Patricio I. Sanhueza is a Forester and Bachelor of Forestry Science of University of Chile, being involved in numerous trainings, technical assistance and support programs in fire pre-suppression and fire suppression for national and international organizations for more than 45 years. He began in fire management in CONAF, the Chilean National Forest Service, in 1974 as student volunteer firefighter. In 1979 he was hired by CONAF, and later he assumed as a National Fire Operation ‘Chief. From 2016 to 2022, when he retired, he served as Senior Wildfire Management Specialist, and coordinator and international liaison officer for Fire Management. He currently dedicates part of his time to advising organizations and institutions that require his professional services. Patricio served for many years as main Professor in Wildfire Cathedra in the Universidad de Chile, Universidad Mayor, Universidad Santo Tomas, and INACAP. He contributed to wildfires training/cooperation programs advising Latin-American’s, and Asian’s countries, and Fire Projects for an International and UN and Canadian-CIDA, World Bank agencies. Patricio participate in the International Fire Aviation Working Group-IFAWG and co-coordinate the Regional Forest Fire Management Network of South America of the UNISDR-Global Network of Forest Fires. He is a member, since its creation, of the International Liaison Committee for the International Conferences on Forest Fires-IWFC.

Started in this fire world as a firefighter back in 1989. Became a fire-ecology forester in 1997. Started my corrent position as incident commander and Wildfire strategic analyst at Catalan Fire Service in 1999. Created the GRAF teams and directed its division along with prescribed burn plan and wildfire training program. Internationally involved in support missions as EU ECPM wildfire expert. Founder and former president of Pau Costa Foundation, now on its Advisory committee. Teaching at the University of Lleida Master Fuego as a professor, Serving at the advisory board member Leverhulme wildfire center. Have been recognized by the International Association of wildland fire (IAWF) safety award at Boise 2015. Also, by Montero de Burgos award for communication in Forest and wildfires in Madrid 2017 by the foresters association. Lately, in 2022 I received the Felip Costafreda award for the work done for farmers and their role in landscape management against wildfires. Since 2021 I have been back to school at WUR (NL) doing a PhD in boundary layer physics, and wildfire changed fire spread patterns

Gordy Sachs has been with the U.S. Forest Service Fire & Aviation Management for 16 years and currently serves as Chief for All Hazard and International Fire Support. Gordy also serves as Chair of the International Liaison Committee and is a member of several other national and international committees. ‍Previously, Gordy worked 10 years at the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s U.S. Fire Administration, most recently as National Response Program Manager. He has 27 years of structural fire service experience, including over ten years as a chief fire officer in both career and volunteer fire departments. He is a graduate of the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Program and has a master’s degree in Public Administration, a bachelor of science degree in Education, and three associate in applied science degrees in fire science disciplines. He is also a published author (four books, several reference book chapters, and numerous articles) focusing on emergency response safety, management and leadership.

Alen is a forester with over 25 years experience in wildland fire management. Currently he holds a position of the Deputy Chief Officer Fire Risk, Research and Community Preparedness within Country Fire Authority in Victoria, Australia. He is also a past president of the International Association of Wildland Fire. He has extensive expertise in leadership, fire and emergency management, research, risk management, change management and complex program management. He has authored numerous research papers, technical reports and conference papers and presented at many national and international fire and emergency management conferences.

Luís Lopes, 41 years old, started as a firefighter back in 1995, graduated in Civil Protection, from the School of Technology and Management of the Polytechnic of Leiria, Master in Social Dynamics, Natural and Technological Risks, from the Faculty of Letters of the University of Coimbra and PhD student in Territory, Risk and Public Policies, by the University of Coimbra, in association with the University of Aveiro and the University of Lisbon. He is a councilor in the Municipality of Leiria responsible for the Environment, Civil Protection, Mobility and Firefighters. He was Commander and 2nd Commander of the Leiria Volunteer Fire Brigade, Vice-President of the Executive Council of the Portuguese Firefighters League, 2nd District Operational Commander of Leiria in the Leiria District Relief Operations Command, and Regional Coordinator of the Center at the Agency for the Integrated Management of Rural Fires.