Climate change and land use changes have led to increasingly frequent and extreme wildfires in recent years with disastrous effects on ecosystems, livelihoods and national economies.
Some fires occur naturally, but humans cause at least 90 percent of them, and extreme wildfires are set to become about 50 percent more frequent by the end of the century.
Countries are spending vast resources on emergency response efforts to fight fires when they strike and have increasingly been calling for support from the international fire community to reduce the impacts and build their capacity to address wildfires before they start.
Wildfires are increasing in frequency and intensity due to climate change and land use change.
Indigenous communities have been using fire to manage landscapes for thousands of years.
Any effective fire management programme must consider the ecology and fire history of the area.
FAO's work on integrated fire management
FAO has long focused on fire management and is one of the international organizations promoting the development of a comprehensive approach to integrated fire management by applying the 5 Rs: Review and Analysis, Risk Reduction, Readiness, Response to Fires, and Recovery. FAO also supports countries in managing forest fires by establishing global and regional fire management networks that facilitate exchanges and promote cooperation on integrated fire management.
In 2024, FAO published the Integrated Fire Management Voluntary Guidelines: Principles and strategic actions to help countries develop an integrated approach to fire management, from review and analysis, risk reduction to response (to fires) and restoration . This second edition benefits from contributions from experts in countries and specialized partner institutions to gain insights into new developments and solutions in integrated fire management.
Projects and networks
Global Fire Management Hub
A partnership to build country capacity to implement integrated fire management.
AFFIRM
A global mechanism that will enable countries better understand, manage and affront forest fires.
News
FAO launches updated guidelines to tackle extreme wildfires
26/07/2024
AFFIRM attends regional workshop to discuss future of air quality management in Asia
25/06/2024
Publications
Integrated fire management voluntary guidelines: Principles and strategic actions
01/09/2024
Damaging wildfires in many parts of the world in recent years have prompted an increase in demand for technical support for integrated fire management. This publication outlines how to implement integrated fire management at the landscape level, enhance best fire-management practices, including cultural practices for sustainable land use, and engage diverse stakeholders.
