About
Background & experience
Two decades in wildfire risk, civil protection operations and integrated fire governance.
I am a physical geographer with a Ph.D on Wildfire Susceptibility Modelling in Mainland Portugal, with twenty years of experience in this field of work.
I am currently the deputy of policy for integrated fire management at the Portuguese Agency for Wildfire Integrated Management (AGIF). I have also worked as an advisor at the Special Unit for the Portuguese Wildfire Management System, created by the Portuguese Government in late 2017 after a very severe fire campaign. Since 2017, I have been working mostly on high-level governance, policy and planning.
My previous working experience includes several years at the Portuguese National Authority for Civil Protection, during which I took on tasks such as deputy at the national command for relief operations and delegate to the ProCiv working party of the Council of the European Union. Before that, I also worked for the Portuguese National Forest Authority as liaison with Civil Protection.
I am trained under the Union Civil Protection Mechanism Training Programme.
Career
Recent experience
2019 – Present
Agency for Integrated Rural Fire Management
Deputy for Integrated Management Policies, responsible for the 2020-2030 integrated wildfire management national plan (strategy and process chain), legislative process and liaison on international projects. Coordinator and main author of the international Landscape Fire Governance Framework.
2017 – 2018
Special Unit for creation of the Portuguese Rural Fire Integrated System
Advisor, as part of the cabinet of the special unit created by the Portuguese government after the severe wildfires of 2017. Kickstarted the 2020-2030 integrated wildfire management national plan, authored several resolutions of the Council of Ministers and produced a proposal for incident command system revision, among other tasks.
2009 – 2017
National Authority for Civil Protection
Supporting the national directorate for Civil Protection Resources (2015–2017).
Physical Geographer at the Working Group on GIS (2014–2015).
Head of Planning, Operations and Information Unit at the national command for relief operations
(2013–2014).
National Operations Assistant at the national command for relief operations (2009–2013), awarded
the Civil Protection and Relief Medal of Merit.
The Civil Protection and Relief Medal of Merit is awarded to people or organizations standing out for their actions protecting people and assets, on a preventive or operative level, under conditions of risk, solidarity and cooperation with authorities for the coordination of relief resources.
Expert on wildfire governance
Peer review of disaster risk management & civil protection systems
The Peer Review of disaster risk management provides a country or region with an opportunity to reflect on its readiness to cope with natural and man-made disasters, and to identify ways of improving risk prevention and preparedness.
Thematic review on Wildfire risk management
Athens, Greece · 29 January – 2 February 2024
Thematic review on Wildfire risk management
Rome, Italy · 18–25 May 2024
Talks & publications
Selected talks
Delivered at Dubai's COP28 side event promoted by AGIF, on how good fire governance can help with climate goals.
Launch event for the OECD report on the Portuguese case-study on taming wildfires.
More talks and write-ups are posted in my notes.
Education
Academic background
Ph.D in Physical Geography
University of Lisbon
Dissertation on Wildfire Susceptibility Modelling in Mainland Portugal.
MSc in Physical Geography, Risks and Environmental Resources
University of Lisbon
Thesis on Wildfire Hazard Assessment and Modelling in Mainland Portugal (in Portuguese only).
Geography & Regional Planning, Physical Geography branch
University of Lisbon
Degree in geography covering geomorphology, geology, climatology, cartography and territorial management, among others.
Union Civil Protection Mechanism courses
European Civil Protection Mechanism training
Community Mechanism Induction Course
Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Rome, Italy
Operational Management Course
Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency MSB, Revinge, Sweden
Assessment Mission Course
Federal Agency of Technical Relief, Cyprus Civil Defense, The Johanniter International Assistance, Cyprus
High Level Coordination Course
Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance, Arnhem, The Netherlands