Indigenous knowledge is the best weapon against wildfires, say researchers
Modern resources do not seem to be helping as deadly fires continue to devastate many parts of the northern hemisphere, killing hundreds and leave thousands homeless
London — Countries at risk of catastrophic wildfires should adopt ancient practices used by indigenous people, researchers said on Monday, after scores of deadly blazes engulfed parts of the northern hemisphere. Wildfires have menaced villages and forests from Greece to the US this summer, killing hundreds and displacing tens of thousands of people. Fire services should collaborate with indigenous communities that have practised techniques for thousands of years to maintain their land and prevent large blazes, said a report by the Prisma Foundation, an El Salvador-based research group. "The best firefighting equipment in the world cannot stop the most devastating wildfires. An effective weapon to prevent uncontrolled wildfire is knowledge," the report said. Indigenous people, who managed nearly 900-million hectares of land worldwide, held "highly sophisticated" knowledge of fire management, the report noted. Indigenous groups around the world deliberately light small fires throughou...
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