An Obituary for the Land

“To the power of these burning, illuminated western lands who have shaped our character, inspired our souls, and restored our belief in what is beautiful and enduring—I will never write your obituary—because even as you burn, you are throwing down seeds that will sprout and flower, trees will grow, and forests will rise again as living testaments to how one survives change.”

Terry Tempest Williams, excerpt from “A Burning Testament”

Since the beginning of 2020, 8,400 wildfires have burned over 4 million acres in California.

Last month, the poet Terry Tempest Williams shared what it like growing up with devastating fires and recited a portion of her “obituary for the land” on The Daily podcast by The New York Times. I was moved beyond words. You can read her insightful and compelling piece—A Burning Testament—in its entirety here.