Master's Degree in Forest Fires, Science and Integral Management

The Master in Forest Fires, Science and Integral Management (MasterFUEGO) jointly offered by the Universitat Politècnica de València together with the Universitat de Lleida and the Universidad de León is a unique master's degree in Spain and Europe that prepares professionals specialised in wildland fires, both in public administrations and in companies.

Specialised training in wildland fires is a priority in the fight against climate change, as wildland fires represent the most significant natural disturbance in the current context of climate emergency. The master's degree complements the Bachelor's Degree in Forest and Environmental Engineering and the Master's Degree in Forest Engineering taught at the ETSIAMN of the UPV.

The specific training offered by this master's degree responds to the growing demand for professionals trained explicitly in fire prevention and extinguishing in Mediterranean conditions. The new European, national and regional policies, strategies and programmes, in compliance with the European Green Pact, have led to a very significant increase in the budget allocations of the different public administrations, but also of the companies in the sector, which is resulting in a substantial increase in jobs in prevention tasks, but also in extinguishing.

The Interuniversity Master in Forest Fires, Science and Integral Management (MasterFUEGO) has as its general objective the training of highly qualified personnel to meet the social demand for the management of wildland fire emergencies, both in public administrations and in companies. The specific teaching objectives of the master's degree are as follows:

• Analyse, interpret and model the risk and behaviour of wildland fires, as well as their effect on ecosystems and the territory, by the use of innovative geospatial analysis techniques, with the aim of:
  • Estimating fire risk and areas of high vulnerability to design the most appropriate prevention actions,
  • Designing strategies and tactics and using the necessary techniques and means for their control, and
  • Interpreting the effects of fire on the different elements of the ecosystem according to their severity and drawing up action plans for areas affected by wildland fires.
• Manage, comprehensively, the wildland fire emergency at a strategic, tactical and operational level, prioritising the safety and health of the human resources involved.
• Accomplish the standards of the different technical positions in the organisation of wildland fire emergencies, e.g. Director of Fire Extinguishing, Chief of Air Operations and Coordinator of Air Resources.
• Acquire the most innovative scientific and technical knowledge in the area of wildland fires, including the latest research results and their applications, preparing students who wish to continue to a future doctorate.

90 ECTS of which:

• Compulsory subjects 50
• Optional subjects 17,5
• External internships 10,5
• Final Master's Project 12

The academic programme of the master's degree is structured into four modules with their related subjects:

Wildland fire management and technologies (50 ECTS, compulsory subjects)

• Subject 1. Foundations of wildland fires.
• Subject 2. Risk and prevention of wildland fires.
• Subject 3. Fire emergencies management
• Subject 4. Fire extinguishing

Module II Management of resources and techniques in emergencies. (17.5 ECTS, optional subjects)

• Subject 1. Operational management.
• Subject 2. Fire defence planning
• Subject 3. Research and cooperation in wildland fires

Module III Internship (10.5 ECTS, compulsory subject)

Module IV Final Master's Project (12 ECTS, compulsory subject)

This master's degree is aimed at university graduates with a basic knowledge of forestry engineering and management. Therefore, the graduates to whom the master's degree is addressed are all those who work in a multidisciplinary way in forest fire management, although mainly all forestry technicians. The degrees that allow direct access to the master's degree are the following: Technical Forestry Engineer, specialising in Forestry Operations, Technical Forestry Engineer, specialising in Forestry Industries, and all current Bachelor's Degrees that qualify for the profession of Technical Forestry Engineer (Bachelor's Degree in Forest Engineering). All those with a degree in Forest Engineering or a Master's degree in Forest Engineering also have direct access to the programme.

The master's offers 25 seats per year. The Master's Studies Committee assesses the profiles of candidates who do not have direct access (Bachelor's Architect's or Engineer's degrees and their equivalents in the EHEA - e.g. Environmental Sciences, Biology, Agricultural Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Rural Engineering, Geography, etc.) and will establish, if necessary, the training complements up to a maximum of 20 ECTS in Foundations of the Forest Environment (5 ECTS), Foundations of Forest Management (5 ECTS), Foundations of GIS and Remote Sensing (5 ECTS) and Foundations of Wildland Fires (5 ECTS).

Máster interuniversatario en modo semipresencial.

• Non-face-to-face part: Autonomous learning by the student with the teaching resources available on the virtual campus, supported by some synchronous or asynchronous classes, via videoconferences, and individual or group tutorials. This part aims to achieve theoretical knowledge of the subject.
• Face-to-face part: It aims to develop the practical and applied content of the course. Off-campus activities of the course and seminars are carried out in computer rooms or laboratories. This face-to-face part is organised through stays on the three campuses (Lleida, León and València), depending on which campus the course is assigned to. Stays are for a maximum of 6 days.

Enrolment is formalised at the coordinating university (Universitat de Lleida).

Universitat de Lleida (universidad coordinadora)
Universitat Politècnica de València
Universidad de León

The structure of the Syllabus gives essential weight to the Internships and the Master's Final Project (TFM). The aim is for students to develop all the skills acquired in an environment similar to their future job.

The master's degree has a wide range of public and private companies in different regions of Spain, where students can carry out their internships. To this must be added the close relationship, collaboration and support of the professional associations of Forestry Engineers and Forestry Engineers at the national level.

The dissemination, carried out among companies in the sector, organisations, and public institutions, has allowed the master's degree to have multiple collaboration agreements, such as the following:

• Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge. Wildland Fire Defence Area
• Ministry of Defence. Military Emergency Unit
• Institute of Public Safety. Government of Catalonia
• Regional Government of Andalusia. Regional Ministry of the Environment
• Government of Andalusia. Environment and Water Agency
• Government of Valencia Valencian Agency for Safety and Emergency Response
• Government of Aragon Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Environment
• Emergency Agency of Navarra. -Government of Navarra
• Provincial Consortium of Firefighters of València
• Council of Barcelona
• National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA)
• Spanish Association of Forestry Engineers
• Spanish Association of Technical Forestry Engineers
• Forestry Technology Centre of Catalonia
• INAER, the leader in Air Media
• TECNOSYLVA, the leader in Fire Engineering
• HISPASAT
• TELVENT ENVIRONMENT
• INDRA ESPACIO
• DEIMOS IMAGING
• ISDEFE Systems Engineering for Spanish Defence, S.A
• EXPACE ON BOARD SYSTEMS, S.L
• BRAINSTORM MULTIMEDIA, S.L
• GEACAM
• VAERSA Valencian Waste-to-Energy Company, S.A
• ARIES INGENIERÍA Y SISTEMAS, S.A
• INDRA SOFTWARE LAB, S.L.U
• INNOVATEC SENSORIZACIÓN Y COMUNICACIÓN, S.L
• METEOGRID
• TELECOMUNICACIONES MERINO
• ESRI ESPAÑA
• TELEFÓNICA
• VALLFIREST
• HISPÁNICA DE AVIACIÓN
• TRAGSA
• SODEMASA
• ELIGO SISTEMAS
• INSA