Dr. Amy Cardinal Christianson on Good Fire

“Good fire” is integral to maintaining healthy lands and communities. By using fire in a controlled and strategic manner, Indigenous communities can rejuvenate their lands, promote biodiversity and reduce wildfire risks.
As Dr. Amy Cardinal Christianson shares, “We're burning in the spring or the fall. When it's cooler, there's more humidity in the air, the fires can't get that hot, so it removes dead, dry and healthy vegetation from the landscape, but it leaves the roots completely intact so that the plants are able to re -sprout quickly.”
Cultural burns, or “good fire,” not only benefits plants and animals but also reduces the risk of wildfires for communities while strengthening the relationship between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional knowledge.