Fighting Fires, Saving Futures: How the European Union’s Game Changing Partnership Empowers Belizean Communities

Thanks to a strategic European Union partnership supporting three complementary initiatives—led by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the Southern Emergency Services—local community volunteers across different districts of Belize are now better equipped to prevent and respond to fires before they spiral out of control.

In Mahogany Heights in the Belize District, community health worker Raquel Vega knows this all too well. After a blaze destroyed a neighbor’s home, she reflected:

“We lost a home. I said we have to put something in place…to work together on how to manage fire and get people engaged.”

Thanks to the EU-funded initiative, Raquel and community members completed hands-on workshops in fire-line building, controlled burns, and emergency protocols. Where fires once smoldered unchecked, this fire season villagers were prepared to form rapid-response teams that patrol forest edges and douse hotspots before they spread—proof that collaboration is key.

“The European Union partnership helped us establish the ranger team in the corridor,” Yahaira explains. “It cemented the pillars of our protected-areas management, especially outreach and fire-management training.”

Community outreach, fire management training, and evacuation planning helped villagers create fire-safe housing zones and adopt early-warning protocols. Some communities, surrounded by fire-prone pine savannahs, also received a donated fire bowser with equipment to boost emergency response capabilities.

Through a partnership with Humana People to People Belize, SES has empowered residents from Silk Grass, Independence, Bella Vista, Big Falls, San Pedro Columbia, and Punta Gorda with live fire exercises and scenario-based emergency planning.

Photo Credit: Southern Emergency Services

Young and old have traded worry for readiness. These community-led teams now serve as the first line of defense. With support, equipment, and expertise provided by the EU, they are proving that wildfire management is about more than hoses and helicopters—it’s about people working together to protect their homes and Belize’s one-of-a-kind biodiversity.