The warmer, drier conditions created by a changing climate are lengthening forest fire season. The seasonal wildfires that rage across the lower Mekong countries drive home the importance of community-based fire management (CBFiM).
Forest fires release carbon emissions, harming public health, livelihoods and ecosystems while exacerbating climate change. Effective and sustainable fire management requires a shift to community-based strategies that focus on preparation and risk reduction. Such a shift needs to align with local needs and involve government collaboration.
RECOFTC began the Community-based Fire Management Project in Asia, a five-year partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, in October 2022. Since then, the CBFiM project has been supporting communities and governments in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam to manage landscape fires and increase climate resilience.
Through CBFiM, we are applying adaptive management strategies to enhance resilience in fire-threatened landscapes. This multistakeholder, multisector approach prioritizes community perspectives and shared benefits for nature and people.
In 2023, we worked with community members to co-design, develop and implement tailored CBFiM plans. Using participatory approaches to include community voices and fire agency experts and practitioners, we assessed social, economic and cultural contexts to promote community-led fire management across the region.
As the threat of wildfires increases, it is essential that we strengthen the resilience of forest communities while empowering them to manage fires in their localities.