The American West is burning. Not everywhere, and not all the time – but more often, and more intensely than before. Whether you live in a city under orange skies half the year or on a ranch where a fire could sweep over the ridge tomorrow, the reality is clear: wildfire is no longer something we can simply avoid. We have to adapt. 

But what does it really mean to live with fire? 

Today’s guest has spent years trying to answer that question. Nick Mott is an award-winning journalist, podcast producer, and now author of the book This is Wildfire: How to Protect Yourself, Your Home, and Your Community in the Age of Heat, which he co-authored with Justin Angle, host of A New Angle and a professor at University of Montana’s College of Business.

Nick joined me for a conversation about fire—where we’ve been, how we got here and what we can do now. We talk forest management and insurance markets, prescribed burns and Indigenous fire knowledge, and how community might be the most powerful firefighting tool we’ve got. 

Listen

Links

Check out the book: This is Wildfire: How to Protect Yourself, Your Home, and Your Community in the Age of Heat

Listen to Fireline: Nick Mott and Justin Angle’s award winning Montana Public Radio podcast all about wildfire.

For a one-stop-shop of wildfire safety education and research, check out Firewise USA.

Credits

On Land is a production of Western Landowners Alliance, a West-wide organization of landowners, natural resource managers and partners dedicated to keeping working lands whole and healthy for the benefit of people and wildlife. This episode was hosted and produced by Zach Altman.

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