Approach to Fire Management and Ecosystem Health.
Fire is a natural ecological process in savanna ecosystems, historically driven by lightning and later shaped by human activity. On Sango, however, the majority of fires in recent decades have been unplanned and anthropogenic, originating largely from surrounding communities. These fires, if unmanaged, pose a serious threat to biodiversity, infrastructure, and key conservation targets. Recognising the dual role of fire—as both a natural process and a potential hazard—Sango developed a comprehensive fire management policy, grounded in ecological science and historical land use data. The policy, implemented since 1999, aims to simulate a natural fire regime through carefully controlled burns while rapidly containing unplanned fires. It details the ecological justification, technical thresholds (such as fuel load and moisture content), and operational procedures required for safe and effective fire use.
