Listening to Traditional Landowners: A Key to Sustainable Land and Climate Management globally

Ancient Wisdom, Modern Solutions: How Indigenous Fire Management Can Help Save Our Land and Climate

VITHYAA THAVAPALAN, FOUNDER, PRINCIPAL & CEO OF FORENSIC ORIGIN AND CAUSE INVESTIGATIONS

In a world grappling with worsening bushfires, extended droughts, and increasing land degradation, the knowledge of traditional landowners offers a powerful, time-tested approach to sustainable land management. Indigenous communities have practised controlled burns, landscape management, and agricultural stewardship for thousands of years. Their knowledge, honed through generations of observation and experience, is now being recognised as an essential tool in mitigating the impacts of climate change (e.g., by preventing large-scale wildfires that release significant amounts of carbon dioxide), reducing catastrophic wildfires, and improving soil health for farming communities.

Yet, despite the growing body of evidence supporting Indigenous fire and land management practices, these techniques remain underutilised or ineffective in some regions due to government policies, land use changes, and climate pressures. While some countries have embraced traditional burning techniques, others have struggled to implement them effectively. Examining how these methods are being used in Australia, North America, Europe, and Asia reveals both success stories and major challenges that need to be addressed.

Australia: Where Indigenous Fire Management Works - And Where It Fails

Australia is one of the few countries where Indigenous fire management has been widely implemented, particularly in the northern regions. Aboriginal ranger programs conduct “cool burning,” a traditional technique that involves low-intensity fires that clear underbrush, prevent catastrophic wildfires, and support biodiversity.

A World Wildlife Fund (WWF) study has proven the success of these methods, showing that Indigenous fire management significantly reduces the severity and frequency of wildfires across Northern Australia.

However, despite these successes, cultural burning remains underutilised in Southern and Eastern Australia, where government fire suppression policies still dominate. Many state and local governments hesitate to move away from conventional firefighting tactics, even after Australia’s devastating 2019–2020 Black Summer bushfires. Climate change has made controlled burns more challenging to execute safely, as drier conditions and stronger winds increase the risk of fires spreading out of control. Public misconceptions also pose a barrier, with some landowners and officials fearing that controlled burns might become uncontrollable. While there is a growing recognition of Indigenous fire knowledge, large-scale implementation remains slow due to policy and funding challenges.

After the catastrophic 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires, Australia saw renewed interest in cultural burns but implementation has remained slow due to policy and funding barriers. The Guardian.

North America: Where Indigenous Fire Practices Are Gaining Ground—and Where They Are Blocked

In North America, Indigenous fire practices are gaining traction after being largely suppressed for over a century. Native American and First Nations communities have long used controlled burns to manage forests, maintain grasslands, and reduce fire risks. In recent years, a renewed effort has been to reintroduce these methods, particularly in California, where the Karuk and Yurok tribes have successfully restored traditional burning in collaboration with environmental groups and government agencies. The U.S. Forest Service has also begun integrating cultural burns into its national wildfire management strategy, marking a significant policy shift. These efforts have proven effective in reducing fire risks and restoring fire-adapted ecosystems, making landscapes more resilient to climate change. ​

Despite this progress, major obstacles remain. Strict U.S. fire regulations make it difficult for Indigenous communities to conduct controlled burns at the necessary scale. Liability laws also create challenges, as Indigenous groups are often held responsible if a controlled burn spreads beyond its intended boundaries. Additionally, over a century of fire suppression policies have allowed dangerous levels of dry fuel to accumulate in many forests, making traditional fire practices more challenging to implement without extensive preparation. Although there is growing governmental recognition of Indigenous fire management, legal and bureaucratic barriers continue to slow its full adoption.

Europe: Revival of Cultural Burning in Some Countries, Suppression in Others

Europe has a long history of using controlled burns for land management, but these practices have largely fallen out of use due to modern fire suppression policies. However, in some countries, traditional techniques are being revived. Portugal, for example, reintroduced cultural burning after the devastating 2017 wildfires, encouraging rural communities to use small, controlled fires to reduce fuel loads and prevent extreme wildfires. This approach, modelled after Indigenous fire management techniques from other parts of the world, has been successful in lowering fire intensity and protecting landscapes.​

In contrast, many other parts of Europe have been slow to embrace traditional fire practices. Spain continues to favour fire suppression policies, despite calls from rural communities for the return of controlled burning. In Scandinavia, the Sámi people have historically used controlled burns to manage reindeer grazing lands, but modern fire regulations have largely restricted these practices. Additionally, strict European Union fire regulations often override local land management strategies, making it difficult for Indigenous and rural communities to use cultural burns effectively. While some pilot projects are exploring ways to reintegrate traditional burning techniques, large-scale adoption remains limited due to legal and policy constraints.

Asia: Indigenous Fire and Land Management Facing Major Obstacles

Asia presents a mixed picture regarding traditional fire and land management. In Northeast India, tribal communities practice Jhum cultivation, a shifting agricultural technique that involves controlled burns to regenerate soil before replanting crops. While historically controversial due to deforestation concerns, modern adaptations of Jhum have demonstrated that controlled burning can help maintain soil fertility and prevent land degradation when combined with sustainable forestry practices. These practices play a vital role in improving soil health and carbon storage, making them an important tool for climate resilience.​

In other parts of Asia, however, Indigenous fire management faces severe challenges. In Indonesia, the Indigenous Dayak communities have traditionally used controlled burns for agriculture, but large-scale deforestation and industrial farming have led to widespread peatland fires, which are among the world’s largest sources of carbon emissions. In response, the Indonesian government has implemented strict bans on burning, which, while intended to prevent environmental disasters, have also negatively impacted Indigenous farmers who rely on traditional, sustainable burning methods. Meanwhile, in Mongolia, traditional controlled burns were once used to rejuvenate grasslands, but climate change and overgrazing have accelerated desertification, making these practices increasingly difficult to sustain. Additionally, government restrictions on fire use have weakened traditional land management techniques, exacerbating environmental degradation rather than preventing it.​

The Future

Significant policy changes are needed for Indigenous fire and land management to reach its full potential. Governments must reform fire suppression laws to allow greater use of controlled burns and provide financial support to Indigenous communities leading fire management initiatives. Collaboration between Indigenous land managers, scientists, and policymakers is crucial for integrating traditional knowledge into national wildfire prevention strategies. Additionally, climate change policies must recognise the role of Indigenous fire management in reducing carbon emissions and improving landscape resilience.

As wildfires continue to intensify due to climate change, the world cannot afford to overlook the wisdom of traditional landowners. By embracing Indigenous fire management on a broader scale, we can create more sustainable and fire-resilient landscapes while honouring Indigenous communities' deep knowledge and cultural heritage. The future of fire management and climate resilience depends on collaboration, and it is time to move beyond rhetoric and actively support Indigenous-led initiatives that prioritise the health of our planet for generations to come.