Year of publication 2011

Fire is a natural disturbance event that has also been used by humans for millennia as a tool to manipulate their environment. Fire still plays an essential role in many societies today; however, fire is not always used appropriately and can often be damaging. The danger is exacerbated by issues such as changes in land use, increasing population in rural areas, inadequate or inappropriate policy, and climate change. Through its integrated approach, community-based fire management (CBFiM) has the potential to address many of these challenges effectively. Numerous natural resource management projects are being implemented globally that directly involve or collaborate with communities. An integrated approach to fire management that includes communities in decision-making and implementation, CBFiM is a positive, perhaps essential, element of project implementation where fire has been identified as a threat. CBFiM should be considered as a viable approach to both effective fire management and climate change mitigation. This review presents the core elements of the CBFiM and the tools and strategy for its implementation. In annex, it also presents five different case studies on community-based fire management experiences around the world.