On 22 December 2025, through Qendra për Transferimin e Dijes dhe Inovacionit (Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Centre), the first stakeholder meeting was held within the Landscape Fire Management – Western Balkans (LFMWB) project. The meeting took place in the Municipality of Kamenica, bringing together key local actors to support coordinated action on landscape fire management.
The event gathered representatives of the Municipality of Kamenica and Partes, along with participants from important local sectors, including agricultural workers, firefighters, fishermen, hunters, NGOs, and high school students. This diverse participation created a valuable platform for discussion and collaboration among stakeholders involved in landscape fire prevention, preparedness, and response.
The meeting opened with welcome remarks delivered by the LFMWB Project Manager, Prof. Asst. Milan Veselinovic, followed by a detailed introduction to the project. Participants were introduced to the project’s overall purpose, the structure of upcoming activities, and the key objectives, including the role of operating bodies and the importance of addressing fire-related risks through shared planning and coordination.
A key part of the agenda focused on technical and practical topics that support better decision-making and field response. Ms Gresa Neziri delivered an expert session on the importance of mapping, highlighting how reliable data and GIS tools can strengthen planning, improve coordination, and support more effective local interventions. This was followed by an expert presentation by Mr Arian Mavriqi on drone management, introducing the basic characteristics of drones and explaining their role in supporting field activities and landscape fire management efforts.
The meeting concluded with an open discussion on the event and the next steps, allowing participants to share reflections and expectations for future activities. Building on the discussions held in Kamenica, the next meeting will move further into practice, with a stronger focus on hands-on work related to drone use and GIS mapping, supporting stakeholders with more applied learning and real-case scenarios.
* This initiative is implemented by the Centre for Knowledge Transfer and Innovation (QTDI) within the framework of the Landscape Fire Management in the Western Balkans, which is a project financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation – SDC and coordinated by Farmahem from Skopje, North Macedonia, with backstopping support from Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation from Switzerland.