Maximising the potential of Integrated Fire Management for people and nature
New research assessing integrated fire management (IFM) as an adaptation and mitigation strategy to altered fire regimes has been published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment with contributions from PiNC Lab’s Glynis Humphrey.
The paper, led by Imma Olivier, from the Ecosystems Program at the Environmental Change Institute (ECI), at the University of Oxford, explores the concept of IFM and progress and challenges associated with implementing it worldwide. Humphrey contributed specifically to the paper’s insights on carbon markets and fire management. According to her:
“This research is valuable for the African nature-based solutions knowledge base because it provides a framework for understanding how fire, when managed appropriately, can function as a sustainable land-use tool. Given that fire is an integral part of many African ecosystems, the study highlights how IFM can support biodiversity conservation, enhance carbon sequestration, and maintain ecosystem services while safeguarding local livelihoods.”
Altered fire regimes refer to changes experienced in the timing, frequency, seasonality, size, intensity and severity of wildfires. They are impacted by the effects of climate change and pose unprecedented challenges to the economy, society, and fire governance by reducing the time window for planned fires and increasing firefighting costs.
IFM is an approach that combines fire prevention, response, and recovery while integrating ecological, socio-economic, and cultural factors into management strategies. However, IFM is highly context-dependent with varying degrees of ecological and societal integration.
The authors explore IFM as both an adaptation and mitigation strategy for altered fire regimes including progress and challenges with its implementation across different global regions.
They also propose a roadmap of incremental steps for advancing Integrated Fire Management as a strategy to adapt to ongoing and future changes in fire regimes, thereby maximizing its potential to benefit both people and nature.
“Our paper examines IFM, with carbon markets as one potential application, while highlighting that a one-size-fits-all approach is ineffective. We emphasise the importance of integrating local cultural and social contexts with a scientific understanding of fire-vegetation-climate feedbacks when applying carbon market mechanisms to fire management in site-specific ecological settings,” says Humphrey.
Locations where IFM are being implemented following some of the IFM goals for adaptation and mitigation to altered fire regimes.
Article citation:
Oliveras Menor, I., Prat-Guitart, N., Spadoni, G.L. et al. Integrated fire management as an adaptation and mitigation strategy to altered fire regimes. Commun Earth Environ 6, 202 (2025), https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02165-9.