Strengthening the policy framework for landscape fire management in Albania was the focus of a workshop held with members of the National Landscape Fire Management (LFM) Network in Tirana on 31 March 2026. The event was organised within the framework of the Landscape Fire Management in the Western Balkans (LFMWB) Programme and brought together around 25 stakeholders from relevant institutions and organisations.
Opening remarks were delivered by Ylli Hoxha, representative of the Ministry of Environment, and Cvetan Nikolovski, Team Leader of the LFMWB Programme. They highlighted the increasing complexity of landscape fire risks and stressed the importance of coordinated, cross-sectoral action, as well as the growing role of the National LFM Network in facilitating policy dialogue and cooperation.
A central part of the workshop focused on the presentation and validation of the LFM Gap Analysis in Albania, delivered by Arjol Lila, LFMWB’s Country Project Staff in Tirana. The analysis provided a comprehensive overview of the current system, identifying key challenges and opportunities across prevention, preparedness, suppression, and post-fire management. Participants engaged in group discussions to reflect on the findings and contribute to defining priority measures for future action.
The workshop also marked an important step forward in the development of national LFM policy guidelines. Through interactive sessions, participants explored potential directions for the guidelines and shared practical recommendations based on their institutional experience, helping shape a framework that responds to the country’s specific needs and challenges.
The active participation and exchange of perspectives demonstrated a strong commitment among stakeholders to further strengthen landscape fire management in Albania. By combining analytical insights with collaborative planning, the workshop contributed to laying the groundwork for more effective, coordinated, and forward-looking LFM policies.
The workshop was organised within the framework of the LFMWB Programme, which is financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and coordinated by Farmahem – Skopje as a Regional Executive Agency, with backstopping support from Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation.