The Global Fire Monitoring Center, in its function of Secretariat of the Global Wildland Fire Network (GWFN), the Wildland Fire Advisory Group (WFAG), the International Fire Aviation Working Group (WFAG) and Interim Secretariat of the International Wildfire Preparedness Mechanism (IWPM), provides tools for advising/supporting nations and the United Nations in capacity building in wildland fire management and wildfire disaster risk reduction.

The Global Fire Monitoring Center provides an international portal for documentation, information and monitoring for the early warning of wildfire threats and events in near real time. In case of a large wildland fire that threatens national resources and/or national interests and those requiring response by the international community, the country affected may request information regarding response measures by using contact information. The GFMC is serving as coordinator and facilitator of the UNISDR Wildland Fire Advisory Group and the UNISDR Global Wildland Fire Network. These are global voluntary-based networks providing policy advice and transfer of science and technology, enabling nations to more effectively reduce the negative environmental and human impacts of vegetation fires. Additionally it aims to advance the knowledge and application of the ecologically and environmentally benign role of natural fire in fire-dependent ecosystems, as well as sustainable application of fire in land-use systems.