Fire, gender and social inclusion must be cross cutting for truly sustainable forest management

Fire as a discipline and science does not offer a singular lens through which to approach landscape management. Rather, it is cross cutting – both a cause and a consequence towards larger areas in climate change, gender and social inclusion, livelihoods and good governance, and customary rights.

Community-based fire management (CBFiM) provides an intervention through which communities can address increasing wildfire, smoke and haze risk through fire resilience and good governance principles.

Roots of the CBFiM approach

CBFiM was developed in response to a growing recognition in the late 1990s that communities are not just affected by wildfires but are essential to managing them. At the time, research on local involvement in fire governance was limited and communities were often viewed as contributors to fire risk rather than capable stewards.

This narrative began to shift following a 1998 workshop organized by RECOFTC, where the role of Indigenous and traditional fire knowledge was formally acknowledged. In the years that followed, RECOFTC, alongside other actors across the region worked together, firmly establishing CBFiM as a regional priority through a regional dialogue and development of key knowledge products.

Over the decades, CBFiM has taken root and is now a significant component built into integrated fire management. This was achieved through the development of parallel community-based approaches in natural resource management, social forestry and participatory rural appraisal.

The need for intersectionality

While the early development of CBFiM was a significant step towards more inclusive fire governance, it reflected the norms of its time. Leadership was primarily concentrated among a small group of early- to mid-career men, and the participation of women and youth seemed minimal.

This legacy, which continues to influence the composition of fire management networks today, also highlights the importance of cultivating a more inclusive and intergenerational leadership base to carry CBFiM into the future.

Too often, we approach problems with a single solution or fixed perspective. Fire, like social inclusion, cuts across everything. It shapes all aspects of fire management: prevention, response, cultural practices, livelihoods, science and policy. Fire does not exist in isolation. Nor do the people affected by it or responsible for managing it. A gender and social equity lens must be present throughout every step. 

Women take the lead across changing landscapes

Across Southeast Asia, I have seen women leaders who are managing landscape, forest and fire management plans and negotiating land use and guiding recovery. Their efforts are not just exceptional but rather essential.

As part of RECOFTC’s CBFiM programme, and in collaboration with APFNet and Tropenbos International, we conducted the Southeast Asia Fire Dialogue in May this year. I met women leaders from the Philippines, Thailand, Viet Nam and other countries who openly shared their successes and personal journeys in landscape fire management. Across the region, women are leading at the front lines, not only managing fire strategies but also redefining what leadership looks like in their communities.

As a woman youth working with a strong yet small majority women organizing team, we brought together a total of 75 individuals to the event. Men accounted for 69 per cent participants, while women made up 31 per cent. Although gender balance was not achieved, the 30 per cent representation of women is notable for this traditionally male-dominated field, marking significant progress compared to decades past.

Local voices informing global action

A wide range of strategies are being deployed at local, national and regional levels to manage and adapt to fire. As a young professional and project manager, I have attended several national, regional and global forums focused on fire and haze. In these spaces, I have met passionate individuals leading efforts in fire management, science and practice.

One moment that stands out is when I joined Women-in-Fire Prescribed Fire Training Exchange (WTREX), a unique space that brings together individuals of all ages, with an emphasis on women, from across disciplines and geographies.

What I found limited – or even lacking – in this women-in-fire space, and often in other global spaces, are perspectives from Southeast Asia. RECOFTC’s role as a regional Southeast Asian agency remains vital to ensuring that our unique lessons, strengths and successes are included in the global fire discourse.

Youth and Indigenous voices in fire management

Despite growing interest in climate and environmental issues, youth participation in fire management in the field and in policy- and decision-making roles remains limited.

From my experience across landscape and regional initiatives, there is a clear gap in the number of early- and mid-career professionals entering this field with the visibility and support to lead.

Activities across the Southeast Asian region indicate a general trend: Few young professionals are entering fire governance with opportunities to engage meaningfully at national and regional levels. While this may only reflect the networks that I contribute to, this apparent gap may guide how greater youth leadership can be supported.

In June 2025, I attended the first Fire Hub Plenary of the FAO Global Fire Management Hub, an event that brought together experts from around the world to advance integrated fire management.

One of the most meaningful aspects for me was the way it centered local knowledge systems and regional experiences as essential to shaping global approaches. RECOFTC contributed to two sessions – on CBFiM and capacity building.

We shared our long-standing approach rooted in community leadership, customary land tenure and inclusive governance. In the CBFiM session, we highlighted how community knowledge and interagency coordination create practical solutions.

Another powerful moment came during the Indigenous Peoples and integrated fire management session. Indigenous elders and leaders from Australia, Colombia, Canada, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Philippines and Venezuela spoke about the importance of recognizing traditional fire knowledge.

Their words reminded us that traditional knowledge is a vital force shaping the future of Integrated Fire Management. They called for greater collaboration with modern scientific approaches, specifically through integrated fire management, towards greater climate resilience.

Collective insights moving forward

It is time to recognize Indigenous and local leadership, respect women and youth voices, and ensure that marginalized groups have an equal seat at every decision-making table.

Fire management is not just a technical issue. It affects public health, land rights, biodiversity and local economies. Addressing it effectively requires long-term thinking, shared knowledge across generations and the ability to adapt.

Young people offer fresh perspectives, contribute to systems thinking and bring forward the urgency needed to shape a fair and resilient future for fire governance. Increased voices and leadership from youth champions and young professionals will ensure a next generation of fire governance leadership that can keep pace with rapidly changing technology, including updated artificial intelligence tools and communication platforms to engage diverse stakeholder groups.

Furthermore, local leadership and lived experience must inform global frameworks. RECOFTC’s work demonstrates how this can be done by investing in long-term partnerships, supporting secure land rights and creating platforms where communities shape the solutions that affect their lives and landscapes.

If we want systems that are not only effective today but resilient for the decades ahead, we must create space for intergenerational dialogue and leadership. More research, dialogue and hands-on engagement are needed.

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Marina Tornorsam is regional project manager, CBFiM at RECOFTC. Our CBFiM programme is helping communities and governments in the Asia-Pacific region reduce the frequency and intensity of forest fires and build resilience to climate change by building capacity, promoting appropriate technologies and facilitating knowledge-sharing between stakeholders.