Story perspectives

Refugee Firefighters Battle Bushfires in Mauritania's Mbera

12/18/2025

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Summary

Story summary

In Mbera, Mauritania, volunteer firefighters—primarily refugees from Mali—train to combat bushfires, with support from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and European Union.
Because water is often unavailable, they smother flames with tree branches.
Hantam Ag Ahmedou, who joined the brigade at 13, emphasizes the dangers of fires and notes resource tensions for about 150,000 refugees, while the brigade plants acacias and fruit trees to restore the landscape.

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Story summary

In Mbera, Mauritania, volunteer firefighters—primarily refugees from Mali—train to combat bushfires, with support from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and European Union.
Because water is often unavailable, they smother flames with tree branches.
Hantam Ag Ahmedou, who joined the brigade at 13, emphasizes the dangers of fires and notes resource tensions for about 150,000 refugees, while the brigade plants acacias and fruit trees to restore the landscape.