On March 26, 2025, the Ministry of Tourism and Environment (MTE) in Tirana, Albania hosted a significant meeting that marked the official establishment of the National Landscape Fire Management (LFM) Network. The meeting was organized as part of the SDC’s Landscape Fire Management in the Western Balkans (LFMWB) Programme. This event brought together over 25 key stakeholders from science, practice, and policy sectors to strengthen the national approach to LFM.
The meeting commenced with welcoming remarks from Klodiana Marika, Director of the Directorate of Nature and Forests at the MTE, who emphasized the importance of the national efforts in fire prevention and management. Sofjan Jaupaj, Deputy Minister of Tourism and Environment, followed with an opening speech, reaffirming the Ministry’s commitment to enhancing national LFM. Moreover, Cvetan Nikolovski, LFMWB Programme Team Leader, provided an overview of the LFMWB Programme, outlining its role in fostering cross-border cooperation, shifting the focus from suppression to prevention and jointly building landscape resilience. One of the sessions was dedicated to presenting the LFM approach, by Nikola Nikolov, Head of the Regional Fire Monitoring Center.
The meeting fostered a common understanding of the LFM approach, emphasizing its role at the national level and exploring stakeholder contributions. The engaging discussions highlighted the importance of prevention measures and cross-sectoral cooperation, setting the stage for future collaboration.
A key part of the meeting was the presentation of the LFM Country Report by Arjol Lila as a Country Project Staff, followed by group work where participants provided input to refine its findings.
LFMWB Programme, continues to foster regional cooperation and resilience to landscape fires in the Western Balkans. The establishment of the LFM Network in Albania represents a crucial step in aligning national efforts with broader regional strategies and enhancing cross-border cooperation.