Forest fires are a hazard with physical, biological, ecological, and environmental consequences. To improve forest fire management, information management and technology must be capitalized and incorporated into practical operations. Early warning systems, near real-time or real-time fire detection, and reporting are becoming important components in effective forest fire readiness to enable rapid response and reduce damage and loss. There are already a number of free and open forest fire detection and monitoring systems in operational use, and we need to learn and explore what would be the most suitable for the region.

This training course on “Forest Fire Management Information System” held from November 1-5, 2021 provided an understanding of the application of technologies for fire and smoke haze information (Fire and Smoke-Informatics) and fire management. The interventions from the training will be part of the baselining information for the development of a regional initiative to be discussed at the “High-Level Workshop on Forest-related Disaster Management and Impacts of Climate Change” in 2022.