Stephen Fellows- Control Burn

Gary Snyder’s poem “Control Burn” discusses the advantages to using fire as a way of preserving nature. This is a theme echoed by Evan Eisenberg in his book. Both authors prove that the Indians used fire to help the forests around them grow and flourish. The Indians in the rain forest use fires to grow crops but over time they allow these areas to become overgrown which turn into wild gardens. These areas become havens for both humans and animals. Snyders’ Indians use fire for crops and also to burn away the underbrush which protects the larger trees from forest fire. These are contrary to most modern ideas. Smokey the bear tells us that all forest fires are bad. People are constantly telling children not to play with fire. And the slash and burn technique that most Westerners are familiar with is the one used by the Europeans who were just trying to clear land for fields. People do not think that fires could be useful in nature. Maybe Snyder is right in calling for a hot clean burn.