As wildfire risks continue to increase under a changing climate, improving how countries monitor, understand and respond to fires is becoming increasingly important. In this context, scientists, fire management specialists and Earth observation experts gathered in Lisbon, Portugal, on 25–26 June 2026 for the 14th EARSeL Workshop on Forest Fires to explore how advances in remote sensing can strengthen integrated fire management (IFM).

Thirty experts met in Lisbon, Portugal, on 23–24 June for the 8th Global Wildfire Information System (GWIS) and Global Observation of Forest Cover and Landcover Dynamics (GOFC-GOLD) Fire Implementation Team Meeting to explore the latest advances in Earth observation, while identifying priorities for improving global fire information systems.

As wildfires become an increasingly significant source of greenhouse gas emissions and a growing threat to ecosystems, livelihoods and climate resilience, a side event held in Bonn, Germany, explored how countries can move beyond emergency response and scale long-term fire management solutions.

420 participants from around the world joined the Global Fire Management Hub (Fire Hub)’s first technical webinar series, organised by FAO and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Held on 23–24 June 2026, the series explored the implications of evolving El Niño conditions for wildfire risk and highlighted how seasonal forecasts can be better integrated into national preparedness and fire management planning.

In 1983, Ghana experienced one of the most severe environmental crises in its history. A prolonged drought, coupled with widespread bushfires, affected crops, forests and livelihoods across the country, leaving a lasting imprint on both the landscape and the national consciousness.

Bringing together representatives from government agencies, the National University of Laos and non-governmental organizations, a workshop held in Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic, on 25 May 2026 explored innovative new approaches to mapping rotational farming and understanding its relationship with fire. Organized under the Assuring the Future of Forests with Integrated Risk Management (AFFIRM) mechanism, funded by the Republic of Korea and implemented by FAO, participants were introduced to a Google Earth Engine workflow developed by FAO that can track more than two decades of shifting cultivation cycles across the country.

Twenty-two forestry, forest protection and academic professionals from across Viet Nam have strengthened their skills in community-based forest fire prevention planning through a Training of Trainers course designed to support the expansion of integrated fire management (IFM) across the country.

 Government officers, academics, NGOs and community representatives gathered in Mondulkiri Province, Cambodia, from 26-28 May 2026 for a hands-on training workshop aimed at strengthening national capacity for community-based fire prevention planning.

Twenty-two forestry, forest protection and academic professionals from across Viet Nam have strengthened their skills in community-based forest fire prevention planning through a Training of Trainers course designed to support the expansion of integrated fire management (IFM) across the country.

As wildfires become more frequent, severe and complex across Latin America and the Caribbean, governments are increasingly looking beyond emergency response toward long-term solutions. Against this backdrop, FAO, through the Global Fire Management Hub (Fire Hub),  supported and moderated a dedicated panel on Integrated Fire Management as a State Public Policy at Colombia’s First National Platform for Disaster Risk Management 2026.

Building a New Forest Economy was the focus of the 16th Annual Meeting of the Governors’ Climate and Forests Task Force in Caquetá, Colombia, where subnational governments, Indigenous leaders, technical experts and international partners gathered to discuss how tropical forest regions can build more resilient landscapes and strengthen sustainable territorial governance.

As wildfire risks intensify across the Amazon, improving how countries collect, share and use fire data is becoming increasingly critical for effective integrated fire management (IFM). This challenge was at the centre of the Regional Workshop on Data and Information for the Implementation of IFM in the Amazon Region, held in Brasília, Brazil, on 21–22 May 2026.

Moving from global commitments to practical implementation of integrated fire management (IFM) was the focus of a side event during the twentieth session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF), with government representatives, international organizations and technical experts coming together to examine how countries can strengthen cooperation and scale up actions as wildfire risks intensify worldwide.

Veld fires continue to damage ecosystems and rural livelihoods, making early preparedness more urgent as conditions grow hotter and drier. Against this backdrop, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with support from the Government of Canada launched the three-year Integrated Fire Management ‘Capacity Building and Knowledge Exchange and Global Indigenous Fire Network’ project.

Harare - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of Canada have launched a major new project to strengthen wildfire prevention, preparedness and resilience.

Do you want to better understand how fire behaviour is predicted, how early warning systems work, or how decisions are made to manage fires on the landscape?

A national kick-off meeting and stakeholder consultation for the Assuring the Future of Forests with Integrated Risk Management (AFFIRM) mechanism was held in Viet Tri Ward, Viet Nam on 26 March 2026, formally launching the initiative in the country and marking a significant step forward for integrated fire management (IFM).

Authorities and fire management experts from across Latin America and the Caribbean gathered in Brasília, Brazil, from 9–13 March 2026 to strengthen regional cooperation for wildfire preparedness and response, with a focus on improving interoperability, coordination and mutual assistance among countries facing increasingly complex and transboundary fire risks.

 When Lara Steil first began her career, she did not set out to work in fire management. A chance assignment, however, introduced her to a field that would go on to shape the next two decades of her work.

Over 50 participants from government agencies, academia, NGOs, local communities and the private sector gathered on 26 February 2026 to review and validate findings from a preliminary report of Thailand’s national fire situation, explore new strategies for addressing forest fire challenges, and identify pathways toward more sustainable, community-driven fire management.