Asháninka Community Tames Amazon Fires with Innovative Fire Management Strategy

For generations, families in Peru's central Amazon have used fire in managed agricultural burns to clear small plots for crops. But as temperatures rise and droughts deepen, these controlled burns are increasingly becoming wildfires. In response, the Asháninka community has developed a unique approach to fire management called PAAMARI.

PAAMARI draws on Integrated Fire Management (IFM), which combines prevention, monitoring, community preparedness, and responsible use of fire. The goal is to 'stop demonizing fire,' according to CARE specialist David Torres. With funding from Cool Earth, the Asháninka community has established a partnership with the National Fire Department and installed meteorological stations in the Ene River basin.

The PAAMARI strategy has shown promising results. Fires in the Ene basin fell from 25 in 2023 to nine in 2024, with significant reductions in area affected. In 2025, no large-scale fires were recorded, and detected hotspots were contained promptly.

Romer Quentimari, a community member who helped contain a devastating fire in 2023, now helps prepare others for the work. The PAAMARI brigade uses a hybrid monitoring model, combining satellite and meteorological data with on-the-ground verification to ensure faster and more accurate responses.