Drought and climate change have created the perfect recipe for destructive wildfires over the last decade, devastating ecosystems and communities. In the wake of their chaos, it’s easy to forget that fire is an essential part of all thriving Western landscapes. It plays a crucial role in naturally maintaining forests and providing nutrients to the soil.

Over a century of forest mismanagement has caused wildfires to burn stronger than they ever were intended to, causing spillover effects that often result in catastrophic burns.

At Vermejo Reserve, a Ted Turner property in New Mexico, hard work goes into both fighting fires and educating about their benefits to the ecosystem. Vermejo’s conservation efforts are working toward a future where natural fires can burn without causing widespread devastation, as they once did years ago.

The story is brought to you by Cameron Glymph, she is a Planet Forward and EarthX Youth Voices Correspondent. Glymph takes us on a journey on how drought, climate change, and human activity have brought challenges for fire management in the southwestern region of the U.S. View the full story HERE

Editor’s Note: This series was made possible with the generous support of Turner Reserves and contributions by the Turner family. All editorial content is published independently. 

Planet Forward’s Environmental Media Lab led this expedition to teach the power of visual storytelling in wild spaces to convey the beauty and bounty of our planet.