TREEADS was proudly represented at the 71st Annual Conference of the German Fire Protection Association (vfdb) by researchers from Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (OVGU), presenting new findings from Germany’s national pilot activities under the TREEADS project.
Featured Presentation:
“Unterschätzte Gefahr Bodenbrände – Ergebnisse aus Waldbrandstudien zur Entzündung und horizontalen Brandausbreitung in Kiefernwaldböden”
(English: Underestimated danger of ground fires – Results from forest fire studies on ignition and horizontal fire spread in pine forest soils)
This conference paper and oral presentation offered key insights into the ignition behavior and lateral fire spread in pine forest soils—a threat that is often overlooked but increasingly relevant in Germany’s changing climate.
Research Highlights:
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Results from laboratory tests and real-scale fire spread experiments.
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Findings from TREEADS Work Packages WP8 (pilot validation) and WP4 (risk assessment and modeling).
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Analysis of flammability thresholds, ignition delay, and spread dynamics in organic-rich soil layers.
Publication Details:
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Published in the vfdb 2025 Conference Proceedings, pages 535–549.
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ISBN: 978-3-936050-40-0
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Authors: Lukas Heydick, Kira Piechnik, Pascal Vorwerk, Florian Köhler, Andrea Klippel (OVGU)
The presentation was followed by an informal “Coffee Chat” session, where the TREEADS team engaged in fruitful discussions with fire protection professionals, public authorities, and researchers.
Feedback:
The topic sparked significant interest among attendees. German authorities and technical experts emphasized the growing relevance of forest fire studies and called for additional research funding on ground fire phenomena and environmental fire risks.
Audience: Over 650 participants from science, industry, government institutions, and media.
The event enabled strong networking with stakeholders such as the German Fire Protection Association, promoting further dissemination of TREEADS findings and fostering potential collaborations.
