The Landscape Fire Management in the Western Balkans Programme’s Team leader Mr. Cvetan Nikolovski, participated in the 20th Annual Working Meeting of the Ministers of Agriculture of South-Eastern Europe, held in Belgrade on 30 September 2026. The meeting was...
LFMWB Programme
Еxtreme weather events such as long-lasting droughts create conditions for devastating fires. Climate change, land-use change, and the rural exodus are increasing the ecosystem’s vulnerability to landscape fires in the Western Balkans (WB), which represents one of the most affected regions in Europe by landscape fires (LFs).
To mitigate the negative impacts of LFs in the WB, the Landscape Fire Management in the Western Balkans (LFMWB) Programme financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation – SDC aims to increase the resilience of Western Balkan forests and landscapes against fires to benefit the people who depend on these landscapes for their livelihoods and socioeconomic development.
The LFMWB Programme within the period of 2022-2026 focuses on the following outcomes:
- Better Cooperation: A lasting regional network is established and contributes to cross-boundary knowledge exchange and cooperation in landscape fire management (LFM);
- Better Capacities: Strengthened capacities on broader LFM approaches allow for effective cross-sectoral collaboration at multiple levels;
- Better Policies: Revised policies and strategies on LFM are in place to support sustainable landscape management at local, national and regional levels
Programme Activities
Regional LFM network
The Western Balkans united with the common goal of increasing resilience of forests and landscapes against fires.
National LFM network
Landscape Fire Management
Capacity building
Community based projects
Public awareness
Knowledge Platform
LFMWB Partners Gather in Albania to Reflect on LFM Progress, Regional Exchange, and Shape the Way Forward
From 21 to 25 September 2026, around 20 representatives of the Landscape Fire Management in the Western Balkans (LFMWB) Programme’s partner institutions gathered in Albania to reflect on LFM progress, exchange regional experiences, and strengthen LFM capacities. As...
The Travelling Exhibition Continues Its Journey to Sarajevo
The stories behind the lens continue their journey across the Western Balkans, bringing the beauty of our landscapes and the importance of protecting them to Sarajevo. The travelling exhibition “Landscape Fire Protection through the Camera Lens” has arrived in...
The impact of landscape fires on agriculture in the Western Balkans
Agriculture remains a vital sector across the Western Balkans, providing food, employment, and income for millions of people. The countries in the region possess diverse agricultural systems that include crop production, livestock farming, orchards, vineyards, and...
Stories Behind the Lens – „This beauty of the landscapes was passed down to us intact; please do not let it end with you”
In today’s interview we are talking with Mensur Gashi awarded with 3rd prize for his outstanding photograph capturing mountain landscapes affected by fire during the spring season. Mensur Gashi is a mountaineer, nature photographer, and environmental advocate from...
Stories Behind the Lens – “Photography cannot stop fires, but it can preserve what we are about to lose”
Meet Evgenij Yulkin, the third-prize winner of the regional photography exhibition “Landscape Fire Protection through the Camera Lens”. His award-winning photograph portrays a powerful contrast: people relaxing on a beach, seemingly unaware of the fire spreading...


















