EWRECA kick-off meeting held: Italy, Albania and Montenegro join forces in wildfire prevention
By: admin
11 Nov
0
On 20 and 21 October 2026, the partners of the EWRECA project held their kick-off meeting at the headquarters of the Civil Protection Section of the Puglia Region in Modugno, near Bari. This first in-person meeting brought together representatives of civil protection services, research institutions and development organisations from Italy, Albania and Montenegro. In the coming period, they will work together to reduce wildfire risk and protect nature along the South Adriatic coast.
The meeting was opened by Barbara Valenzano, Director of the Civil Protection Section of the Puglia Region. She pointed out that EWRECA goes a step beyond conventional wildfire prevention and firefighting, as it also addresses the long-term environmental consequences of wildfires, particularly for protected areas, biodiversity and vulnerable habitats. Davide Marcianò, Project Officer at the Joint Secretariat of the Interreg IPA South Adriatic Programme, presented the Programme rules and confirmed the Secretariat’s full support to the partners throughout project implementation.
During the two days, the partners reviewed the key project activities and agreed on the next steps. They also visited the operations centre of the Puglia Region Civil Protection. FORS Montenegro – Foundation for the Development of Northern Montenegro, which coordinates project communication, presented the project’s communication and visibility framework.
In recent years, wildfires have become one of the greatest threats to the coastal areas of the South Adriatic, especially in summer, when the number of residents and tourists is at its highest. Through cross-border cooperation, EWRECA aims to make the region more resilient to this threat. The project is based on risk analysis and mapping, better emergency planning, improved early warning systems and knowledge exchange. In this way, it helps reduce damage to ecosystems and the local economy and builds a culture of prevention and preparedness.
EWRECA (Enabling Wildfire Risk Reduction and Environmental Conservation in the Adriatic Coast) is led by the Civil Protection Section of the Puglia Region, in partnership with Molise Region, CIMA Foundation, the National Civil Protection Agency of Albania and FORS Montenegro. The project runs for 30 months, starting in July 2025.
EWRECA is co-funded by the European Union through the Interreg IPA South Adriatic Programme, and in Montenegro it is co-financed by the Ministry of Regional Investment Development and Cooperation with Non-Governmental Organisations.
