RECOFTC and partners are helping shape the future of fire-resilient forest landscapes in the Asia-Pacific

Once seen as seasonal disturbances, fires are now recognized as one of the most pressing ecological and social challenges facing the Asia-Pacific region. They reshape landscapes, threaten biodiversity, damage health and undermine food systems that sustain millions.

At the 31st Session of the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission (APFC31) and the 5th Asia-Pacific Forestry Week (APFW2025), RECOFTC anchored a conversation on forest fires through our ‘Igniting change in Asia-Pacific: Food security through collaborations on community-based fire management’ side event.

This event, which included a moderated ‘Fireside chat’ discussion, was in line with our engagements at other global forums including the recent Second Pu’er Forum on Asia-Pacific Forests in Yunnan, China, the Global Fire Management Hub Plenary 2025 in Rome, Italy and Istanbul Forest Innovation Week in Istanbul, Turkey.

A turning point in understanding fire

For decades, RECOFTC has advocated recognizing fire as a cross-cutting system that links livelihoods, agriculture, climate, biodiversity and governance. It is a complex ecological process deeply connected to farming practices, forest stewardship and traditional knowledge passed down through generations.

For many Indigenous Peoples and local communities, controlled burning has long been a tool to prepare land, reduce pests and renew landscapes. Yet today, social and ecological pressures are disrupting those systems and heightening fire risk.

“In 25 years of working on forest fires in this region, I have never seen such widespread interest in their impacts on local people,” said David Ganz, RECOFTC’s executive director, as he addressed the gathering at APFW. “Fire connects food security, climate and biodiversity. We must work across these systems, not in isolation.”

Ganz also pointed to new tools emerging across the region, including the prescribed burning manual for fuel management in Thailand. Co-developed by RECOFTC, Kasetsart University and government authorities, the manual provides practical strategies for fire prevention, suppression and post-fire recovery tailored for the northern fire season. It demonstrates how communities can use controlled fire responsibly to protect forests, reduce smoke pollution and support land restoration.

Community forestry under pressure: Lessons from Nepal

In Nepal, RECOFTC is currently working with FAO’s Forest and Farm Facility, the Ministry of Forests and Environment and the Federation of Community Forestry Users Nepal to strengthen policies, map fire risk and build mechanisms for sustained community-led fire management.

Sudha Khadka, RECOFTC Nepal’s country director, spoke about the country’s globally admired community forestry model, which has restored degraded forests and empowered local stewardship. “Our community forestry user groups have protected Nepal’s forests for decades,” she said. “But migration, labour shortages and shifting incentives are dissolving the social glue that sustained this model. And all this is happening in the context of a federal government structure, and there are apparent policy gaps. We must revitalize community engagement and support locally led fire management.”

Regional collaboration gaining momentum

The Southeast Asia Fire Management Mechanism (SEA-FiMM), launched in 2025 by APFNet, RECOFTC and Tropenbos International, bridges local practice with national and regional policy dialogue. It complements RECOFTC’s forthcoming community-based fire management (CBFiM) guidelines, which integrate traditional knowledge, participatory planning and modern tools.

Kebiao Huang, director of planning at the Asia-Pacific Network for Sustainable Forest Management and Rehabilitation (APFNet), said, “SEA-FiMM provides a platform to catalyse capacity building and knowledge exchange. By connecting governments, communities and practitioners, we can promote best practices, strengthen capacity and advance cross-border cooperation across Southeast Asia.”

Fire and food security: Insights from FLARE

There was also discussion on the connection between fire and food security. David Ganz presented on the FLARE approach to testing post-fire restoration practices that improve livelihoods while reducing future fire risk.

The ‘Post-fire forest and landscape restoration: Strengthening community-led nature-based solutions for food system transformation in Asia and Latin America’ (FLARE) initiative blends forest landscape restoration with sustainable agriculture and community-based fire management. As secretariat of the Regional Model Forest Network–Asia and with support from the International Development Research Centre, RECOFTC will be implementing FLARE in partner Model Forest Landscapes in Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand.

Global tools for a changing fire landscape

RECOFTC is contributing regional experience and community-centred approaches to help ensure global guidance reflects the realities of forest-dependent people. With wildfire frequency and intensity increasing worldwide, collaboration has become more important than ever.

Jennifer Conje, director of forest management at International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), highlighted this need as she spoke about the forthcoming ITTO-led tropical fire management toolkit. A deliverable under the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) Joint Initiative on Integrated Fire Management, the toolkit will help promote integrated fire management in tropical forests. “Our toolkit brings together tropical fire knowledge and resources in one place, ensuring we don’t duplicate efforts but build on each other's strengths,” said Conje.

A call to action for forest and food landscapes

There is consensus that organizations working at the intersection of forests and people must join forces to strengthen prevention, preparedness, response and recovery to safeguard the forest and food landscapes on which millions depend.

“With solid guidelines, practical tools and committed partners such as APFNet, RECOFTC and ITTO, we must turn collective ambition into concrete action that empowers communities to address forest fires,” said Philippe Brunet, head of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation’s Regional Thematic Hub in Bangkok.

“Forest fires profoundly affect communities, biodiversity, air quality and the climate. They are also a major source of pollution in the Mekong region. This is why Switzerland is deepening its engagement – globally and here in Southeast Asia through our long-standing partnership with RECOFTC,” he said. “Together with Germany and France, we are launching a new regional programme to address air pollution from agricultural burning and forest fires, in support of ASEAN’s Haze Free Roadmap.”

Looking ahead

Healthy forests will feed the future, but only if communities are empowered to protect them. RECOFTC’s work shows that communities hold essential knowledge and have a lot at stake. They need enabling policies, regional cooperation and global technologies behind them.

Our event recognized that fire management cannot be separated from food systems, migration, health, climate or local economies. As fires intensify across the Asia-Pacific, RECOFTC will continue to champion people-centred, community-led approaches, linking local solutions to regional platforms and global commitments.

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Utsav Maden is communication and knowledge management officer at RECOFTC.

Our side event sat alongside wider RECOFTC engagements at APFW2025.