- April 27, 2026
Wildfires historically have been part of Indigenous Peoples’ relations with land. However, with climate change, their frequency and intensity are rapidly increasing. In the Arctic part of Asia, they are often the result of permafrost degradation and shrinking snow and ice seasons.
On April 20-24, 2026, Vera Kuklina attended the Regional exchange on Indigenous fire stewardship in the Asia sociocultural region. Although the experience of studying and witnessing wildfires in the taiga differs significantly from fire stewardship practices in Nepal, Thailand, Cambodia, India, and Bangladesh, participants in the workshop were able to find common ground in values, spirituality, and relationships with the Land. The program included visiting the Chepang Indigenous community and learning from the local community and the landscape about their fire practices. The event was part of the Global Fire Management Hub – “Fire Hub”, launched in 2023 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The workshop was aimed at contributing to the emerging international Indigenous-led fire adaptation network (IIFAN), for identifying principles and practices for sharing Indigenous knowledge about wildfires around the globe.
