Fire suppression is the practice of extinguishing fires in forests as quickly as possible and preventing new ones from starting. Over time, this approach can alter forest ecosystems, leading to overgrowth and increasing the risk of wildfires.
Instead of suppressing all fires, Indigenous communities have used a technique called prescribed burning or controlled burning to lower wildfire risks. This method has been practiced for centuries, with knowledge passed down through generations.
FIIRE Indigenous Perspectives
Controlled burns clear out the excess flammable brush and make wildfires less likely. Wildfires can okpʋni (destroy, hurt, corrupt) forests, ecosystems, and na nukshopa (wild animals or plants) populations. Controlled burns help protect our forest.
The Chahta (The Choctaw) have engaged in controlled burns for generations, protecting the ko̱wi (woods/forest) and the na nukshopa that call it home.
In 2022, the Chahta Okla (The Choctaw Nation) founded the Choctaw Nation Tribal Forestry Department to protect the ko̱wi and continue their tradition of land stewardship and forestry. The forestry department seeks to achukmʋli (to heal someone or something) the forests after years without controlled burns.
Prescribed burns help keep forests healthy by increasing sunlight, reducing flammable materials, and controlling insect infestations.
Today, these burns may be organized by Indigenous communities or forestry technicians to maintain healthy forests.
Consider the following video to understand the difference between fire suppression and prescribed burns.
THINK-PAIR-SHARE
Based on what you’ve learned about the benefits of fires for ecosystems, consider the following questions:
- How might fire suppression affect a forest ecosystem?
- How do prescribed burns help keep a forest healthy?
- Prescribed burns look different now than they did hundreds of years ago. What are some other traditional practices that we could adapt to the modern age?
