This review is guided by the Project FireFight South East Asia (PFFSEA), with the aim to document successful community experiences with forest fires and analyse those political, institutional, economic and cultural elements that enable local communities to actively engage in preventing uncontrolled burning. The use of fires to clear land for "permanent" agriculture and settlements by local communities is widespread in South East Asia. Whether such fires can be controlled depends on various aspects, such as the presence of fuel, the biophysical conditions of the forest or the availability of firebreaks. The local community's interest in the forest is another important factor. The case studies in this review show that successful community involvement in forest fire management depends on many factors. It embodies a community's attachment or ownership of and dependence on forest resources. Traditional knowledge of the local biophysical environment and fire usage is important in many communities. Absence of tenure conflict also bolsters a community's interest in fire management. The community's control over its resources can ensure that its interests and concerns are addressed and protected too. Success also rests on compliance with community rules on fire usage. The report identifies several options to promote community-based forest fire management in South East Asia, such as analyzing and compiling existing cases, adding fire management component into existing community-based resource management projects, strengthening projects with community-based fire management components, and designing and implementing community-based forest fire management projects.

Type of Case
Printed publication (book, sourcebook, journal article…)

Publisher
Project FireFight South East Asia

Region
Asia Pacific

Biome
Tropical

Forest Type
All forest types (natural and planted)

Primary Designated Function
All