INDIGENOUS BURNING RESOURCE LIBRARY

What is cultural burning?

Cultural burning refers to the deliberate use of fire by Indigenous communities to manage land and ecosystems in a way that aligns with their cultural traditions, ecological knowledge, and/or resource management goals. The exact definition of “cultural burning” may vary between communities. Like other prescribed burning, cultural burns can be designed to meet a variety of objectives, ranging from food/material supply, to habitat management, to spiritual practice, or many others.

More resources

Fire and Traditional Knowledge (webinar series and newsletter from Northern Rockies Fire Science Network)

How the Indigenous practice of ‘good fire’ can help our forests thrive (article and video from University of CA)

Indigenous fire practices once shaped the Northwest — and they might again (article from Cascade PBS)

Indigenous Peoples Burning Network (indigenous-led network helping to revitalize traditional fire cultures)