What can the LA wildfires teach us about the importance of Indigenous knowledge?
The Potawatomi botanist and writer, Robin Wall Kimmerer, once wrote that: “to love a place is not enough. We must find ways to heal it.”
When some of the most deadly and catastrophic wildfires broke out in Southern California’s Palisades, Eaton and Hughes neighbourhoods — love poured out from former residents and Angelenos. The destruction has been immense with over 9,418 structures destroyed in Eaton fires and 6,837 in the Palisades neighbourhood. According to the Los Angeles Times, the wildfires claimed the lives of 29 people making it one of the deadliest wildfires on record. Celebrities posted photos of childhood homes in the devastated neighbourhoods and millions of dollars were donated to residents through GoFundMe.
But despite detailed and extensive coverage of the wildfires, less attention has been drawn to the colonial history of afforestation in California and the impact of non-native species in the area. For example, the Australian gum trees are particularly flammable due to their oily vapours and tinder-like bark that can quickly set a whole forest ablaze.
Although the exact cause of the wildfire is still highly contested, there are a few factors that played a role in these apocalyptic fires. Firstly, Southern California had a drastically small amount of rain, around 10% of its average rainfall, since October 1st. Secondly, the famous Santa Ana winds hit the region hard. Sweeping down from the deserts to Southern California, the low humidity removed any remaining moisture from trees and vegetation, culminating in perfect fire conditions. Although California does experience wildfires every year, these catastrophic fires blazed outside of the expected fire season (May-October) and were especially devastating to neighbourhoods which had always been unaffected.
It might seem like most of this is out of our control as humans. Unable to control the rain, the winds or the temperature, the atmospheric conditions are ungovernable, Indigenous cultures developed practices to co-exist with the the environment as opposed to controlling it. It Is important to note that wildfires are increasingly exacerbated by human-induced climate change which has changed generation-old weather and climate patterns.
So, let’s look at how these non-native trees came to California and how Indigenous knowledge of land management could help restore the environment and prevent the catastrophic and uncontrollable wildfires of January 2025.
History of trees (and fire) in California
In 1848, huge swathes of people, estimated at more than 300,000, flocked to the sunny state of California in a period called the Gold Rush. It is estimated that some $2 billion worth of gold was extracted. This had a huge impact on the territory’s population of Native Americans, of which there are over 100 recognised tribes/nations in the state, who were violently displaced by the late 19th century. Trees were planted for fuel and building materials and miners drastically changed the way the land was used compared to the Indigenous population. By no means was the mining or building sustainable and the land was soon stripped of many of its natural resources. Deforestation was an issue that needed to be resolved, quickly. The Blue Gum, a type of eucalyptus, was one of the most planted trees. Native to Australia, this ‘exotic’ tree gained popularity in Europe in the 18th century and made its way to California to counter the severe deforestation during the Gold Rush. Today, the eucalyptus tree remains a symbol of colonisation in India, Palestine and South Africa.
Fire: a primary element
In a non-Indigenous context, fire has solely been seen as a means of destruction, danger, and something uncontrollable. In the UK, it is rare to witness wildfires although not impossible, and when they do break out, they pose a huge risk to human lives and the environment. This is because our native plants and wildlife in the UK are not adapted to fire conditions. Yet, in many indigenous communities, fire burning is a common practice for land management. In California, the Yurok, Karuk, Hupa, Miwok and Chumash have used fire practices for a wide range of purposes: importantly, to reduce the risk of a larger, unpredictable wildfire. It holds a significant place in Indigenous cultural ceremonies in California during which gratitude and respect are shown for the natural environment.
Crucially, the very flammable species, Blue Gum or Eucalyptus globulus, that made its way to California over 200 years ago is still burnt by Indigenous Australians today in controlled practices to manage the landscape, to which it belongs But in California, these non-native species are incredibly invasive, lacking the herbivores (such as koalas and wallabies) that would limit their growth. Eucalyptus thrive and rejuvenate after a fire as their seed pods explode in the heat. Meanwhile, native species suffer from the inhospitable soil that is left over which generates a feedback loop that quickly transforms desert ecosystems into invasive grasslands.
In the book, Invisible No More: Voices From Native America, Hilary Renick explains how ‘Indigenous cultures were full of people who were astute researchers and careful students of the ecological norms of their region’. However settler colonialism brought people to a land of which they had no prior knowledge or understanding, and its consequences are being seen today.
Similarly, in Canada — which has also suffered devastating wildfires — Indigenous people traditionally practised controlled fires which helped reduce the risk of wildfires. However, today, Indigenous people make up a minority of those in charge of fire management and for over a century the Canadian government followed European ‘suppression’ techniques of firefighting.
What’s next?
Fire– one of the classical elements on our planet — is out of our control. After centuries of colonisation, development, and industrialisation, many in power struggle to accept that nature is something we cannot tame. Indigenous people across the world understand that the Earth must be respected and only when we work with the natural balance of the environment can we also live in harmony with it. But we can control what plant species live in certain landscapes and choosing native, non-invasive trees is the first step in returning to a balanced ecosystem.
Robin Wall Kimmerer emphasises that “We need acts of restoration, not only for polluted waters and degraded lands but also for our relationship to the world.” Indigenous scientists, such as Kimmerer, who have set a precedent for combining Indigenous wisdom and Western research have shown how crucial an Indigenous perspective is.
At a time when President Trump has fired thousands of National Park employees, the very people who act as stewards of forests and land, it is challenging to see how any environmental restoration might ever take place (‘Who looked after the land before them?’ I hear you ask…Indigenous people!). But caring for the environment is an act of defiance in a world which sees profit over planet.
You can support Indigenous knowledge in environmental management by acknowledging Indigenous rights, avoiding Indigenous knowledge misappropriation, attending workshops, partaking in online courses and reading books about the environment by Indigenous authors, such as Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer or Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe.
Words by Frankie Pinchard