Understanding Fire as a Necessary Tool

Rome - For thousands of years Indigenous Peoples have used fire to sustainably manage their lands, territories and natural resources. As ecological stewards, Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge and practices of fire management are deeply rooted in their comprehensive understanding of the land and ecosystem cycles, as well as spiritual and cultural values. Their practices have an important role in protecting biodiversity, cultural diversity, enhancing food security and reducing wildfire risks and threats within their lands and territories. But the application of their practices has been limited by policies, conservation agendas, current approaches to fire management, and a lack of understanding of their cultural burning practices and methodologies. 

There are many ecosystems around the world which are adapted to fire and fire dependent. Savannahs, coniferous forests and drylands are some examples of biomes that rely on periodic fire to maintain ecological balance and biodiversity. Indigenous Peoples have helped to maintain the health of these ecosystems for millennia by applying their knowledge and practices with fire. Recognising the importance, respecting and protecting these fire management practices is of paramount importance for healthy ecosystems in the future. 

In a world that is facing mega wildfires with increasing frequency and scale, changing precipitation cycles, biodiversity loss, land degradation, ecological imbalances and climate change, Indigenous Peoples’ approaches, knowledge and fire management practices work to contrast all these patterns. In contrast, Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems are effective examples of land stewardship, fostering integrated conservation, adaptation and risk reduction. As result, they reduce wildfire risk and support landscape resilience and recovery. 

Nevertheless, legal, policy and institutional barriers, historic views of fires that focus on suppression, as well as the exclusion of Indigenous Peoples from fire governance plans and programs, continue to marginalize and weaken Indigenous Peoples-led fire management practices and initiatives in many countries. As a result, Indigenous Peoples’ fire management practices tend to be overlooked in national fire management policies and programs. There are just few examples of national fire policies that effectively include Indigenous Peoples’ fire management knowledge and practices. 

FAO does recognise the key importance of Indigenous Peoples’ fire management practices around the world, and on the 11 June 2025 co-organised, together with Thompson Rivers University (TRU), a side event that highlighted the critical role of such practices, shared good practices, and identified recommendations to include them in Integrated Fire Management systems. This side event, titled “Indigenous Peoples and Integrated Fire Management”, took place in the framework of the Global Fire Management Hub Plenary, 10 – 12 June 2025, at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.  

During this timely discussion, Indigenous speakers shared from their vast experiences and expertise on fire management from five socio-cultural regions, ranging from the rainforests of Central Africa, the Amazonian savannahs, the highlands of Southeast Asia, the forests and west coast regions of North America, and the Aboriginal territories of Australia/the Pacific. They came together to share their knowledge, research, and practices that have kept their lands and territories alive for generations and stressed the importance of including Indigenous Peoples’ leadership, while recognizing their rights and traditions in the context of fire management practices.  

 The panel at the side-event on Indigenous Peoples and Integrated Fire Management. FAO/Roberto Cenciarelli

Elder Joe Gilchrist, from the Shuswap People of Canada, part of the Thunderbird Collective and the Interior Salish Fire Keepers Society, highlighted that “we have always used fire as a tool to manage our territories and our grandmothers passed this knowledge to next generations. Fire granted us food, clean water, clean air and safe place to live. Nowadays we face restrictions, and we are fighting for our right to use fire for land stewardship, and we are asking for the right to protect the future and the way we know how for biodiversity conservation and risk reduction". 

Diel Mochire Mwenge, from the Batwa Bambuti of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), co-chair of Indigenous Peoples and local communities VCM Engagement Forum and the DRC focal point of the Network of Indigenous and Local Communities for the Sustainable Management of Forest Ecosystems in Central Africa (REPALEAC), underlined the connection between fire management practices and spirituality. “Fire is sacred to us. It brings us together; it symbolizes powers with its might. It represents solidarity, cohesion and sharing. It is a cultural link between the community, nature and our ancestors. Fire protects us against bad weather and driving away evil spirits. This is also why traditional practices of fire management are so important to us". 

Abuela Lucinda Vásquez Morales, from the Muruy People of Colombia, an elder and knowledge holder part of the Guardia Indígena, she stated, “I am an Indigenous Guard, we work to care and protect our territory to prevent fires, to strengthen our culture and tradition so we don’t lose it.” She explained how she sees trees as her children, fire is our grandfather and we women decide and plan how the burning is going to be, when to burn and why based on their own indicators such as continues sunny days, days of moisture, the fauna and flora. “We don't burn to destroy; we burn to teach, to feed and to heal.” Abuela Lucinda also reminded of the deep knowledge embedded in fire management. “We plan our use of fire carefully and we work together with fire to strengthen our forest. It is our home, we protect it, so we don’t have wildfires". 

Maria Meza, from the UNGRD (National Unit for Disaster Risk Management of Colombia) who has been working alongside Abuela Lucinda, highlighted that inclusive policies are needed to preserve the fundamental role of Indigenous Peoples’ fire management practices and knowledge, with a special attention to Indigenous Women. “Last year, Colombia have forbidden burns with El Nino, this ban caused a rupture between institutions and Indigenous Peoples leading to conflicts because the fire ban was not raised fast enough. These laws are killing us more than bullets are without being able to use our central tool of fire”. They are fighting for their right of having these traditional practices and Indigenous laws recognised, respected and understood by decision-makers. As mentioned by Abuela Lucinda, in many communities Indigenous Women are leading fire management practices and organize the communities for these low intensity burns that manage fire-risks and care for the trees and vegetation. Meza emphasized how important it is that Indigenous Women be officially recognized for their role as the leaders in these processes and practices.  

Lisbeth Andreina Sucre, from the Pemón Arekuna People of the Gran Sabana grassland plateau in Venezuela, reminded that fire contributes to preserving biodiversity, but it way more than that. “Fire is not just a tool. It is a millenary ancestral practice – part of a way of life, part of our education, and a way to look after life, not just human life. Preserving fire management practices is preserving our traditional knowledge and it is also a way to bring the community together. We preserve our territories with small fires that are made to protect against bigger fires. Fire is part of our history and helps us to look after life in its totality. We need the scientific community to listen to us and recognize the importance of our fire management practices. This is the only way we can come together to find global solutions that are customized solutions to fit each place – in which everyone can relate.”  

Michael-Shawn Fletcher, from the Wiradjuri People of Australia, Associate Dean Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, shared research data on how Indigenous Peoples’ fire management practices are essential for climate action and wildfire risk reduction. He clearly explained how fire fuels in the eucalyptus forests exploded in growth following the British invasion and colonial rule when Aboriginal cultural fire practices were stopped and the Aboriginal Peoples were forcibly displaced from the lands they had stewarded for millennia – all of which happened a century before climate change. In present times, he demonstrated how “locking up land” in wilderness areas has caused for “sick country” and leads to these incredibly catastrophic anomalies of the mega fires.  “Catastrophic fires that devastate millions of hectares in Australia started when Indigenous Peoples couldn't manage the land with their practices anymore. When people that are using fire are stopped, the land gets sick. In places where Indigenous Peoples’ burning regime came back, catastrophic fires were reduced, as in the example of the Martu Country. Burning practices reduce carbon and increase biodiversity. The more autonomy Indigenous Peoples get in continuing their fire management practices, the healthier gets the land. We saw it empirically.” In the practices of the Martu People, in areas where they have been allowed to practice their burning regime – the research data showed an immense increase in biodiversity, emissions reduction, and increase in human health. Importantly, Professor Fletcher emphasized the importance of “foot scale”, human scale and low intensity burning regimes. Where they can “care for land at our scale, where we can feel country”.  He emphasized that Indigenous Peoples have been living continuously on the land for over 6500 years in Australia, with over 250 languages spoken and the unifying feature across the different peoples was fire. He captured the attention of the room as he explained, “This is not a feel-good thing, if you want to save the place, you need us.”  

Marylin Ngales, from the Konkani People of Mt, Province in the Philippines and Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences and Program Director on Indigenous Studies/Education of the Lyceum of the Philippines University, drew the link between Indigenous Peoples’ fire management practices and their food systems. She explained that cultural burning practices and seasonal planning/timing are an integral component of the Southeast Asian Indigenous Peoples’ livelihood and lifeways, though there is little research on this aspect of fire management and instead Indigenous Peoples are criminalized in the region for their burning practices. She described one example with, “Swidden (slash and burn) is fundamental for our cultivation. It provides- us food and resources. But shifting cultivation and fire management are not only about agriculture: they are deeply connected to cultural identity and worldview. It is a pity that these practices are not understood and are still blamed". Ngales emphasized how food security and fire are “a couple, one depends on the other. As an Indigenous Person, you cannot live without the assistance of fire.”  

Yon Fernandez de Larrinoa, Head of the FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit, in his concluding remarks noted that “it is important to recognise that we have demonized territorial management practices of Indigenous Peoples without understanding them. The result of this is a disaster. Indigenous Peoples are the prime knowledge holders of land stewardship. Their knowledge and practices come from thousands of years of observations, experience, testing and learning. Isn't this how science works? We must recognise, respect and support Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge”. 

Lara Steil, Forestry Officer for Integrate Fire Management at FAO, concluded that “fire is part of nature and ecosystems, it is a living force. We must understand it to help us to restoring ecosystems, balance, life and cultures. Indigenous Peoples practiced fire for millennia: we need to learn from them. But this is not enough. We must assure that Indigenous Peoples integrated fire management is supported, that their rights are recognised and that we build strong partnerships with their knowledge at the centre. We need true collaboration. We need to acknowledge Indigenous Peoples’ leadership in these processes". 

Indigenous Peoples’ fire management practices must be recognised, respected and supported. As reminded by Houria Djoudi, Forestry Officer at FAO and moderator of the event, “we need to shift paradigm around fire management. And Indigenous Peoples must be at the centre of this paradigm shift. Their rights must be recognised, and we must build an inclusive policy environment. None of us can manage fires alone. It requires collaboration. Indigenous Peoples are at the heart of this collaboration”.