Learning to coexist with wildfire (original) (raw)

F ire is unique among the natural hazards that affect human communities and the ecosystems on which we depend 1 . Although humans sometimes intentionally ignite and manage fires, our main focus is on fighting them. For other natural hazards, such as earthquakes, hurricanes and floods, there is much more emphasis on identifying vulnerabilities and adaptations. The 'command and control' approach 2 typically used in fire management neglects the fundamental role that fire regimes have in sustaining biodiversity and key ecosystem services 3-6 . Unless people view and plan for fire as an inevitable and natural process, it will continue to have serious consequences for both social and ecological systems.