Trends in Wildfire Dynamics in Ghana’s Transition Zone: Evidence from Dormaa and Atebubu-Amantin Districts.
Abstract
Wildfires are major ecological and socio-economic concern in Ghana, especially within the Transition Zone where forest and savanna ecosystems converge. While fire plays a natural role in maintaining ecological balance, it can also be a threat to biodiversity, soil fertility, and rural livelihoods when it is intense. This study investigates the trends, drivers, community preparedness and coping strategies associated with wildfires in the Dormaa and Atebubu-Amantin Districts of Ghana’s Transition Zone. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected through household surveys (n = 165), institutional records, and key informant interviews. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression were employed to analyze the quantitative data, while qualitative responses were thematically analyzed. Findings reveal a general decline in wildfire incidences over the past decade, corroborated by both community perceptions and institutional records. Declines were largely attributed to sensitization campaigns, adoption of improved farming practices, expansion of cash-crop systems, and the work of fire volunteer units. Despite this progress, anthropogenic activities such as land clearing, hunting, smoking, and grazing alongside environmental stressors like prolonged dry seasons and high temperatures remain key drivers of wildfire occurrence. Community preparedness was moderate, with high awareness of preventive measures but limited access to firefighting equipment and resources. The coping strategies varied across districts, ranging from communal patrols and firebreaks to shifts from annual to perennial crops. The study concludes that effective wildfire reduction requires an integrated approach that combines community-based fire management, institutional capacity building, and climate-sensitive policy interventions, which can support Ghana’s forest restoration and climate adaptation agendas.
