Good Fire: Tending Native Lands explores how Native communities in Northern California have used controlled fire—also called “good fire” or “cultural burning”—to care for the land and sustain traditions for millennia. Organized in collaboration with Native Northern California fire practitioners, artists, ecologists, and cultural leaders, the exhibition reframes fire as not solely a destructive force, but as an essential tool for supporting healthy ecosystems and vibrant communities.

In this immersive exhibition, explore fire-dependent plants, regalia, basketry, videos of cultural burns, and artworks that help us understand how “good fire” benefits all life—humans, animals, and plants alike. Historical photographs, fire-scarred tree samples, and works by artists like Saif Azzuz (Yurok/Libyan), Renée Leann Castro-Ring (Lisjan Ohlone), and Brian D. Tripp (Karuk) highlight connections between the exclusion of Native peoples from their homelands and environmental decline. These elements illuminate ongoing efforts such as prairie restoration, Land Back campaigns, and the work of Native groups like the Cultural Fire Management Council. 

Rooted in Native knowledge and stewardship, the exhibition challenges colonial narratives that have suppressed Native fire and land relationships in what is now known as Northern California. Good Fire: Tending Native Lands is ultimately a call to reimagine California’s relationship with fire, honoring Native sovereignty and building a future where fire once again sustains life.