1440 Explores How Fire Turned From Friend to Foe
Jan 29, 2026
Stephen J. Pyne, fire historian and emeritus ASU professor, traces how humans went from mastering fire to being threatened by it. He discusses ancient origins of fire, indigenous controlled burns, a century of suppression after the 1910 mega fire, climate-driven fuel cycles, and the push to restore routine, small burns and policy change to live with fire again.
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A Life Shaped By Fighting Fires
- Stephen J. Pyne fought fires as a young man in the Grand Canyon and kept working with fire for decades.
- He calls himself a "pyromantic," meaning he sees the world from fire's perspective.
Good Fire Was Regular Practice
- Indigenous peoples used regular controlled burns to maintain ecosystems and reduce fuel loads.
- Spanish explorers noted widespread smoke near early Los Angeles, likely from these practiced burns.
The 1910 'Big Blow Up' Changed Policy
- The 1910 "big blow up" burned three million acres in 36 hours and killed numerous firefighters, shocking the Forest Service.
- That event triggered the 10 a.m. policy to extinguish every fire quickly.