Fire and Man in Sequoia National Park∗

ABSTRACT Aboriginal Indian occupance of Sequoia National Park began about 1000 A. D. Periodic burning to aid in food gathering and lightning-caused fires led to the development of a vegetation cover considered to be “natural.'’In the 1860s, a period of resource exploitation began, as sheepherders drove their flocks throughout the area and set fires to increase forage. With the establishment of the Park in 1890, the federal government initiated a protectionist resource management policy; steps were taken to prevent and suppress all fires. Increased forest densities and fire dangers led to disagreement on this policy. In the 1960s, experiments were begun with controlled burning and natural fire zones; these led to the development of a management policy based on the natural functioning of ecosystems.