Gillian Burke on Fire

Springwatch presenter Gillian Burke’s talk at our AIR & FIRE conference in September encouraged us to look at fire, and perceptions of wildfire, afresh. Here are three short films she shared to help us do just that.

Fire prone ecoystems make up 40% of the earth. As part of their natural cycles, it regenerates habitats and resets their ecosystems. Fire has shaped our biology and been key to life for millions of years. It has an important story in our relationship to other species, from cooking and nutrition to the internal combustion engine, it’s changed everything and been a hugely important part of our story.

Suppressing fires can actually increase the fuel load, leading to mega wildfires which are much bigger than they would be if fire happening as part of a natural cycle.

Looking at fire in a different way, it’s part of a common indigenous practice, “Done the right way, it can sound like a whisper moving through the landscape.” She talked about revisiting our old relationship with fire, and how it has been used in the landscape, and recommended watching these films:

1.     Fire through the Ages: Anatomy of a Wildfire | Our World

2.     Cultural Burning | Tending the Wild | KCET Online

3. Wildfires Explained (You need to know this about the western wildfires)