Prevention

Preventing free-ranging wildfires is a requisite component of all integrated fire management approaches irrespective of ecosystem needs. In most places, in spite of the fact that fires may be necessary, free-ranging wildfires can rarely be tolerated due to the potential toll they can take in human life and property. The most cost-effective approach to unwanted fires is prevention. A number of strategies are needed to successfully limit the number of unwanted ignitions.

Education
Education and outreach need to be tailored to specific environments and targeted to community needs. They should convey the message that some fires are bad, but that others can be beneficial. All too often, fire prevention campaigns focus on preventing fires even in ecosystems that need to burn.

Where fire is a necessary tool for rural communities to maintain their livelihoods, programs should teach people to keep these needed fires under control. This can be accomplished through incentives, penalties and training. The key is getting the community to recognize the economic and social benefits to them of keeping their burns under control--benefits such as water quality and quantity, sustainable forest products such as fuel wood, and ecotourism income. Communities can also be trained to suppress unwanted fires, and to manage desirable ones on communal or public lands.

Education is also needed within land management agencies, political entities, interest groups and the scientific community. Technical/scientific transfer and translation of scientific knowledge are key components of education.