Fires of Spring by H.T. Lewis

A Study Detailing Indigenous Burning in Northern Alberta, Canada

Fires of Spring reveals traditional ways in which Indigenous people have been living with fire for thousands of years in Canada.

“They used to burn places where they think it was very useful. For instance, the places where the horses used to winter, in order to have plenty of good feed for them, and grass. And then…around lakes where there’s muskrats, so that they could always have really fresh roots, you know? They live on roots, grass roots mostly. To keep them nice and fresh. (without fire) the roots will spoil and rot, and then they’ll die off. Places where there’s moose, and where the moose like to roam around, they burn the brushes there so they’ll have green leaves and things to live on in the summer.” -Harry Chonkolay, Slavey Band of the Upper Hay River, Alberta Canada.

This important video details the intricate and sophisticated systems implemented by tribes in Alberta. Henry T. Lewis was a Professor of Anthropology at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, and conducted ground-breaking research that is still obscured by the sensationalist reporting about wildfires.

“Regions that were once a complex mixture of forest types, muskeg, bush, and large grassland openings, are now dominated by brush and trees, are now dominated by brush and trees. Historical records show that Northern Alberta was previously in a more diversified and open environment than once was the case. The record also shows that it was maintained, perhaps even established, by traditional Indian burning.”

Louison Martel, a member of the Slavey Tribe, says; “Since the law was made, you can’t burn like you did before.The law started in 1932, after a bad summer of forest fire had burned from Hay River right down to Indian cabins and Meander River. It burned out by itself, but the rangers came and changed the law.”

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In a paper he wrote with Theresa A. Ferguson, called “Yards, Corridors, and Mosaics: How to Burn a Boreal Forest”, they both conclude that their previous conceptions of Indigenous fire (small scale, only lightly affecting the land) were not adequate or correct. In fact, Indigenous people throughout the world often worked with fire on a large scale, greatly affecting and shaping the landscape.

In my own book (forthcoming next summer), I argue that the ideas of “virgin forest” held by arriving colonizers were incorrect, and Lewis asserts this as well, writing:

“As several writers have noted, the “forest primeval” was a later romanticized creation of the Euro-American imagination. The forests, parklands, and prairies of North America had already been greatly influenced and actively managed by aboriginal people’s widespread use of fire” (3).¹

Lewis defined “fire yards” as essentially prairies created by fire within an otherwise forested area. These existed not only in Alberta but across the world, created by fire and implemented by Indigenous people. These fire yards were maintained by the frequent use of fire, in order to create new growth not only for animals to feed on (and therefore provide more meat for those living with them), but also maintained a biodiverse, heterogenous (meaning many different plant and animal species) landscape which provided other foods and materials.

Corridors, unlike yards, were smaller, lengthier areas burned in order to maintain walking and hunting trails, riparian openings along rivers, streams, and waterways, and to cultivate specific habitat for animals, tubers, brush for basketry and building materials, and openings along ridgetops.

What’s most remarkable about this paper is how wide-ranging it is: from Whidbey Island in Washington State to the length of California to British Columbia, Tasmania, and New South Wales, Australia, Indigenous people have been burning for thousands of years. My own book editor questioned me when I made this assertion, but it’s true. That it’s difficult for many people to believe or understand needs to be remedied.

Please take the time to watch the video above, and then take a moment to share this with someone who may learn something from it.

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1. Lewis, H.T., Ferguson, T.A. Yards, corridors, and mosaics: How to burn a boreal forest. Hum Ecol 16, 57–77 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01262026