Colonization Made CA a Tinderbox: Why Indigenous Land Stewardship Would Help Combat Climate Fires

We examine California's history of forest management and how a century of fire suppression has made the current climate fires even more destructive. For thousands of years, Native American tribes in California would regularly burn the landscape to steward the land, but colonization led to the suppression of these tactics and decades of misguided policy. A return to these Indigenous practices could help better steward the land and foster greater climate resiliency, says Don Hankins, a pyrogeographer and Plains Miwok fire expert who teaches geography and planning at California State University, Chico. "If we all work together and we use the same mindset in terms of process, being able to use fire within the landscape, we can start to put fire back in at the scale that it needs to be for the right ecological and cultural purposes," Hankins says.

#DemocracyNow



FOLLOW DEMOCRACY NOW! ONLINE:

[ShaunaAllen-qnlt]

This is the exact situation we have in Australia after our horrendous wildfires.
Only now, the indigenous people are being consulted on land management. For thousands of years our Australian aboriginal population had a system of fire setting to encourage re generate important food bearing foliage, and to help diminish fuel loads.
British colonization and European farming practises ruined the natural landscape.

[lsobrien]

The eradication of California's indigenous population was one of the most extensive, cruel and disgusting episodes in all of human history.

[christinestange]

Our indigenous population are a smart resource, in tune with nature like no others. Should have left forest management up to them in the first place. They know what they're doing. We need to stop being so self rightous. This is what happens when we think we're superior and we're not 🔥🔥🔥
So sorry for the devastation 💔 Praying for all effected 🙏🏼

[Missy]

Indigenous peoples have knowledge our society does not appreciate.

[jewellevy]

Don't we need to admit that the rainfall hasn't kept up with nestle corporation's theft of water from california?

[swood]

In California, 57% of forest land is federally owned and 3% is state land (40% private). So any improved forest management is largely a federal responsibility.

[ritawoman]

Indigenous stewardship is definitely the answer, along with restricted building in heavily forested areas. I have had this idea on my mind for months now if not a year. I'm just an average citizen of California, I don't even have a college degree. But even I can see that this would be an intelligent and thoughtful answer to this horrible horrible problem. Who better to teach us, show us what we must do. Than those who actually have been doing It all along?! Of course I know that climate change is very real and that what we would be doing with the indigenous peoples is only part of the answer but better a beginning than ignoring an obvious and real way to solve part of this problem! ✌🏾😷☯️🌲🏞️🍁🌿🔥👈🏾💪🏽🙋

[mladyriad]

We have family and friends in the southern Oregon region who’ve suffered died and lost everything. They are still under fear of evacuation in Medford/Central Point. We have ppl in Eugene and Portland as well and we worry for them.
It’s all very stressful.
We are from there but in Moscow Idaho and suffer air quality index in the hazardous zone as do many places up and down the entire west coast. The long term effects are yet to be evaluated but I assure it won’t be good news data.

[cmichellesummers]

Thank heaven for the groundbreaking journalism at Democracy Now!, without it we would not know where to begin repairing damage done on Earth.

[Kit-sezs]

It's clear he doesn't want to protect Californians. He could not care less.

[AmyB]

Colonization has ruined and destroyed so much I really wish we could return to a tribal way of living

[twylacastaneda]

The fire departments needs to consult with both the native peoples here in America, and if possible, consult Australian Aboriginal people's as well. Both people's have thousands of years of sustainable fire and drought management..and both were forced to stop their practices due to colonization. But the knowledge remains in some people.

[skyebarkschat]

We need to return the land to the stewards!

[dsddala]

Thank you, Democracy Now, for bringing this conversation to people, because the current fire situation IS very complex and Native Americans had it right. Americans (especially Californians) need to understand they can have low and slow fires now, with some black charring for a few months, then vibrant green springs because the flora benefit from low/slow fires, or they can have what we are seeing now: devastation. There is no middle ground as is now being shown to us in extreme. Prescribed (intentionally set, professionally managed) fires are our only way out. How do I know? 13 years as a federal wildland firefighter, participant in many prescribed fires, former hotshot (4 years), Captain/Strike Team Leader.

[mle]

Can we also talk about weather modification(cloud seeding) and its effects on living ecosystems? Or nah? No wonder the forest management wasnt allowed to speak.

[purplegirl]

The natives also have better farming practices as well.

[Bearwoman]

Tribes are not allowed to manage their tribal lands in traditional ways as well as, freedom of practicing traditional ceremonies!

[emiebex]

Taking Climate Change more seriously would help combat Wildfires.

[markcarter]

I don't think Trump knows anything!

[jeremiahjoseph]

I love this network!
Baby steps to Re-align with MotherEarths natural order is what we can do. Unfortunately the way we use the monetary system, it breaks the intimate relationship we have with the land, and the world around us.