Prescribed fire on Wisconsin Point is first traditional burn in 150 years

SUPERIOR, Wis. — The first traditional burning of Wisconsin Point in 150 years took place on Wednesday.

The prescribed burn was led by fire professionals and the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.

The burning aims to restore the ecological balance of the point by reintroducing fire, a practice common in indigenous culture.

Wisconsin Point was home to the Ojibwe people for centuries, when they left the point, the practice of burning in the area stopped.

“The people that have lived here were starting the fires because lightning did not mysteriously stop striking 150 years ago, when people left the point it stopped burning, and when it stopped burning, it started to die,” Superior Mayor Jim Paine said.

The prescribed burn isn’t just about managing plant growth, but also about acknowledging the history of indigenous culture in Wisconsin.

“This is a very historic day, I can tell you, it has been a deeply emotional day for all of the folks that were out there when we got to light that fire, to see members, the descendants of the people that have always lived there light the fire and start restoring this place to the way it has always been,” Paine said.

As today’s burn covers just a portion of the point, more prescribed fires could take place in the future.