wildfires

Live 9: Wildfire Reporting and Indigenous Fire Management Practices

Our two panelists include a veteran environmental journalist, April Reese, and Stephan Cheney, an expert on indigenous wildfire prevention and management practices.

This year started out with biblical scale wildfires in Australia and appears to be ending with more apocalyptic fires raging across the Western United States. For this live event we welcome you to share your questions in comments as we host two guest panelists with a wealth of experience on this critical topic.

Beyond the burning of landscapes, what impacts are these wildfires having on ecosystems, economies, and on vulnerable populations?

What are “cultural burns”, who uses them, and what is their cultural and practical value?

April Reese is a former Latitude Adjustment Podcast Guest (episode 14) and a veteran environmental journalist with more than 20 years experience reporting across the US for publications such as The Guardian, Outside, Scientific American, Popular Science, Science, Nature, Audubon, National Geographic News, Smithsonian.com, Yale Environment 360, High Country News, and TheAtlantic.com, and Discover (where she was an editor). April also lived in and reported from Australia between 2016-17. April is currently based in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Stephan Cheney is Lakota of the Kul Wicasa Oyate and first moved to Wiyot Territory (Northern California) to work as a wildlife firefighter and has more than six years experience in this field. Stephan also works for the Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples and is Based in Humboldt County, California.

Below you find an array of recommended education materials, action items, and links to the work and organizations of our guests.