Burning it All Down

The Dangers of Collateral Damage

Three years ago, I scheduled a controlled burn for my prairie garden. I’d learned about the benefits of burning when I first met with the site planner three years prior. At that time, I knew nothing about prairies and felt mostly fear around wildfires. This fear might have developed when traveling through Yellowstone in 2000. I remember charred parts of the park still bearing stark reminders of the catastrophic wildfires of 1988.

In this moment, the fires raging through our government and rule of law seem nothing like what I would associate with a controlled burn. But…contrary to my feelings, many believe it’s a great thing, and long overdue.