Nature-based solutions for fire suppression: Green firebreaks, low-flammability foods and planting fire micro-refugia

Abstract

Wildfires are becoming more severe in many parts of the world and new mitigation measures are needed to combat increased threats to life, property and biodiversity. One suite of options is nature-based solutions (NBS), which use nature to resolve socio-environmental problems. Here we describe how three NBS (green firebreaks, low-flammability agricultural landscapes, fire micro-refugia) could mitigate fires and enhance biodiversity. Green firebreaks are strips of low flammability vegetation established at strategic locations to impede fire spread. Green firebreaks have been deployed on every vegetated continent, and there is experimental evidence that they can halt severe wildfires. Native-dominated green firebreaks enhance plant biodiversity, increase native habitat availability and restore landscape connectivity. Many wildfires start in or affect agricultural landscapes. Low-flammability agricultural plant communities provide an opportunity for wholesale reduction of flammability and wildfire threat in food-producing landscapes. Our studies in New Zealand have identified many low-flammability crops, pastures, and traditional Māori food and medicine species. Planting fire micro-refugia is a relatively new idea, which involves enhanced plantings of low-flammability native species to provide small-scale fire refugia to protect immobile fire-sensitive threatened species. These examples demonstrate the usefulness of nature-based solutions in our modern fire-mitigation toolkit.