Controlled burning
Introduction
To combat increasingly dangerous wildfires, fire management practices include controlled burns, also referred to as prescribed burning. These fires are larger, low- to moderate-intensity fires purposefully set before fire season begins in order to reduce fuel buildup by clearing away excess dry plant matter that might otherwise turn a healthy vegetation fire into a raging inferno. Another benefit is diversifying the landscape by creating mosaics of burned and unburned land acting as firebreaks to reduce the chance of megafires.
Around the world, Indigenous people have been using fire to care for landscapes and nurture biodiversity for thousands of years. Known as cultural or indigenous burning, the principle of reducing the risk of larger, higher-intensity uncontrolled wildfires remains the same - yet with an additional vital importance to culture. From Aboriginal knowledge in Australia to First Nations practices in Canada, fire is being used to fight fire in a warming climate.
See below for the latest news and publications related to controlled burning.
The Karajarri Indigenous Rangers in Western Australia are putting their fire knowledge into practice.
