“No One Is Safe”: Agricultural Burnings, Wildfires and Risk Perception in Two Agropastoral Communities in the Puna of Cusco, Peru
By developing a conceptual framework that integrates the use of fire in agricultural activities, the occurrence of wildfires, and the perception of wildfire risk, this article examines the interplay among these three elements within both wet and dry Puna grasslands. The analysis focuses on two peasa...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Fire |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/8/2/60 |
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| author | Rossi Taboada-Hermoza Alejandra G. Martínez |
| author_facet | Rossi Taboada-Hermoza Alejandra G. Martínez |
| author_sort | Rossi Taboada-Hermoza |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | By developing a conceptual framework that integrates the use of fire in agricultural activities, the occurrence of wildfires, and the perception of wildfire risk, this article examines the interplay among these three elements within both wet and dry Puna grasslands. The analysis focuses on two peasant and agropastoral communities, Vilcabamba and Apachaco, both located in the Cusco region—an area with the highest incidence of wildfires in Peru. This study highlights the sociocultural significance and persistence of agricultural burnings within Puna agropastoral communities and the necessity of considering changes in agricultural activity, mutual aid systems, and communal institutions—particularly regarding land ownership—to understand the factors contributing to wildfire occurrence. Furthermore, it reveals the widespread recognition of wildfire risk among community members, who are acutely aware of both the likelihood and potential severity of wildfire events, while governmental policies aimed at addressing this hazard predominantly focus on raising awareness and enforcing bans on agricultural burning, with limited consideration of these complex sociocultural dynamics. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-174da5b2543a4d99a2fff16505d4602e |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2571-6255 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Fire |
| spelling | doaj-art-174da5b2543a4d99a2fff16505d4602e2025-08-20T03:12:00ZengMDPI AGFire2571-62552025-02-01826010.3390/fire8020060“No One Is Safe”: Agricultural Burnings, Wildfires and Risk Perception in Two Agropastoral Communities in the Puna of Cusco, PeruRossi Taboada-Hermoza0Alejandra G. Martínez1Escuela Profesional de Antropología, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos UNMSM, Av. Carlos Germán Amezaga 375, Cercado de Lima, Lima 15072, PeruGeophysical Institute of Peru, Calle Badajoz 169, Urb. Mayorazgo IV Etapa, La Molina, Lima 15012, PeruBy developing a conceptual framework that integrates the use of fire in agricultural activities, the occurrence of wildfires, and the perception of wildfire risk, this article examines the interplay among these three elements within both wet and dry Puna grasslands. The analysis focuses on two peasant and agropastoral communities, Vilcabamba and Apachaco, both located in the Cusco region—an area with the highest incidence of wildfires in Peru. This study highlights the sociocultural significance and persistence of agricultural burnings within Puna agropastoral communities and the necessity of considering changes in agricultural activity, mutual aid systems, and communal institutions—particularly regarding land ownership—to understand the factors contributing to wildfire occurrence. Furthermore, it reveals the widespread recognition of wildfire risk among community members, who are acutely aware of both the likelihood and potential severity of wildfire events, while governmental policies aimed at addressing this hazard predominantly focus on raising awareness and enforcing bans on agricultural burning, with limited consideration of these complex sociocultural dynamics.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/8/2/60land tenureburningswildfiresrisk perceptionAndes |
| spellingShingle | Rossi Taboada-Hermoza Alejandra G. Martínez “No One Is Safe”: Agricultural Burnings, Wildfires and Risk Perception in Two Agropastoral Communities in the Puna of Cusco, Peru Fire land tenure burnings wildfires risk perception Andes |
| title | “No One Is Safe”: Agricultural Burnings, Wildfires and Risk Perception in Two Agropastoral Communities in the Puna of Cusco, Peru |
| title_full | “No One Is Safe”: Agricultural Burnings, Wildfires and Risk Perception in Two Agropastoral Communities in the Puna of Cusco, Peru |
| title_fullStr | “No One Is Safe”: Agricultural Burnings, Wildfires and Risk Perception in Two Agropastoral Communities in the Puna of Cusco, Peru |
| title_full_unstemmed | “No One Is Safe”: Agricultural Burnings, Wildfires and Risk Perception in Two Agropastoral Communities in the Puna of Cusco, Peru |
| title_short | “No One Is Safe”: Agricultural Burnings, Wildfires and Risk Perception in Two Agropastoral Communities in the Puna of Cusco, Peru |
| title_sort | no one is safe agricultural burnings wildfires and risk perception in two agropastoral communities in the puna of cusco peru |
| topic | land tenure burnings wildfires risk perception Andes |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/8/2/60 |
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