The area of lowland bamboo forest cover of Ethiopia has been diminishing at an alarming rate due to anthropogenic factors. The study was conducted in the three kebeles to assess the anthropogenic effect on low land bamboo and the economic wellbeing of local livelihoods in Bambasi wereda. Simple random sampling was used to select 122 sample households for data collection. Survey questionnaire, focus group discussion and interview were used gather data. data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentages, std. deviation, graphs and tables and inferential statistical test was Chi-square. The study investigated the major causes, effects and consequences of forest fire on lowland bamboo and socio-economic wellbeing of rural households in the study area. The study recommends creating awareness for the communities on the effect of forest fire, enforcement of prepared legal frameworks and providing participatory forest management practices.

Keywords: Anbessa Chaka, Bambasi woreda, forest fires, lowland bamboo, socio-economic importance