From California's crimson skies to smoke so thick along Colorado's front range that sent people indoors for days, this year has been an especially bad one for extreme wildfires. On today's episode, we ask, how did the wildfires get so bad – and what can we do to address them?
Call(s) to action
Help build fire adapted communities. If you're interested in l ... Show More
Jul 2021
Like The Monarch, Human Migrations During Climate Change
Human migration is nothing new, but the scale at which people will need to relocate due to climate change will be different than ever before. A World Bank report estimates that over the next thirty years, 143 million people will be displaced within three of the most vulnerable re ... Show More
46m 1s
Aug 2021
Our Fire Conversation Needs to Change
Several wildfires are burning in Northern California — again. Fire is now a regular part of our lives, and we need to address it with the nuance and complexity it deserves. But in order to do that, we need to rethink how we talk about and report on fire in the first place. Today, ... Show More
19m 54s
Jun 2023
Fire Ecology (WILDFIRES & INDIGENOUS FIRE MANAGEMENT) Mega Encore with Gavin Jones & Amy Christianson
Once again: the world is on fire. As wildfires burn across Canada and their smoke pours down the continent, we thought it would be a good time to encore these Fire Ecology episodes. First, Dr. Gavin Jones brings the heat talking about what fire is, how hot it burns, fire trends, ... Show More
2h 22m
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
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
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
Nov 2020
Wildfires
On September 8, 2020, a fire ignited on Almeda Drive, a quiet street in Ashland, Oregon. Dry air and fierce winds sent the fire ripping up the valley towards the towns of Talent and Phoenix. Thousands were evacuated including Bow DeBey, who lives in Talent. That night, with fires ... Show More
28m 25s
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