributes to research coordination, technical reporting, stakeholder engagement, and field activities within MedFireWise.
The University of Balamand leads Work Package 3, which focuses on environmental analysis, regulatory frameworks, and the assessment of Nature-Based Solutions for wildfire prevention. The team is also leading pilot activities in Lebanon, where prescribed burning and silvopastoral practices will be tested and evaluated under local conditions.
During our conversation, Karen highlighted the importance of bringing together expertise from different Mediterranean countries facing similar challenges.
“By exchanging knowledge and experiences, we can develop more effective preventive measures that are adapted to Mediterranean ecosystems and landscapes,” she explained.
For Karen, one of the greatest strengths of MedFireWise is the opportunity to learn from different perspectives while working towards a common objective. Mediterranean countries may have different institutional contexts, but many share similar climate conditions, ecosystem characteristics, and wildfire risks.
She also emphasized that prevention should become a stronger part of wildfire management strategies.
As she noted, investing in preventive measures and Nature-Based Solutions is often far less costly than dealing with the consequences of a large wildfire once it has already occurred.
Beyond technical activities, she sees awareness raising as another key outcome of the project. By helping communities better understand wildfire risks and prevention measures, MedFireWise contributes to building a culture of preparedness that can continue long after the project ends.
Behind every workshop, field visit, report, and pilot activity is a continuous effort to keep partners connected and moving in the same direction.
This is where Annie Tabach plays an important role.
As Administrative and Communication Assistant for MedFireWise at the University of Balamand, Annie supports project coordination, reporting activities, financial management, dissemination, and visibility actions. Her responsibilities help ensure that project activities run smoothly and that information flows effectively between partners.
While discussing her role, Annie described herself as someone who helps connect different parts of the project—from administrative and financial aspects to communication and collaboration activities.
For Annie, one of the most rewarding aspects of MedFireWise is the opportunity to work with partners from different countries and professional backgrounds.
“Communication and coordination activities play a key role in strengthening collaboration among the different partners,” she explained. “They help maintain continuous information exchange, ensure transparency, and create opportunities to exchange expertise and good practices.”
Although this is her first project focused on wildfire prevention, Annie believes strongly in the value of awareness raising and long-term cooperation. She hopes the project will continue strengthening wildfire prevention efforts across the Mediterranean while helping communities become more informed and resilient.
“I hope the project outcomes and recommendations will continue to benefit communities and contribute to a more sustainable and resilient future,” she said.
Throughout the interviews, one idea surfaced again and again. Whether discussing scientific research, pilot activities, communication, or stakeholder engagement, all three members of the University of Balamand team spoke about the importance of prevention.
For Dr. Mitri, this means helping shift wildfire management from emergency response to proactive landscape management. For Karen, it means developing and testing solutions that are adapted to Mediterranean ecosystems and can be implemented on the ground. For Annie, it means ensuring that knowledge continues to circulate between partners and reaches the communities that can benefit from it.
Despite their different roles, they share the same objective: helping build landscapes and communities that are better prepared for future wildfire risks.
As MedFireWise moves forward, the University of Balamand team hopes the project will contribute not only to new knowledge and practical solutions, but also to a lasting culture of prevention. One where science informs decisions, communities play an active role in reducing risk, and cooperation across the Mediterranean continues long after the project itself has ended.
For the team, wildfire resilience is not built through a single tool, policy, or intervention. It is built through people working together, sharing knowledge, and taking action before a fire starts.
This article is part of the MedFireWise Partner Spotlight series, highlighting the people and organizations working together to strengthen wildfire resilience across the Mediterranean.
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