The Wall Street Journal: Fighting Wildfires with Fire

Indigenous groups have traditionally set fires to improve the health of forests and reduce underbush. This practice was reduced after Europeans settled in the US and functionally stopped after “The Big Blowup” wildfire in 1910. Experts saw the risk of this, and in the 1990s forest managers implemented mechanical thinning and controlled burns which has increased since then. However, some say the progress is not enough. Some groups are working with native tribes to try to improve the health of the forest through burning, but there are concerns about safety and smoke. The issue is more prevalent as global warming places a strain on forests and increases the risk of forest fires. To read the full article written by Richard Schiffman and posted in The Wall Street Journal click here.