Photo by franslanting / The megafires that burned through California’s redwood forests last summer were triggered by climate change-induced extreme weather events. But in protected areas like state parks, they burned out of control in part because active fire suppression had allowed dry vegetation to build up for decades. In contrast, Native Americans practiced living with fire by burning forests and grasslands regularly. Resource managers in state and federal lands are beginning to realize the wisdom of that approach. Prescribed burns can be tricky to implement, but when done right they reduce the scope of fire disasters. To learn more about how California’s iconic trees are affected by wildfire, read the recent Nat Geo online story, “California’s sequoias and redwoods can survive climate change—if we help them.” I made this image at the end of a controlled burn set by CalFire in a protected area with redwoods. At dusk, fire was creeping along the ground while one burning tree was st...