Latin America Advances Integrated Fire Management Policies

Representatives from 15 Latin American countries gathered at FAO’S office for Latin America and the Caribbean to discuss the integration of Integrated Fire Management (IFM) into public policies, national plans, and sector strategies. The International Workshop on Incorporating IFM in Public Policies aimed to reduce wildfire risks, protect livelihoods, improve territorial management, and support environmental restoration.

IFM is a holistic approach that recognizes the ecological, cultural, and social roles of fire. It encompasses prevention, controlled use, response, recovery, and financing to mitigate the negative impacts of wildfires, protect biodiversity, and ensure territorial and community resilience.

Participating countries included Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Surinam, and Uruguay. Each country is at a different stage in implementing IFM. Brazil is the only nation with a current national IFM policy, while Colombia recently advanced a legislative proposal to its second stage. Some countries have made significant institutional progress, while others are in early phases of regulatory and technical exploration.

The workshop took place amid a regional increase in forest fires and their impacts on ecosystems, biodiversity, livelihoods, and food security. The event provided a technical space for peer dialogue and knowledge exchange to advance IFM institutionalization, moving beyond fire suppression to include prevention, controlled use, response, recovery, and financing.

The workshop was organized by FAO through the FiRe Project, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) through the CoRAmazonia project, with financial support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (COSUDE) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The workshop concluded by identifying common challenges and opportunities to strengthen regional cooperation, promote best practices, and advance resilient fire management across Latin America.