Abstract
The global trend of innovative development of society positions virtual reality (VR) technologies as an integral tool in the management process. The study aims to analyse the potential of using immersive technologies in the system of forest fire prevention and management. The research was conducted using special scientific methods – experimentation and statistical methods descriptive and inferential statistics. The study determined that immersive technologies are now rapidly developing from the position of innovation to a practical range of tools. The study established that their implementation in the paradigm of environmental management policy is positioned as a prospective necessity and a factor in intensifying the quality of preventive environmental protection. The essence of the phenomenon of immersive technologies is specified, and their components, in particular, objective, virtual and augmented reality, are described. The potential of immersive technologies in the concept of expanding the toolkit of a modern industry specialist is investigated. The study proved that the use of VR applications has a significant potential for a positive impact on reducing the number of forest fires and improving the state of forest ecosystems. The specifics of the use of immersive technologies in the concept of forest fire prevention and management were analysed in the study. An example of the use of virtual reality technologies in the process of modelling the situation of fire prevention in a certain forest area using a VR application in the educational environment is presented. In the process of studying the features of virtual reality technologies in environmental modelling, the advantages and risks of their integration are highlighted. The results of the study can be effectively used in the practical process of implementing the concept of ensuring a sustainable environment in terms of forest fire prevention