Req 1 — History of Wildland Fire

Understanding the history of wildland fire in the United States helps explain why modern forests face unprecedented wildfire challenges today.

Eras of American Wildland Fire History

1. Indigenous Cultural Burning (Pre-1900)

For thousands of years prior to European settlement, Indigenous tribes regularly set low-intensity fires across forests and grasslands. These controlled fires cleared thick underbrush, recycled soil nutrients, encouraged berry and seed growth, and maintained open park-like forest structures that prevented large-scale canopy fires.

2. The Great Fire of 1910 & Total Suppression (1910–1960s)

In August 1910, severe drought and high winds ignited hurricane-force wildfires across Idaho and Montana, burning over 3 million acres in two days and killing 87 people (primarily firefighters). Known as “The Big Burn,” this catastrophe prompted the U.S. Forest Service to adopt a policy of total fire suppression. In 1935, the “10 a.m. Policy” mandated that every reported wildfire be controlled by 10 a.m. the morning following discovery.

3. Smokey Bear & Public Prevention Campaigns (1944–Present)

In 1944, the U.S. Forest Service and the Ad Council introduced Smokey Bear to educate the public on preventing human-caused wildfires. Smokey’s iconic message—“Only You Can Prevent Wildfires”—became one of the most successful public service campaigns in American history.

4. Ecological Realization & Prescribed Fire (1970s–Present)

By the 1970s, forest ecologists recognized that decades of total fire suppression had caused dense undergrowth and dead wood to accumulate to dangerous levels. Today, fire management policy integrates public safety suppression with prescribed burning and natural fire management to restore healthy, fire-resilient forest ecosystems.

Requirement 1 Resources

Next Steps

Now that you understand the history of fire policy, explore the specific ecological, economic, and health harms caused by uncontrolled wildfires.