Ecology: The Yellowstone Wildfires of 1988 | Retro Report

This 10-minute video explores the lessons from the Yellowstone fires of 1988 that gave rise to a national political controversy about the relationship between fires and sustainable forestry. The video shows students how public attitudes towards fire and forestry had been molded for decades toward preventing and fighting forest fires, and how the Yellowstone fires led to a reevaluation of these ideas. Useful as an introduction to the context and complexities of forestry policy, the video helps students see recent debates over wildfires within a larger historical framework.