Fire-prone Landscapes in the West African savanna. Present-day dynamics and historical roots.

The Sudanian savanna in West Africa is clearly one of the most representative examples of a landscape that has been fully transformed by human intervention, specifically by fire. In the savanna landscapes, bush fires are an omnipresent, recurrent and determinant phenomenon. Often considered as a major risk and an environmental constraint for the vegetation, burning is also a socio-cultural practice. More than a degradation factor, fires are a part of modes of managing the environment by agro-pastoral societies. The fire-prone landscapes we observe today are also inherited as the result of long-term interaction between human societies and their environment. A historical perspective on the role of fire in their construction is thus essential for gaining an insight into current dynamics.