Touring colonial officers made speeches against the use of fire while foresters and gendarmes received incentives to enforce the legislation. In independent Madagascar, legislation echoed colonial laws, and the government organized periodic media and awareness campaigns against fires. In the 1970s, penalties for illegal wildfires were severely stiffened, yet enforcement fell behind. Anti-fire efforts again intensified in the late 1980s as environmental money began to pour into the country. Fire is not open to discussion with outsiders.
Farmers know that fires are strictly for-bidden.
In this context, local organization and management of fires becomes impossible. This story of fire as a non-event contains several lessons for researchers working on resource management issues in Africa. Had I not detached myself from my biases, I would have seen the Malagasy peasants as ignorant, apathetic pyromaniacs. Thus, researchers must examine their biases, seek alternate explanations, and listen to the logic of their informants. This is nothing new, but it is worth repeating, and it applies to nearly all social and environmental is-sues, from family planning to water use.