Managed Fire Works: Lessons in Land Stewardship from Brazil

As land managers and conservationists, we have long understood that practical, local knowledge is often the best tool for protecting our landscapes.

A recent study from Brazil offers compelling scientific evidence to support this view, demonstrating that traditional fire management techniques - similar in principle to the controlled burning used on our moors - are highly effective at preventing devastating wildfires.

Number of active fires captured annually by reference satellites across

The paper, titled "Wildfire protection in indigenous lands of Brazil," evaluates a decade of the Federal Brigades Program (BRIFs). This initiative marked a major shift in policy: moving away from a "zero-fire" approach (total suppression) toward "Integrated Fire Management," which embraces traditional knowledge and controlled burning to reduce fuel loads.

The Failure of "Zero-Fire" Policies

For years, authorities in Brazil enforced strict bans on the use of fire, believing this would protect the environment. However, in fire-prone ecosystems like the Cerrado savannas - which share characteristics with our own open heather moorlands - this approach backfired.

Without managed burning, dry vegetation (fuel) accumulated, leading to larger, hotter, and more uncontrollable wildfires during the dry season.

The study highlights that excluding fire disrupted the traditional practices of local communities who had managed the land for generations. The result was not protection, but rather an increase in dangerous wildfires.

A Return to Tradition and Stewardship

In 2013, the Brazilian government changed course. They launched the BRIFs program, which hired local Indigenous people to form fire brigades. Instead of just fighting fires after they started, these brigades used their traditional knowledge to manage the landscape proactively.

Key strategies included:

• Prescribed Burning: Using controlled fire during safe periods to reduce the amount of dry fuel on the ground.

• Local Employment: Hiring members of the community who know the terrain and the seasons best.

• Prevention: Creating firebreaks and monitoring conditions to stop fires before they spread.

The Statistics: A Clear Success

The researchers compared Indigenous Lands covered by these brigades with those that were not, analysing data from 2003 to 2023. The results were stark:

• Reduction in Wildfires: Areas managed by the brigades saw a significant 22.7% reduction in active fires after the program began.

• The Cost of Inaction: In contrast, lands without these managed brigades saw a 12.3% increase in fires over the same period.

• Total Impact: When comparing the two groups, there was a massive 35% difference in wildfire outcomes in favour of managed land.

The success was most immediate in the Cerrado savannas, where the reduction in fires was evident soon after traditional management was reintroduced. This ecosystem relies on fire to remain healthy, much like our fire-adapted moorland plants.

Cost-Effective Conservation

The study also noted the remarkable efficiency of this approach. The program achieved these results with an investment of just $1.02 USD (approx. £0.80) per protected hectare. This low cost challenges the idea that effective environmental protection requires expensive, top-down bureaucracy. Instead, it suggests that investing in local labour and traditional skills provides excellent value for money.

Relevance to Moorland Management

While the setting is the tropics, the principles validated by this research resonate deeply with the work of gamekeepers and moorland managers in the UK.

1. Fuel Load Management Saves Lives: Just as controlled burning reduces the risk of summer wildfires on peatland, this study proves that removing fuel through prescribed burning is essential for preventing environmental disasters.

2. Local Knowledge Matters: The program succeeded because it respected the "bio-cultural" heritage of the people living on the land. It moved away from distant, centralized decision-making and empowered those with a generational connection to the territory.

3. Conservation through Intervention: The "zero-fire" ideology failed to protect biodiversity. Active management, including the use of fire, was necessary to maintain the health of the ecosystem and prevent catastrophic damage.

The Takeaway

This research confirms that empowering local communities to manage fuel loads through traditional, controlled burning is a scientifically proven, cost-effective method for preventing devastating wildfires and protecting rural landscapes.

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