This piece was written before the CZU Lightning Complex fire on California’s central coast, which burned over 86,000 acres. We would like to acknowledge the communities impacted, the tireless work of first responders, and what it will take to recover from the loss. The Amah Mutsun Land Trust staff, themselves, had tools and equipment burn in the fires (where they live and store equipment on State Park land while doing stewardship). It is the author’s view that it will only become more and more important to turn to Indigenous land management and cultural fire to guide the way forward.
