At the Fire Resilience for Heritage in a Changing Climate event on November 11-12, 2024, UNESCO launched the Fire risk management guide: protecting cultural and natural heritage from fire.
Held at the Valparaíso Cultural Park in Chile, the event highlighted the importance of fire risk prevention for heritage sites in a shifting climate landscape.
The Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, along with the National Centre for World Heritage Sites and the Municipal Corporation for the Administration of the World Heritage Site of Valparaíso, coordinated the event, which attracted global experts focused on strategies to safeguard heritage from fire hazards.
The newly released guide aims to provide frameworks for protecting vulnerable heritage sites, addressing how rising fire risks, driven by climate change, impact these sites.
As reported by UNESCO, the event featured collaborative discussions on best practices, local strategies, and global experiences in fire resilience.
Esther Kuisch Laroche, Director of UNESCO’s Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, underscored the need to include local communities and Indigenous knowledge in fire risk management.
She emphasized that holistic approaches are essential for the effective safeguarding of cultural and natural heritage from fire threats.
“The guide provides critical insights, and communities play a pivotal role in implementing these strategies,” Laroche noted.
Speakers at the event discussed various strategies for involving communities and local authorities, with presentations from representatives across Latin America, Africa, Asia, Europe, and Oceania.
They shared insights into community-centered fire prevention approaches, recognizing Indigenous knowledge as vital in adapting to climate-induced fire risks.
Christopher Marrion from the United States, Chair of the International Committee on Risk Preparedness (ICORP) at ICOMOS, formally introduced the guide.
The document was evaluated by key experts, including Macarena Carroza from Chile, Muhammad Al-Absi from Jordan, and Denis Lukwago from Uganda, each contributing regional perspectives on risk management for heritage preservation.
Their feedback reflects a diverse set of heritage contexts, helping to adapt the guide to varied conditions globally.
This collaborative review process underscores the guide’s adaptability to both the unique challenges and common threats faced by heritage sites worldwide, providing a foundation for UNESCO’s ongoing efforts in risk preparedness.
Following the guide’s release, UNESCO announced that a pilot project would be implemented at the Valparaíso World Heritage Site in Chile and Los Alerces National Park in Argentina.
Supported by UNESCO’s Heritage Emergency Fund, these projects aim to apply and refine the guide’s recommendations in real-world settings.
By adapting these guidelines locally, the initiative seeks to strengthen community capabilities and mitigate fire-related risks.
The Valparaíso and Los Alerces sites will serve as testing grounds, allowing UNESCO and local stakeholders to assess the guide’s effectiveness and scalability.
This initiative signals the start of further applications at other heritage sites facing similar fire risk challenges.
UNESCO introduced its Fire risk management guide: protecting cultural and natural heritage from fire on November 11-12, 2024, during a conference in Valparaíso, Chile, attended by heritage experts worldwide.
Directed by UNESCO’s Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, the event focused on rising fire risks due to climate change.
Esther Kuisch Laroche, regional director, stressed involving communities and Indigenous knowledge in fire risk management.
The guide was presented by Christopher Marrion of ICORP at ICOMOS and reviewed by specialists from Chile, Jordan, and Uganda.
UNESCO’s Heritage Emergency Fund is backing pilot projects at Chile’s Valparaíso site and Argentina’s Los Alerces National Park to implement the guide’s recommendations.
