Listen Ad-free

This Indigenous Practice Fights Fire with Fire

Overheard at National Geographic

Jun 14 2022 • 30 mins

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 groups in the Klamath Basin are reviving cultural burning practices that effectively controlled forest fires for centuries. National Geographic photographer Kiliii Yüyan introduces us to people bringing back this cultural practice and teaching the next generation how to use fire. SHOW NOTES Want more? If you want to hear more from Kiliii, you can also listen to a previous Overheard episode where he shares stories from the many weeks he spent camping on sea ice with Native Alaskan whale hunters.  And you’re dying to see his photography, check out his website to see portraits of Indigenous people, Arctic wildlife, and more.  Also explore: To learn more about Margo Robbins and her efforts to revive cultural burns, check out our article on the subject. For subscribers: Cultural burns are just one of many stories that Kiliii and writer Charles Mann covered about the ways Indigenous groups are trying to reclaim sovereignty. That’s coming out in the July issue of the magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You Might Like

Hidden Brain
Hidden Brain
Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam
Radiolab
Radiolab
WNYC Studios
Science Friday
Science Friday
Science Friday and WNYC Studios
StarTalk Radio
StarTalk Radio
Neil deGrasse Tyson
Sasquatch Chronicles
Sasquatch Chronicles
Sasquatch Chronicles - Bigfoot Encounters
This Podcast Will Kill You
This Podcast Will Kill You
Exactly Right Media – the original true crime comedy network
Something You Should Know
Something You Should Know
Mike Carruthers | OmniCast Media | Cumulus Podcast Network
Paranormal Mysteries Podcast
Paranormal Mysteries Podcast
Paranormal Mysteries Podcast | Unexplained Supernatural Stories
Real Ghost Stories Online
Real Ghost Stories Online
Real Ghost Stories Online | Paranormal, Supernatural & Horror Radio
Tooth & Claw: True Stories of Animal Attacks
Tooth & Claw: True Stories of Animal Attacks
Wes Larson, Jeff Larson, Mike Smith | QCODE
The Confessionals
The Confessionals
Merkel Media
Science Vs
Science Vs
Spotify Studios
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
Jeremy Corbell, George Knapp, Cadence13 and Dark Horse Entertainment