W

ildfires have raged across the mountains of the Hindu Kush Himalaya this year. The Indian state of Uttarakhand lost over 1,500 hectares of forest while Nepal saw hundreds of forest fires in March and over a thousand in April.

As frightening and destructive as these fires have been, for over 10,000 years, everywhere from the Central Appalachians and California forests in North America to Australia, local communities have also used fire to manage their forests and rangelands.

These practices were suppressed in many parts of the world during and after the colonial era. But there is now a growing recognition within conservation circles that, done wisely, controlled burning can be a vital tool in the stewardship of healthy ecosystems. It can promote the growth of plants, enhance nutrient availability and control unwanted species.