Large scale wildfires have increasingly made headlines in recent years. Fires have devastated areas of California, Australia, Siberia and the Pantanal that used to be relatively unaffected. We speak to two women helping stop the spread of wildland fires, protecting precious ecosystems, national parks and people's homes.
Being a professional fire fighter is ... Show More
Oct 2022
Prescribed Burns Started a Wildfire, But Experts Say They're A Crucial Tool
After a prescribed burn became the largest wildfire in New Mexico history earlier this year, the U.S. Forest Service put a ninety day ban on controlled burns.
But while these kinds of burns do carry risk, very few escape, and they are a crucial tool in reducing the risk of catast ... Show More
14m 38s
Sep 2020
Wildfires Have Gone From Bad To Worse — And More Are Inevitable
More than 3 million acres have burned in California this wildfire season. The previous record in a single season was 1.7 million, two years ago. Towns are being decimated across California, Oregon and Washington — and firefighting resources are maxed out, as NPR's Kirk Siegler re ... Show More
13m 20s
Feb 2020
How Do Firefighters Fight Bushfires? with Fiona Macken
CONTENT WARNING: This conversation contains details about scenes that emergency first responders encounter, including car accidents, suicide, house fires, and bushfires.
Fiona Macken is a volunteer firefighter with the Country Fire Authority and 3rd Lieutenant of the Diamond Cree ... Show More
50m 26s
Jun 2022
This Indigenous Practice Fights Fire with Fire
For decades, the U.S. government evangelized fire suppression, most famously through Smokey Bear’s wildfire prevention campaign. But as climate change continues to exacerbate wildfire seasons and a growing body of scientific research supports using fire to fight fire, Indigenous ... Show More
30m 49s
Jul 2021
Why Wildfire Is Not Just A Western Problem
All over the east coast and Midwest, forests are getting hotter and drier. Many are also overgrown and overdue for wildfire. And increasingly, Americans are moving to areas where these forests and their homes tangle close together. The fastest such growth is in the Southeast, whe ... Show More
13m 18s
Jun 2023
Playback: This Indigenous Practice Fights Fire with Fire
For decades, the U.S. government evangelized fire suppression, most famously through Smokey Bear’s wildfire prevention campaign. But as climate change continues to exacerbate wildfire seasons and a growing body of scientific research supports using fire to fight fire, Indigenous ... Show More
29m 8s