By Lili Ricke | UK Programmes and Office Intern
The Sainte Luce Fire and Its Impact on Ala
In January 2025, a fire coming from Esohihy spread to Sainte Luce, severely affecting the Ala Forest corridors and the S8 forest fragment. Strong winds and an extended dry season fuelled the fire, highlighting Madagascar’s vulnerability to climate change and extreme weather conditions. Sainte Luce’s hamlets remained safe, but the fire breached firebreaks, damaging critical habitat corridors. While corridors 1, 3, and 4 remained largely intact, (though 84% of native seedlings were lost), corridors 2 and 5 suffered extensive damage.
Nevertheless, despite the fire, 60% of Acacia trees in affected corridors began regenerating by February 2025, and Ala Phase 3 made significant progress in habitat restoration, seedling propagation, and community engagement. There have been three lemur sightings throughout Ala Phase 3 in Corridor 3, demonstrating the success of habitat restoration efforts. Additionally, community-led conservation activities, including firebreak maintenance and reforestation initiatives, were strengthened, laying a foundation for long-term resilience.
Fire Recovery Plan
Immediate recovery efforts include ramping up seedling collection and replanting. More than 3,700 native seedlings will be replanted in intact corridors by March 2025, while replanting in Corridor 5 is scheduled for April or May. Plans to relocate Corridor 2 and expand Corridors 4 and 5 will be assessed, with implementation likely in 2026. New monitoring initiatives will track forest recovery, and alternative fast-growing species will be explored.
Learnings and Future Strategies
The fire underscores the importance of comprehensive firebreaks and enhanced fire mitigation strategies. SEED will work with FIMPIA to improve firebreak coverage and expand fire prevention outreach. Increased community mobilization and fire management training remain priorities to strengthen resilience against wildfires. Additionally, the knowledge and infrastructure built during Ala Phase 3 will be leveraged to accelerate reforestation efforts and reinforce community-led conservation initiatives. Recent lemur sightings reaffirm the effectiveness of habitat restoration, and future conservation strategies will prioritize maintaining and expanding these corridors to support long-term species survival.
Thank you for your continued support!
By Samantha Grunow | Programmes and Office Assistant
By Sally Deitchman | Programmes and Office Assistant
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