An intercultural vision for integrated fire management in Venezuela

Climate change and governance conditions have made wildfires a critical issue that transcends academic and technical issues and enters socio-political arenas. In Latin America, indigenous peoples, peasant communities, peri-urban populations, firefighters, biodiversity and ecosystems are all vulnerable and threatened. This article describes the advances, challenges, limitations and progress in the development of a new paradigm of integrated fire management with an intercultural vision in Venezuela, from its beginnings in Canaima National Park to its later convergence with government actions and those of firefighters. The use and value of fire as a land management tool and the reintroduction of traditional indigenous practices must be incorporated into a national integrated fire management plan with an intercultural vision.