Latin American strategy for strengthening fire management education

Abstract

Central America, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Venezuela and Peru are projected to experience an increase over the short term in the number of recorded wildfires and area affected, accompanied by an obvious loss of housing units, infrastructure and in extreme cases human lives. Hence, there is an indisputable need for Wildfire Protection and Fire Management to be assumed responsibly and on an academic basis by professionals in forest and related sciences in Latin America, which necessitates the adoption and development of a "Latin American Strategy for Strengthening Fire Management Education 2017-2023 (ELFAMF for its initials in Spanish). This initiative aims to address from the outset the demand for: establishment of training and updating approaches and actions for university and vocational training center teachers; inclusion of Fire Ecology and Effects and Fire Management courses in the curriculum; development of didactic teacher’s, student and field practices manuals: establishment of permanent pilot research units, workshops and forums for updating and results analysis, joint collaboration agreements for teacher and student exchange and mobility, and teacher training programs. The results of the strategy will generate greater interest and a broader capacity for decision-making in research, development, operation, economics and evaluation of fire protection and management programs by forest and related professionals at the national level in protected natural areas, areas with environmental services, plantations, forest management areas, wildlife management areas, watershed and reservoir protection areas, areas with cultural resources, recreational areas and rural units, among others.