Virtual film events at BMLT explore forest management, wildfires

WALLA WALLA—Blue Mountain Land Trust (BMLT) along with a number of regional partners, will be hosting two virtual film events, The West is Burning and Catching Fire: Prescribed Burning in Northern CA to bring community attention to National Wildfire Preparedness Month in May.

Each summer, as we look to the skies, smoke permeates the region from surrounding wildfires. A number of entities are working together to re-examine human relationships to fire. Join us in exploring the importance of prescribed fire and how the historical use of fire ties to the work moving forward.

On Thursday, May 6th from 6:30-8:30 pm, a free virtual screening of The West is Burning will be offered, followed by a virtual panel discussion of local and regional forest and fire professionals, including a community landowner perspective. Panelists include Walla Walla Emergency Manager, Liz Jessee; private landowner, Mark Klicker; and Forest Ecologist with The Nature Conservancy, Dr. Kerry Kemp, and Oregon State University Extension Forester, John Punches, will moderate the discussion following the film.

The West is Burning is a documentary (54 min) that reveals the scale of wildfire issues facing the Western United States. The film examines the history of forest management and social conflict that led to the current conditions, which, coupled with longer fire seasons, are causing unprecedented destruction.

Climate projections anticipate increasing wildfire impact across Oregon’s treasured forested landscapes on both the east and west sides of the state. In the film, unlikely partners come together to improve forest stewardship efforts and highlight the critical need for a unified response to climate change, land use, and forest restoration. This work emphasizes the importance of community-based solutions to these challenges. The feature-length documentary was produced by Landmark Stories at The University of Arizona by filmmakers Cody Sheehy and Galen McCaw, in association with Wallowa Resources.

To register for this event, visit: https://bmlt.org/events. On Thursday, May 13th from 6:30-8:30 p.m., BMLT will host a free screening featuring Catching Fire: Prescribed Burning in Northern CA, followed by a virtual panel discussion with Kathy McCovey, Archeologist, Karuk Basketweaver, & Cultural Practitioner; Jeff Casey, Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Fire Management Officer; and Andrew Addessi and Wenix Red Elk; Supervisory Forester and Education & Outreach Coordinator, respectively, with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation’s (CTUIR’s) Department of Natural Resources. The panel conversation will be moderated by John Punches, Oregon State University Extension Forester.

Catching Fire documentary (54 min) tells the story of how a small but committed group of local, tribal, state, and federal land managers is bringing back the use of prescribed fire as a tool to protect communities and ecosystems across northern California. This film examines the use of fire by the Karuk Tribe of California, and its contrast to how the last century of fire suppression is linked to the rise of megafires across the West. Drawing on interviews with fire scientists, tribal and federal land managers, and fire savvy residents, this film provides insight into how our relationship to fire can be restored through strategic use of fire as a management tool. This film was produced by Will Harling and Jenny Staats in association with Orleans/Somes Bar Fire Safe Council and the Klamath-Salmon Media Collaborative.

“The Catching Fire film event will highlight the role of human-ignited fire in shaping ecosystems and sustaining indigenous cultures,” said Dr. Lindsay Chiono, CTUIR Restoration Ecologist. “CTUIR is pleased to be a partner in bringing the screening and panel discussion to the Walla Walla region.”

This film was produced by Will Harling and Jenny Staats in association with Orleans/Somes Bar Fire Safe Council and the Klamath-Salmon Media Collaborative.

To register for this FREE event, visit: https://bmlt.org/events

These virtual film events are hosted in partnership with Blue Mountain Land Trust, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, My Blue Mountains Woodland Partnership, Oregon State University Extension, Northern Blues Cohesive Strategy Partnership, Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition, The Nature Conservancy, Wallowa Resources, and the Umatilla National Forest, part of the Forest Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.