Forest fires: the EDHEC Climate Institute and Climate Innov are organising preparedness, from the individual citizen to operational decision-making

In 2026, the forest fires season is set to be particularly severe. With the expected development of the El Niño phenomenon, there are fears that the tragic record set in 2022 – when 62,000 hectares went up in smoke in France, the equivalent of 60 per cent of the area of Paris – could be surpassed. It is against this backdrop that the EDHEC Climate Institute and Climate Innov are simultaneously launching ensemblepourlaforet.fr and SecuFire Action, creating a seamless link between public information, regional planning and support for operational public decision-making.

The principle is clear: a single foundation of satellite data, artificial intelligence and scientific modelling underpins both platforms. The first is aimed at all citizens, providing a free forecast of the risk of a fire starting. The second is aimed at public sector stakeholders, offering a professional tool for analysis and decision-making support.

The benefits of this partnership: the EDHEC Climate Institute provides a framework for applied research into climate risks and decision support. Climate Innov contributes the scientific engineering expertise: space technology, artificial intelligence, physical modelling of fire spread, automated data acquisition, advanced analysis and software development.

The value of this partnership lies in the combination of two complementary fields: climate research, which shapes our understanding of risk, and operational engineering, which transforms that understanding into a practical tool. It enables us to move from available data to actionable data.