Without doubt the arrival of the new millennium has been particularly virulent in when forest fires are concerned. In 2000, for example, in the United States recorded the largest area of forest burned since 1960, equivalent to 3.4 million hectares at a cost to taxpayers of $ 1,400 million, just to put out the fire, excluding damage to property or loss of life. In 2003 there was a national emergency because of the fires in Guatemala and Nicaragua. In this year, huge fires roared through the region of Mato Grosso, Brazil. For its part, Canada annually loses an average of 2.5 million hectares due to fire, and the cost of fire suppression is between 300 million and 500 million dollars a year. The defenders of the forest communities to FAO participation of local communities in forest management is critical to reducing the incidence of forest fires and facilitate the work of control, since, according to this organization for 95 percent of forest fires registered globally are caused by various human activities.
“If humans are primarily responsible for forest fire prevention and control must involve communities local, “says the FAO. He adds:” The traditional approach of investing in expensive equipment and on legislation is not enough. Local communities involved in forest management and profit from their existence they have a stake in preventing and controlling fires. “In countries as far afield as Gambia or the United States, the practices of community forestry and increasing awareness campaigns have resulted in drastic reduction of forest fires.
