Dr. Christopher Roos, Professor of Anthropology at Southern Methodist University, studies the long history connecting people, fire, and landscapes.

Wildfires are often seen only as destructive, but history tells a more complex story. For centuries, Indigenous communities used fire intentionally to shape ecosystems and manage the land.

Using tree-ring science and archaeology, Dr. Roos examines how the Western Apache used controlled burning to help landscapes adapt to drought and climate extremes. In this episode, we explore how this deep history of Indigenous fire management offers important lessons for today, as communities search for better ways to live with fire rather than simply fight it.