In this episode we look to the past, stepping back to learn about the role fire has played in shaping the landscapes of the West and how humans co-existed with fire before U.S. government policies on wildfire suppression. This is the story of Indigenous fire, and what we can learn from Tribes about putting fire back on the ground.

We hear from tribal members and cultural fire practitioners Belinda Brown from Lomakatsi Restoration Project (lomakatsi.org), and Rick O’Rourke from the Cultural Fire Management Council (culturalfire.org). We also learn about the history of the U.S. Forest Service’s fire exclusion policy from Tim Ingalsbee of Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, and Ecology (FUSEE.org).  

Hosts: Joseph Vaile and Alexi Lovechio

Producer: Jessica Klinke

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Episode Transcript (Coming Soon)

Episode Guests:

Links & Resources

Organizations featured in this episode:

Lomakatsi Restoration Project (lomakatsi.org)

Cultural Fire Management Council (culturalfire.org)

Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, and Ecology (FUSEE.org)

Learn More

Karuk Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Knowledge Sovereignty

Food Sovereignty

Cultural Fire Use

Traditional Ecological Knowledge

Klamath River Fish Kill

More information on indigenous history of the Rogue Valley, and present-day tribes of the Klamath-Siskiyou region, along with recommended webinars, books, and organizations can be found here:

Citation:

Pyne, S. (2001). Fire: A Brief History. Seattle; London: University of Washington Press. Retrieved May 25, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctvcwnf8f