As wildfires destroy forests and threaten communities across the world, Indigenous people in Peru are demonstrating how local knowledge, community-led action and modern technology can work together to protect vulnerable ecosystems.
In the Peruvian Amazon, members of the Asháninka Indigenous community are using drones, satellite imagery and radio communication to detect fires early and respond before they spread. Their efforts are part of the Paamari programme, a fire prevention initiative launched in 2023 by the Central Asháninka of the Ene River (CARE) in partnership with environmental charity Cool Earth.
The results have been significant. Across the 45 communities involved in the programme, the number of wildfires fell from 25 in 2023 to nine in 2024. The area of land burned dropped from 2,648 hectares to 492 hectares, an 81% reduction. In 2025, the communities reported no wildfires within their territory, successfully containing several potential threats before they escalated.
At the heart of the initiative are trained community members who serve as local fire brigades. Because they live in the territories they protect, they can identify changes in the forest, investigate rising smoke and respond quickly in areas that may be difficult for external firefighting teams to reach.
The programme combines these practical advantages with technology that helps teams monitor large areas and identify emerging threats. However, its approach is not built around technology alone. Indigenous knowledge of the land, traditional fire management practices and an understanding of local environmental conditions remain central to the work.
This combination is particularly important in a country that has experienced devastating fire seasons. In 2024, severe drought contributed to more than 10,000 recorded fires in Peru, with approximately 63,000 hectares of tree cover lost. Wildfires damage habitats, threaten livelihoods and release carbon stored in forests, adding to the pressures driving climate change.
For the Asháninka communities, protecting the forest also means protecting their way of life. Forests provide materials for homes, crafts and cultural practices, while sustaining the natural environment on which communities depend.
The partnership also highlights why local ownership matters in environmental programmes. Cool Earth and CARE have emphasised the importance of involving communities in designing and leading solutions, rather than imposing approaches that may not reflect their experience or needs. When local people have the skills, equipment and authority to manage their own initiatives, the work has a stronger foundation for continuing over time.
Building on the progress made through Paamari, Cool Earth plans to extend fire prevention training to the nearby Indigenous communities of Cutivireni and Oviri, with local residents again taking the lead.
The initiative is part of a wider recognition that Indigenous-led conservation can deliver strong environmental outcomes. Research published in 2026, reviewing 111 peer-reviewed studies, found that Indigenous-managed lands often achieved conservation results comparable to or better than formally protected areas.
Still, community firefighting alone cannot address every threat facing the Amazon. Logging, mining, illegal crop cultivation and the effects of climate change continue to place pressure on the forest. Long-term progress will require sustained support, resources and collaboration beyond the communities themselves.
The experience in Peru offers a practical lesson for conservation efforts elsewhere: protecting forests does not always begin with an outside intervention. It can begin by equipping the people who know the land best with the tools, training and support to protect it.
Source: Positive News — How Indigenous communities in Peru are preventing wildfires
