The California wildfires, particularly in Los Angeles County, have again demonstrated climate-driven disasters’ devastating impact. In response, the California Legislature approved a $2.5 billion recovery package, including funding for evacuations, shelters, and hazardous waste removal. International firefighting teams from Mexico and Canada were also deployed to support efforts.

Africa, which faces similar fire risks in savanna, forest, and agricultural regions due to climate change, deforestation, and human activity, can learn key lessons from California’s response. Here are the top three learnings and their application in the African context.

1. Strengthening Climate Resilience & Wildfire Prevention

What Happened in California?

• Extreme drought, high temperatures, and strong winds fueled the rapid spread of wildfires.
• California has implemented controlled burns and forest management to reduce dry vegetation and slow fire spread.

Why This Matters for Africa?

• Climate change is worsening African wildfires, especially in South Africa, Algeria, Ethiopia, and Angola.
• Slash-and-burn agriculture and deforestation are major contributors to uncontrolled fires.
• Many regions lack proper fire management plans, leaving communities vulnerable.

How Africa Can Adapt?

– Controlled Burns: Fire-prone African countries should expand controlled burning programs to manage dry vegetation, just as California does.
– Agroforestry & Land Management: Governments should promote sustainable land-use practices to reduce fire hazards.
– Satellite Monitoring: AI-powered fire prediction models (used in the U.S.) should be deployed to help African farmers and policymakers detect early fire risks.

Example:

• South Africa’s Kruger National Park successfully uses controlled burns to reduce wildfire severity.
• Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative is helping reforest degraded lands, reducing fire risks.

Reference: NASA’s Earth Observatory highlights that drought and high temperatures are key factors behind Africa’s increasing wildfire threats. (NASA)

2. Expanding Wildfire Emergency Funding & Recovery Programs

What Happened in California?

• The California Legislature approved a $2.5 billion package for evacuations, rebuilding, and hazardous waste cleanup.

Why This Matters for Africa?

• Many African governments lack dedicated wildfire emergency funds, slowing disaster response.
• Farmers and rural communities struggle to recover from fire-related crop and livestock losses.
• Insurance penetration is low, leaving survivors without financial support to rebuild.

How Africa Can Adapt?

– Establish National & AU Emergency Funds: African governments should allocate specific wildfire relief budgets like California.
– Public-Private Partnerships (PPP): Encouraging insurance companies and donors to create fire recovery funds for farmers and businesses.
– International Aid Coordination: The African Union (AU) should establish a regional Wildfire Emergency Fund, similar to flood and drought relief funds.

Example:

• Algeria (2023): The government provided financial aid to victims after deadly wildfires but lacked a long-term strategy.
• South Africa’s Working on Fire Program employs over 5,000 community-based firefighters, funded through public-private partnerships.

Reference: The World Bank highlights that climate change is increasing disaster-related economic losses in Africa, requiring dedicated funding for response and recovery. (World Bank)

3. Enhancing International Firefighting Collaboration

What Happened in California?

• Firefighters from Mexico and Canada were deployed to support overwhelmed California crews.
• The mutual aid agreements allowed for faster response and better resource-sharing.

Why Does This Matter for Africa?

• Wildfires in Africa often spread across borders, affecting multiple countries.
• Many African nations lack sufficient trained firefighting personnel to handle large-scale fires.
• There is limited cross-border collaboration on wildfire response.

How Africa Can Adapt?

– Create Regional Firefighting Alliances: African countries must formalise wildfire mutual aid agreements, similar to California’s collaboration with Canada and Mexico.
– Train & Deploy Cross-Border Fire Brigades: Establish regional firefighting teams under ECOWAS, SADC, and the AU to respond to cross-border wildfires.
– Invest in Firefighting Equipment & Drones: Expand the use of firefighting drones, satellite monitoring, and joint fire drills to improve response coordination.

Example:

• Southern African Fire Network (SAFNET) promotes fire monitoring and response coordination in Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
• Kenya and Uganda collaborate on forest fire management in Mt. Elgon region, but efforts remain small-scale and need expansion.

Reference: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) recommends cross-border collaboration for wildfire response, especially in regions with shared ecosystems and forest reserves. (UNEP)

Conclusion: Building a Fire-Resilient Africa

Africa can apply California’s wildfire lessons by focusing on climate resilience, disaster funding, and international cooperation. With climate change making wildfires more frequent and severe, governments and regional bodies must act now to prevent catastrophic losses.

Top 3 Takeaways:

– Strengthen wildfire prevention through controlled burns and land management.
– Expand national and AU-level emergency wildfire funds for faster recovery.
– Enhance cross-border firefighting cooperation in Africa.

Looking Ahead: The AU, African governments, and NGOs must prioritize wildfire preparedness to protect lives, economies, and ecosystems from increasing fire disasters.

Call to Action: African leaders must invest in fire management NOW before wildfires become a more significant, recurring humanitarian crisis on the continent.