The Arctic isn’t just warming, it’s on fire. From the record-shattering 2023 wildfire season in Canada to the zombie fires smoldering beneath the boreal forests, Arctic wildfires are reshaping landscapes, threatening communities and accelerating global climate change.
In this episode, learn about the changing fire regime and how Arctic wildfires impact everyone across the globe from Edward Alexander of Gwich’in Council International and Sue Natali and Brendan Rogers of the Woodwell Climate Research Center. Hear from Edward Alexander, Chief Bill Erasmus of Arctic Athabaskan Council and Vladimir Klimov of RAIPON, who share both the devastating impact wildfires have had on their communities, as well as the beneficial uses of fire practiced by their ancestors until colonization put a stop to Indigenous cultural burning. Finally, explore how restoring Indigenous fire practices and integrating knowledge systems could be part of the solution to improving wildfire management, promoting healthier ecosystems, revitalizing culture and building resilience.
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts - or wherever you get your podcasts.
"It would be a deadly assumption, and it would be a wrong assumption to assume that the 2023 fire season is an anomaly or is as severe as wildland fire in Canada will be." Edward Alexander, Gwich'in Council International
Canada's 2023 wildfire season was the most destructive ever recorded. Throughout the episode, our guests and hosts will refer to the 2023 wildfire season an example of the impacts of intensifying wildfires.
The 2025 wildfire season is already on track to being one of the worst on record. That's why we decided to release this episode early, before the rest of the podcast publishes this fall. It's more important than ever that we learn from the past and apply unique solutions to a unique problem in the Arctic.
"65% of Gwich’in homeland where I'm from has burned in my lifetime." Edward Alexander, Gwich'in Council International
"Canada [2023] was off the charts. We've literally had to remake our charts of fire history." Brenden Rogers, Woodwell Climate Research Center" Brendan Rogers, Woodwell Climate Research Center
"70% of the population in our territory, which is a huge territory, had to evacuate. It was very scary. We never thought ever, that Yellowknife would be evacuated." Chief Bill Erasmus, Arctic Athabaskan Council
Thank you to our guests, in order of appearance:
Edward Alexander, Gwich’in Council International
Brendan Rogers, Woodwell Climate Research Center
Chief Bill Erasmus, Arctic Athabaskan Council
Sue Natali, Woodwell Climate Research Center
Vladimir Klimov, RAIPON
We also would like to thank David Natcher and Karin Nutti Pilflykt. They provided their insights to this episode.
The music in this episode is by Emil Kárlsen, used with permission.
Jessica Cook Arctic Council Secretariat
Rosa-Máren Magga Indigenous Peoples' Secretariat
Wildland Fires Sharing Circle, side event by the Norwegian Chairship of the Arctic Council and Permanent Participants at Arctic Frontiers 2024
Natcher, David C., et al. "Factors contributing to the cultural and spatial variability of landscape burning by native peoples of interior Alaska." Ecology and Society 12.1 (2007). https://www.jstor.org/stable/26267834
Natcher, David C. "Implications of fire policy on Native land use in the Yukon Flats, Alaska." Human Ecology 32 (2004): 421-441. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/B:HUEC.0000043514.19598.23
Kelly Boutsalis, The art of fire: reviving the Indigenous craft of cultural burning. The Narwal. 20 Sept 2020. https://thenarwhal.ca/Indigenous-cultural-burning/
Christianson, A.C., and Kristoff, M, 2019-2022. Good Fire podcast. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-fire/id1478894233
Christianson, Amy Cardinal, et al. "Centering Indigenous voices: The role of fire in the Boreal Forest of North America." Current Forestry Reports 8.3 (2022): 257-276. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40725-022-00168-9
Lake, Frank K., and Amy Cardinal Christianson. "Indigenous fire stewardship." Encyclopedia of wildfires and wildland-urban interface (WUI) fires. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2020. 714-722. https://www.fs.usda.gov/psw/publications/lake/psw_2019_lake001.pdf
Follett Hosgood, A. Ancient Fire Prevention Practices, Reignited. The Tyee. 12 May 2022. https://thetyee.ca/News/2022/05/16/Ancient-Fire-Prevention-Practices-Reignited/?utm_source=daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=160522
This Way Up is produced by the Arctic Council Secretariat and Indigenous Peoples' Secretariat. The views expressed in this podcast are the personal views of the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the views of all Arctic States and Permanent Participants.