For Over A Century, California Banned Indigenous Cultural Fires. Now, That's Changing.

Copyright

2021

In this audio story, NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Don Hankins, an Indigenous fire expert at California State University, about the state's decision to permit cultural burns, or the intentional application of fire to land by Native American tribes, tribal organizations and cultural fire practitioners to achieve cultural goals or objectives, including subsistence, ceremonial activities, biodiversity or other benefits.