Climate Solutions: Wildfire
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Imagine a relentless and destructive force of nature, racing across the land, devouring everything in its path – this is the essence of a wildfire. It's not just burning trees and plants; it can also consume homes and even pose a threat to lives.
In the drylands of Africa, where Tree Aid works, wildfires are a significant concern.
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Surprisingly, yes. Wildfires, when harnessed properly, can rejuvenate ecosystems. They clear out dead plants, making room for fresh growth.
However, fires need to be carefully managed, otherwise the consequences can be devastating for biodiversity and the communities that live there.
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Climate change has led to increased temperatures which has led to increased drought, and more unpredictable rainfall. This creates the perfect conditions for wildfires to start.
Strong winds, which are common in the drylands of Africa (called the Sahel region)- can rapidly fan the flames of wildfires, making them difficult to control.
Slash-and-burn agriculture, a method to clear land for cultivation, can also inadvertently start wildfires if not managed properly.
Climate champions are stopping wildfire
Local communities hold the key to preventing wildfires. In drought-stricken regions, where a steady water supply is unreliable, climate champions- from teachers, to innovators- step up and take action!
- We provide specialised training on preventing fires to protectors, empowering them to prevent fires, and respond to fire risks fast.
- We support innovators to bring to life wildfire reducing ideas (such as the grass briquettes machine), combining ancient knowledge with new technologies.
All climate champions are working together to take on wildfires and protect precious natural landscapes.
Fun Fact: Some of our projects have even involved commissioning awareness-raising jingles for local radio stations! What would your forest fire prevention jingle sound like?
Meet a climate champion – Mouni the protector:
Mouni was trained as a volunteer forest guard as part of one of our projects in Burkina Faso. In his role, he’s responsible for making firebreaks and raising awareness of environmental issues in his local community.
It’s a fast-paced role of real importance, and it doesn’t come without risks – Mouni told us:
“Forest fires are very dangerous… The biggest challenge for me is when there is some forbidden action in the forest, and I need to get there fast. If I meet people starting a fire, the first thing I do is train them that a bush fire is not good as it destroys the environment and the forest. Then, if people do it again, I bring them to the attention of to the forest government – we have some policies and rules that everybody must respect. They have to pay a fine if the forest is badly destroyed.”
Mouni was proud to tell us of the impact his role has had on local forests:
“I am very happy and I feel I am now useful for my community. By my involvement, I am helping to restore our natural resources. Everybody is [now] involved in protecting the environment, trees are no longer being destroyed and the forest is even being restored. People understand why trees are important and that they can make a profit from them too."
Equip Climate Champions With the Tools They Need
Meet a climate champion – Niportiwe the innovator
Dried grasses are like tinder to wildfires.
In a dry, near-desert-like region of Northern Ghana, Niportiwe's community face the threat of wildfires due to the ever-heating climate and infrequent rainfall. When fires start, it is often because dried out dead grasses have been allowed to gather around trees. When they ignite, they can take whole forests with them!
This is where the innovator comes in. Niportiwe has a pioneering new technique that uses the dried grasses to create a safe sustainable cooking fuel called grass briquettes. Not only do these briquettes mean less trees need to be cut for firewood, but by gathering the dried grass to make the briquettes, wildfires are made far less frequent, protecting even more trees.
A bit about us...
Tree Aid supports communities in the drylands of Africa to protect and grow trees so they can tackle the effects of the climate crisis as part of the Great Green Wall movement.
We work where trees are needed most, where temperatures are soaring, crops are dying, and wildfires threaten.
It's how we grow them...
For 35 years we have pioneered a better way to grow trees:
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- Empowering local communities to grow and protect their own forests
- Growing trees that provide long-term nutrition and green jobs
- Combining ancient local knowledge with state-of-the-art technologies so each tree thrives
Everything we do contributes to the Great Green Wall
What is the Great Green Wall? The Great Green Wall is an epic, international movement- possibly the largest land restoration project in history! There's so much to know about this amazing mosaic of projects, so read our handy FAQ.
