Beauty in the Flames: South Florida's Traveling Gallery of Prescribed Fire

Prescribed fire has a proven record of protecting communities from the harm wildfire can do and of making landscapes more resilient to a changing climate. From California's chaparral to South Florida's sawgrass prairies, many ecosystems need fire to stay healthy — and many communities are built in exactly those fire-dependent places, a fact the public often loses sight of. South Florida Fire and Aviation (SFFA), the National Park Service's fire program in the region, has found an unusual way to counter fire's sometimes negative image: art.

South Florida's traveling art gallery, just after being set up for an event. Michael Gue, South Florida Prescribed Fire Manager, NPS

A gallery of burns

Supported in part by a grant from the NPS Division of Fire and Aviation's communication and education program, fire managers assembled a collection of photographs taken during prescribed burns across South Florida. The collection became a traveling art gallery of documentary-style images meant to catch people's attention and give them a firsthand sense of how dynamic wildland fire is. Fire staff stand with the pictures and explain how fire is being used to build climate resilience in the national parks.

A lone mangrove as a prescribed fire moves across the landscape in Everglades National Park — one of the gallery's prints. Michael Gue, South Florida Prescribed Fire Manager, NPS

Conversation starters

At a Wine and Wildlife event in downtown Naples, Florida, one visitor, gazing at the display, wondered aloud how something so destructive could also be so beautiful. Fire communications specialist Riki Hoopes explained that fires like these actually help preserve the natural beauty and biodiversity of the national parks — and a conversation began.

Hundreds of conversations like that have taken place around the carefully placed pictures, helping people understand fire's role on public lands and building support for SFFA's large-scale prescribed fire program. Hoopes notes that the program has long worked with local school districts to teach children about fire, but that many adults are misinformed about its role in healthy, resilient ecosystems. The art, Hoopes says, draws people in and gets them asking questions.

Smoke drifts between pines and cypress at sunrise in Big Cypress National Preserve, one of the gallery's favorite pieces. Michael Gue, South Florida Prescribed Fire Manager, NPS

Beyond the pop-ups

When it is not on display at pop-up events, the gallery hangs in NPS public areas for visitors to enjoy. Teaching about fire through art reaches communities that other approaches miss, turning up unexpectedly at local events and making connections that would not otherwise happen.

Sources

• National Park Service, "Beauty in the flames: How South Florida Fire and Aviation is using art to educate the public and build community support": https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/beauty-in-the-flames-how-south-florida-fire-and-aviation-is-using-art-to-educate-the-public-and-build-community-support.htm