Status of forest fires in Tanzania: causes, impacts and control strategies

Status of forest fires in Tanzania: causes, impacts and

control strategies

Presenter,

Paulo Lyimo

December, 2014.

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PRESENTATION STRUCTURE

• Introduction

• Causes of forest fire

• Impacts of forest fire

• Control strategies

• Challenges for successful control

• Conclusion and recommendation

8/23/2016 Status of forest fires in Tanzania

Introduction

• Forest fires are a global concern

• Forest fires have both potential disasters as well as

potential blessing

• In Tanzania wildfires are increasing particularly in the

last 10 years.

• An average of 11 million hectares burn annually in

Tanzania

• In 2010, Tanzania lost about 75,000 ha of forests

through fire

• Fire causes ecological, economical and social impacts8/23/2016 3

Status of forest fires in Tanzania

Causes of forest fire

• Farm preparation

• Charcoal making

• Hunting

• Beekeeping activities

• Control burning

• Traditional beliefs

8/23/2016 4Status of forest fires in Tanzania

Preparation of agricultural fields with fire in Uyui district, Tanzania

(Photo by Paulo Lyimo, 2014)

Impacts of forest fire

• Plantations: loss in volume of timber, increase rotation

age

• Natural forest: important to regenerate and stimulate

the growth of grass, loss of biodiversity

• Woodlands: changing the structure and species composition

fire has a significant effect on climate change

Loss of houses and property

Loss of lives


Table for Fire damage in districts, TanzaniaVillage Ward District Damage on Crops and planted

trees

Damage on house and

household items (TSh.)

Loss of lives

Kizungu Muze Sumbawanga Rural Farm with maize 535, 000 (2010) 1 house and property

500,000

Kifuru Busagara Kibondo A banana farm 100, 000 (2010) A house and property

200,000 (1990s)

A house and property 84,

500 (20020

A house and property

200, 000 (1970s)

All houses in a sub

village 2, 000,

000+(1993)

A child (2009)

An elderly

Woman (1994)

Ipole Ipole Sikonge A farm with cassava 210, 000

(2010)

Ahouse 145, 000 (2010)

Luhimba Gumbiro Songea Rural Mix crops in a farms 105, 000 loss

A peas farm 690, 000(2011)

A 3 ha cassava farm 105, 000 loss

(2009)

2 houses and property 2,

200, 000 (2011)

3 houses 700, 000 (2010)

Store house 1, 000, 000

Mbonile Ulenje Mbeya Rural A farm 900,000 (2004)

Two farms 900,000 (2009)

Ulanzi (bamboo) farm 269, 000

Pines trees 250, 000 (2011)

Pines trees 900, 000 (2009

A house 900, 000 (2009)

A house 632, 000 (2010)

A house 200, 000 (2011)

7Source: (URT, Undated)

Control strategies

• Public education

• Uses of laws, bylaws and regulations

• Participatory Forest Management i.e. CBFiM

• Use of successful traditional forest management

systems

• Establishment of NFMC under TFS

• Anti-fire posters (“Usichome moto”)

8/23/2016 Status of forest fires in Tanzania 8

Anti-fire posters (“Usichome moto”) in different location in Mwanga District

Source: (Madoffe, S.S, (Undated). Fire reduction strategies in the Eastern

Arc Mountains of Tanzania)

Challenges for successful control

• Inadequate data and information

• Shortage of funds

• Lack of political will

• Unsustainable short term projects

• Poor knowledge of long term effects of fire

on the environment


Conclusion and recommendation

• Forest fire is a multi-sector issues

• Forest fire is a national problem, however, limited

data inhibit its management, and most of the

information is based on opinions.

• The government from village to national level

should dedicate more resources for fire concern

• A national campaign on forest fire management is

needed


References;• Dimopoulou. M and Giannikos. I. (2001). Towards an Integrated Framework for Forest Fire Control.

European Journal of Operational Research 152 (2004) 476–486pp.

• Gautier, L. and Spichiger, R. (2004). The forest–savanna transition in West Africa. In: Poorter, L.,

Bongers, F., Kouame´, F.N., Hawthorne, W.D. (Eds.), Biodiversity of West African Forests: An

Ecological Atlas of Woody Plant Species. CAB International, Wallingford, 33–40pp.

• Kalugendo, J. (2012). Communication Strategies for Community-Based Fire Integrated Management in

Tanzania. A consultancy report submitted to the Forest and Beekeeping Division and Tanzania Forest

Services

• Karki, S. (2002). Community Involvement in and Management of Forest Fires in South East Asia. Fire-

fighting south East Asia. The international Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and World Wide

Fund for nature (WWF).

• Kurtulmuslu, M and Yazici, E. (2000). Management of Forest Fires Through the Involvement of Local

Communities in Turkey. Ministry of Forestry. Turkey.

• Madoffe, S.S., Mgumia, F.H. and Kajembe, G.C. 1998. Relationship between bush fires, and people’s

occupation in miombo woodland. Paper presented in Second forestry research workshop, Arusha,

Tanzania 3-5 August 1998.


• Madoffe, S.S., A. Bakke and J.A. Tarimo. 2000. The effect of fire on the diversity and abundance of

wood-living beetles in miombo woodland, Tanzania. SA For Jr. 187: 51 – 57.

• Madoffe, S.S, (Undated). Fire reduction strategies in the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania. A

consultancy report submitted to the Forestry and Beekeeping Division by FORCONSULT (SUA)

• Mlenge, W. C, Kaale B and Barrow E. (2001) Ngitili, as Sukuma Method to restore wood and grass

lands in Shinyanga-Tanzania. (Unpublished manuscript, HASHI, Shinyanga, Tanzania, 2001).

• MNRT, (2011). Synthesis Report on joining efforts towards integrated fire management in Tanzania.

Multi-stakeholders Workshop took place in Morogoro in October organized by Forest and Beekeeping

Division supported by the Government of Tanzania in collaboration with German International

Cooperation and Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations and the Government of

Finland.

• URT, (2008). Strategies to avert wildfires in Tanzania 2008-2013.pp11

• URT, (Undated). Indigenous knowledge, Practices, and Customary Norms of Fire Mangement in

Tanzania - A study in Nine village

• World Wide Fund for nature (WWF). (2006) Community-based Fire Management Plan and By-laws in

the East usambaras. The East usambara forest landscape restoration project



Status of forest fires in Tanzania: causes, impacts and control strategies

Environment