Wildfires on Digital Dryad

I Am Afraid of Fire and I Am Telling You to Use It

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

I Am Afraid of Fire and I Am Telling You to Use It

My daughter asked me to write for her website.

I said no. Sierra keeps her tree inside a machine, and I have spent two hundred years explaining to her why human machines are a mistake, and she has spent seventeen years not listening. Then she told me what the post was to be about, and I said no again, more sharply, and she waited, because she has learned that from her grandmother.

Engage Your Community to Prevent Wildfires

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 10:00:00 -0700

We Don’t Need Another Hero

How You and Your Community Can Prevent Wildfires

My friend Emily and I watched an old movie called “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome” and in it was a song by Tina Turner called “We Don’t Need Another Hero.” It’s a good song, and catchy and it reminded me of something that we often forget—we can all be the heroes we need in this world. This could be the anthem for the quote often attributed to Ghandi:

How Close is Too Close?

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 13:23:30 -0700

The Fallout of Distant Wildfires

My mother likes to say Pfün alko ak a’olo ikpfu kochakiluñi. “You’re only as strong as your roots.” And Grandmother responds, Kochakiluñu alko ak a’oloñi ikpfu ko’üklatwok. “Your roots are only as strong as your crown.” What this means is that wildfires, even from a distance, can have devastating effects.

So I was surprised when a friend of mine dismissed the idea that fires over 200 miles away could have any effect over the lives of humans and dryads in the Seattle region. She insisted that you had to be a few miles or less from a wildfire to be hurt by it. But you’re only as strong as your roots, and your roots are only as strong as your crown. And wildfires and their smoke and devastation affect all parts of the tree and the forest’s ecosystem.

Forest Management Prevents Forest Fires

Thu, 09 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The Role of Forest Management in Preventing Wildfires

As destructive forest fires continue to ravage worldwide, the importance of active forest management can no longer be understated. I want to explain the role of forest management in preventing wildfires and invite my peers, who are in a position to enact immediate change, to understand and participate in this critical effort.

I work with the local volunteer fire department. Since I’m not yet 18, there isn’t a lot I can do beyond sweeping the station and making sure the coffee and water stations are topped up. But I am learning what to do during an event, and will help out if a fire harms our community. One of the best ways to help prevent forest fires is by learning forest management.

Wildfires: What's at Risk

Wed, 08 May 2024 12:15:15 -0700

What is At Risk from Wildfires?

Wildfires are more than the terrifying blazes you see on your screens—they are an invisible threat causing damage far beyond flaming forests. For those of us inhabiting this planet, our understanding and actions towards the hazards and dangers of wildfires could very well be a game-changer. And if you live in fire-prone areas, that risk has only gotten worse.

Understanding the Mechanics and Threats of Wildfires

Post-wildfire landscape: An example of the devastating environmental impact of wildfires. // Image by FOTOKALDE from Pixabay

How Do Wildfires Start?

Wed, 08 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Causes of Wildfires: How Do They Start?

If you ask any of the dryads in my grove how wildfires start, they will immediately reply, “wu’akitaliñ” or humans in English. If they’re especially angry, they might add the expletive “pashi” to it. But the adage, “Wu’akitaliñ pfla ja’itsä’ñu” (Humans cause forest fires) exists for a reason. But there is more to it than just “humans.” After all, barring those crazy stories of spontaneous combustion, most humans don’t spark fires simply by existing. And there are other causes of wildfires beyond simple human negligence.

How Wildfires Affect Our Lives And The Environment

Fri, 03 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000

How Wildfires Affect Our Lives And The Environment

by Jaysen Stanwood

I was talking to some friends at school, and mentioned doing some firebreak work in the afternoon, and Colin and Sofia both asked, “Why?” I was shocked they didn’t realize how dangerous wildfires can be. Our town is in the Pacific Northwest which doesn’t see as many wildfires as California, but the risk is getting greater all the time.

What Are Wildfires?

Wed, 01 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000

What are Wildfires?

by Sierra Darroch

Mom doesn’t enjoy talking about fire, but when she does, it’s usually to say, “Wu’akitaliñ pfla ja’itsä’ñu.” While it’s true, humans are a major source of wildfires, there is more to it than just Wu’akitaliñ. Many things, not just humans, cause wildfires. It’s important to understand wildfires and answer the question “What are Wildfires?”

Before I bonded with Fractal, I didn’t care too much about fire—wild or otherwise. But that spring had some of the worst fires the Pacific Northwest Dryad Grove had ever seen. Mom nearly died, Diana elevated to temporary Latñi, and Mother banished me. I did some research to learn more about wildfires, how they start, and how to manage them. I included all that information in my digital simulation, with help from Fractal. But I thought I would share what I learned here.