“We need more than just a new policy, we need a new culture that welcomes all the gifts that fire brings,” says Timothy Ingalsbee, executive director of Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics and Ecology, a local wildland firefighting nonprofit. Ingalsbee says that FUSEE’s mission is to promote ecological fire management by working with fire instead of against it.
“Fire is not just an agent of destruction. It’s an agent of rejuvenation, renewal, nature’s recycler,” he says. The acronym FUSEE has dual meanings. It’s also the term used for the device firefighters use to ignite fires in prescribed burns, a fusee.
On Oct. 17, FUSEE will be hosting its second ever Fall Fire Festival, featuring live music, fire dancers and a silent auction. The fundraiser will be held at Claim 52’s new location on Lincoln Street. Since its creation in 2004, FUSEE has worked with firefighters nationwide to help them realize the potential to fight fire with fire. “We’re converting firefighters into fire lighters,” Ingalsbee says.
For generations, Native Americans have been using fire as a tool to manage forests and reduce wildfire risk in certain areas. Ingalsbee says that incorporating Native ecological practices in forest management practices is a better way to prevent fire than focusing entirely on suppression. “Native people didn’t own any air tankers, fire engines or dozers. They didn’t fight against fires. They worked with fire,” he says.
Musician Elias Alexander, an artist who plays multiple instruments at once, will headline the event. Ingalsbee describes him as someone who “must be seen to be believed” and has “very progressive politics.”
The event will also feature musicians Peter Wilde and Foreal. On top of that, attendees will get to participate in a silent auction with items donated from local businesses around town. “It’s going to be a wonderful community celebration of fire,” Ingalsbee says. “This is part of our effort to create a culture that celebrates fire for all the gifts it’s given to humanity. It’s a major agent in our theological and cultural evolution.”
FUSEE’s Fall Fire Festival is at Claim 52, 232 Lincoln St., Friday Oct. 17 at 6 pm. Visit Fusee.org for more information.