UC Cooperative Extension fire ecologist Barb Satink Wolfson provides a masterclass in the science and culture of "good fire," explaining why we need to empower more people to use it and how community events can build trust and acceptance. Discover the ecological impacts of high-severity re-burns, the critical importance of social science in wildfire preparedness, and why the future of safety lies in entire communities taking collective responsibility.
In this episode, you'll learn about:
The Problem with "Acres Destroyed": Why this common media metric is misleading and what we should focus on instead.
High-Severity Re-burns: The ecological danger of fires re-burning areas too frequently.
Putting Fire in More Hands: The importance of state-level "Burn Boss" certifications and liability protection for private landowners.
The "Good Fire Fair": How to create fun, engaging community events that teach the benefits of prescribed fire.
Cultural Burning: The history and significance of Indigenous burning practices.
The Power of Social Science: Why understanding community perception is as important as understanding fire behavior.
Collective Responsibility: Why house-by-house mitigation isn't enough and entire neighborhoods must work together.
Learning from Europe: A look at how different building materials and firefighting tactics shape the WUI problem overseas.
