Welcome to the Fire Research Centre at the University of Manchester. At the centre, we aim to understand the processes driving wildfire behaviour in a range of vegetation settings. Wildfires are a global phenomena burning over 530 million hectares every year affecting not only biodiversity and ecosystems but also damaging effects on human health and the economy.
In the UK, the Fire and Rescue Services attend, on average over 70,000 vegetation fires a year with increases in periods of drought and warm weather e.g. spring 2011. Whilst they may not be as spatially as extensive as wildfires elsewhere in the world, they nonetheless impact on vital ecosystem services that are relied upon by many.
By collaborating with multiple partners and agencies, we aim to create an interdisciplinary approach to tackling this challenge.
We are also using experimental field burns through the Fire Research Partnership to understand how wildfires develop and spread under different conditions. Using a multi-disiplinary team of researchers, we are able to understand in greater detail the ways in which wildfires ignite, spread and impact the environment
We are currently updating this website so please bear with us as we iron out the teething problems.
Last updated: 9th September 2011
