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Would you want to hunt down this deer in this thick forest? Well the Native Americans didn't either. The Natives burnt the forests so that game like this would come out of the forest and go into the more open parts of the land

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Natives burnt these forests for reasons other than easier hunting and setting up villages. The Natives also burned abandoned fields to prevent them from growing over, and allowed them more space to plant tobacco and corn. Plants growth and yield would also increase after fires. Fire also allowed easier harvesting of some plant's seeds. In addition, Natives used a "fire surround" technique to collect and roast crickets, grasshoppers, moths, and to collect honey from bees. Similarly, fire would be used to kill off any insects, rodents, or mosses that would be a negative influence in the growth of a tree. Fires were also sometimes used as a signal to other Natives of possible enemies in the area, to gather to combat an enemy, or just to gather the different tribes together. Lastly, these fires were used to clear overgrown areas so that they could be traveled through easier by the Natives.

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This video perfectly sums up why the Native Americans used fire.

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The Natives, just like us, had to clear parts of the forests to set up villages. Fires were the most efficient way to clear out a decent chunk of land that could be used by the Natives. Clearing out with fire also produced fireproof areas, where villages would be protected from destructive wild fires.

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We have learned from the Natives how helpful fires could actually be for future growth. It could be seen here how the natives use of fire impacted the future of America by passing down a tradition of forest burning. We learned from them that these burns could help restore nutrients to the soil which will in turn allow for plants to grow even more successfully in the future. Also, fires can help control weeds and other growth, which reduces the risk of wildfire. As you can see, what the Natives did hundreds of years ago is still impacting us today.

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This video shows how we have learned from what the Natives have done and how we have applied them to our present day forests. This is also a great way to show actual footage of a forest being burned. Obviously, the Natives would not have been able to start the fires with blowtorches and fuel, but the end result would be the same: the plants catch on fire and burn into the ground.

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A specific example of the Natives purposefully setting fires would be when they burnt the under story of the forests. Acorns were a huge food source for the Native Americans, so obviously they tried everything they could to help with the production of them. They learned that by burning the forest under story, there would be openings in the canopy that allowed acorn-bearing oaks to grow better. Also, regular burning insect infestation in the oaks, which led to improved acorn quality.

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In discussing fire, it is important to think about who managed the forests before us, and how that has influenced what the forests look like today. Many different Native American groups lived throughout the redwood region, each utilizing the natural resources of their local environment. Annual burning was a common practice of many native tribes for a number of reasons. They burned hillsides to improve the grasses there so that deer and elk would frequent the area and could be hunted easily. Increased grass production also provided more grasses for basketry. Additionally, Native Americans wanted to improve production of acorns, which were a major food source for them. By burning the forest understory, openings in the canopy were produced which allowed acorn-bearing oaks to grow better. Regular burning is also thought to have reduced insect infestation, thereby improving acorn quality. In some areas, understory burning stimulated the production of specific herbs or shrubs which were used by the natives.

When Native Americans occupied a new area, burning was conducted to establish villages. Burning around villages provided a fire break around the area they were living in and reduced the intensity of accidental fires protecting their homes.

While Native Americans used the land, intervals between fires are thought to have been between 11-15 years. After 1850, when Europeans occupied the region, fire frequency diminished and fire suppression practices began. This has caused a build-up of understory forest debris, which now can contribute to causing the large, catastrophic fires we have seen in recent years.

Knowing the history of fire and redwood forests, should we continue to use fire to manage our forests as Native Americans did? There is no clear answer to redwood forest management when it comes to fire, but looking to the past can definitely help with making decisions for the future.

About Deborah Zierten

Deborah joined the League's staff in 2013 as the Education & Interpretation Manager. She brings with her extensive experience teaching science, developing curriculum and connecting kids to the natural world.
More Posts by Deborah Zierten

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Native American Use of Fire | Save the Redwoods League

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In discussing fire, it is important to think about who managed the forests before us, and how that has influenced what the forests look like today. Many different Native American groups lived throughout the redwood region, each utilizing the natural ... Continued

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Annual burnings were a very common practice among the Native American tribes.

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Obviously, the Native Americans were important in this annual forest burning. However, just as important as the Natives were the Europeans who came to America. By overthrowing the Native Americans, the Europeans stopped the Natives from burning the forests. However, what the Natives did will carry over for centuries to come.

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Combustion would be a key term here. Combustion is the process of burning something. The Native Americans were using the process of combustion every time they burnt a plant.