Fire. The word itself if powerful, conjuring up conflicting images of fear and also comfort, of destruction and barbecues. Fire is not a malicious force. It has no more malicious intentions than a penny falling from a skyscraper. But the impacts can range from helpful to horrible, depending on how humans interact and have historically interacted with the landscape.

This is a story of when fire helped. It’s a story that often isn’t told but one that can spark renewed belief of how our actions can in fact lead to a better outcome. That does not mean, however, that we can do it every time for every fire. It does mean that we can do some things, most notably accept the natural and inevitable existence of fire. Because fire, well, fire is life.

In this episode, Fire is Life, we talk with Angie Krall, the West Zone District Ranger on the Carson National Forest, about the Midnight Fire, long-term thinking, and the necessity of fire.

A special thanks to Angie Krall. Music by Zebulon Krol.

The Dirt and Dust is brought to you by the 2-3-2, Mountain Studies Institute, the Forest Stewards Guild, the USDA Forest Service, and Zebulon Krol.

Want to hear more? Listen to our audio story map to hear the history of the 2-3-2 at 232partnership.org.