1. Introduction Fire Analysis and Assessment (FAA) discipline collects vegetation fire information and transforms it to knowledge. This knowledge is used during emergencies to provide guidance and direction for decision-making on strategical, tactical and operational fire management levels. The FAA is a relatively new discipline used by some organisations within Europe and globally. While there is not a standard way to define the FAA discipline, there are common tasks, competencies, and skills developed by the FAA discipline that can be harmonised. Fire Analysis and Assessment (FAA) capacities are scattered across different levels (scales of application): –
Fire analysis competencies and skills for basic firefighters, intermediate commanders, fire planners, incident commanders, etc. all profiles in fire management. These sets of skills and competencies provide a better situation awareness and an improved way to make decisions.
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Specialist profiles, known generically as ‘Fire Analyst’, such as ‘Long-term Fire Analyst’, ‘Tactical Analyst’, ‘Fire Analyst- planning’ ‘Fire Analysis Branch Director’, among others.
Fire Analysis (FAA) can be performed on the ground, in an incident command post, in a coordination centre or as external assistance. Fire Analysts (FA), being specialist profiles, can be embedded in the forest fires response in different ways. For example, on an ICS type structure FA can be found (Figure 1): –
Within the Command Staff, to support the Incident Commander and its General Staff in decision-making and communication.
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In the Planning Section, to assist the Planning Chief in managing information and/or in building a shared understanding of the scenario, framing strategical and tactical decisions and supervising its evolution, for the current and next operative period.
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In the Operations Section, as a Functional Branch or Division, for a high degree of linkage and coordination between fire analysis and operational tactics, especially in high-paced and high-impact scenarios.
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A separate General Staff Section, when highly specialized, coordinated
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