Thematic and Social Programme

The 5th International Wildland Fire Conference, to be held at Sun City, South Africa, will provide a platform to bring together members of the fire community-of-practice who strive to promote learning and innovation, share practices and lessons common to sustainable use of the environment, wildland fire risk management and disaster reduction at local, national, regional and global scales. The conference will be conducted under the auspices of the United Nations’ International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) as well as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and convened by the regional Sub-Saharan Wildland Fire Network, AfriFireNet.

The presentations, exhibitions and insights offered by international professionals and experienced fire management personnel will appeal not only to fire specialists, scientists and practitioners, but also to students, commercial forestry and agriculture sectors, community leaders and decision-makers.

Conference Objectives

Building on the outputs of the previous International Wildland Fire Conferences (Boston 1989, Vancouver 1997, Sydney 2003, Seville 2007), the objectives of the 5th conference are to:

Provide a forum for fire management leaders, politicians, professionals, researchers and practitioners worldwide to discuss critical fire issues affecting communities, resources and ecosystems and work co-operatively on the consolidation of a global wildland fire management strategy.
Strengthen the effectiveness of the Regional Wildland Fire Networks and support their links into the UNISDR Global Wildland Fire Network.
Strengthen international cooperation and exchange in Fire Management practice.
Provide a platform for the fire management industry, research organizations and fire specialists to display innovations, new technologies, products and methods for wildland fire management, as well as interact with the conference participants.

The Conference Programme will be thematically arranged to follow the key aspects of Integrated Fire Management (IFM):

·         Fire Awareness and Prevention

·         Protection and Prescribed Burning

·         Resource Sharing and Co-ordination

·         Fire Detection and Suppression

·         Fire Damage Rehabilitation

·         Fire Research

The Programme will include presentations on:

·         Fire management and poverty alleviation in developing countries

·         Fire management and carbon sequestration innovations

·         Institutionalizing application of the Incident Command System

·         International exchange and assistance programmes and protocols

·         As well as an aerial fire-fighting demonstration with live fire in a National Park

Sun City Venue

The 5th International Wildland Fire Conference will be held at the premier conference venue, the Sun City Convention and Exhibition Centre. The Sun City conference venue has been chosen because it provides the modern infrastructure required for a sophisticated conference such as this, but is surrounded by a National Park and a rural African environment. This setting provides for an excellent combination of presentation venues, exhibition spaces, delegate accommodation and live fire demonstration areas within a fire-adapted environment.

Accommodation will be available in all price classes and in walking distance of the conference venue. The venue provides real income generating opportunities for surrounding poor communities, which supports the ILC’s commitment to the Millennium Development Goals and the pro-poor developmental principles of the conference organisers.

At the same time, Sun City is only 2 hours drive from Johannesburg, the main economic hub of South Africa. Connecting passenger and freight flights between Johannesburg International and Pilansberg Airport can be arranged.

Evening Programmes

The Sun City complex is ideal for both planned and impromptu meetings, dinners and networking events between participants. The organizers have taken advantage of the venues on offer to arrange a series of enjoyable evening events that will be an integral part of the delegate package.