Fire is a natural process. And fire in nature has been used and influenced by people. For hundreds (perhaps thousands) of years, Native Americans used fire to shape the ecosystem across North America. Today, climate change is affecting both the frequency and scope of wildfire, particularly in the western US. In 2020, hundreds of wildfires burned more than 10 million acres in the US, producing nearly $20 billion in damage, and killing more than 30 people. While visiting Glacier National Park on a smoky day (>30 large incident fires were burning in Montana at the time), my thoughtful mother-in-law remarked, “Todd, isn’t Engineering With Nature relevant to the problem of wildfires?” My family is quite informed about EWN. 😊 Climate change adaption for wildfires should include a range of nature-based solutions. More to come.
