National Audubon Society Specials: Wildfire

In the wake of the huge fire at Yellowstone in the summer of 1988, forest ecologists are re-evaluating the idea of letting fires burn out naturally. Actor James Woods hosts and narrates this historical overview of "wildfire" and how we've responded to it--beginning with another look at the Yellowstone fire which destroyed some 5 million acres, and was eventually fought by 25,000 firefighters at a cost of over 100 million dollars, long after the fire had begun. For most of this century, however, the response to fire was quick and simple: stamp it out. In the era of "Smoky the Bear," the firefighters' national policy was to put out any fire by 10 a.m. the following morning. It wasn't until the late 70s that people began to realize that fire was, in many ways, a natural and necessary factor in a growing and changing forest. The second half of Wildfire profiles some of the areas where fires are terribly important to the ecosystem--including prairie fires in South Dakota and chaparral fires in southern California. The program concludes with the signs of rebirth at Yellowstone, as scientists note that in many places within the park, plant life is springing back with greater diversity than existed before, thanks to the seeds carried by the raging fire and wind. An excellent video. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (See AMERICAN PATCHWORK: JAZZ PARADES--FEET DON'T FAIL ME NOW for availability.)