WUI PROTECT ©
(Wildland Urban Interface Defense System)

WUIProtect® (Wildland Urban Interface Defense System) is a system designed to provide towns located in forest lands (WUI) with a defensive structure in the event of a fire-related incident. WUIProtect® is based on the combination of 4 fundamental pillars:

– Preventive and self-protection planning
– Fuel management (silviculture and pyrogardening)
– Infrastructures: reservoirs, fire sprinklers, wireless sensor networks
– Training

PROJECT GUARDIAN ©
(Green Urban Actions for Resilient Fire Defencer of the Interface Area)

Guardian (UIA03-338) is a project aimed at increasing fire resilience in an area of ​​the Túria Natural Park. The initiative, which has a grant from the European Union, is led by the Riba-roja de Túria City Council, Paterna City Council, Hidraqua, Medi XXI, University of Valencia, Polytechnic University of Valencia and Cetaqua. Likewise, the Parc Natural del Túria (Generalitat Valenciana) collaborates in this project.

Among the actions that will be developed is the design and construction of an ERA (water regeneration station) for the elimination of emerging micro-pollutants, which will treat part of the effluent from the Camp de Túria II WWTP. The reclaimed water will be used, through the installation of cannons, for preventive irrigation and maintenance of the areas that form the green barriers for protection against fires in the forest-urban interface, avoiding the use of drinking water. In addition, the design and construction of the reclaimed water transport and distribution network (tanks, pipes, pumping stations), the monitoring of climatic and agronomic conditions, the construction of green barriers and the restoration of the protected wet area will be carried out. (Reservoir of La Vallesa). Finally, forestry and vegetation management works will be carried out, the introduction of fire-resilient species, and training for the population in fire prevention and self-defense.

The project also contemplates communication actions and training in fire prevention for the population residing in the urban-forest interface, a socio-economic analysis of the global impact of the project, as well as the replicability of the GUARDIAN project in other urban areas.