Fire is not just a fact of life, but a precursor of it as explained in the new documentary Elemental: Reimagine Wildfire. Here the silky, British tones of Narrator, David Oyelowo leads  us through the exploration of a more peaceful coexistence with this destructive element. Directed by Trip Jennings and co-written by Jennings and Ralph Bloemers, the doc considers the current rise in destructive fires in Colorado, California, and Oregon. What is the cause? How can these nightmarish infernos be better managed? Elemental takes a deep dive utilizing century-old data and even older native wisdom to discover a solution. Despite being as dry as a tinder box, the film still manages to remain consistently interesting, offering new insight into how destructive fires can be avoided in the future.

Jennings and Bloemers set the scene by recounting the rise in astoundingly destructive fires in the United States. The archival footage is mesmerizing as we see waves of flowing orange flames effortlessly consuming manmade structures in rural areas. Various scientists offer their opinions and advice including renowned Research Physical Scientist Jack Cohen who claims that it is possible for a home to withstand a wildfire. Cohen also claims to bristle at the declarations that the authorities are doing everything that they can to mitigate destruction and loss of life. This sounds a bit fringey at first but when coupled with input from Yurok Cultural Advisor Margo Robbins, things sound a bit more plausible.

Through interviews with indigenous people in fire-prone areas, we focus on how previous cultures faced the inevitability of the flame. To them, Fire was an element to be respected and managed. Small, controlled burnings of invasive underbrush were a key tool in management and a crucial element in the cycle of life. We next compare the findings of various scientists who spend decades studying fire behavior coupled with the good and bad of wildfires. Elemental also focuses on the ignorance of man’s desire to live in nature while ignoring how to live with it.

Thankfully, Elemental: Reimagine Wildfire avoids the trap of becoming a preachy eco-piece. It does this by presenting clear facts and practical solutions. At one point in the film, a scientist that had spent over two decades studying fires and delivering data rolls her eyes when her findings are ignored. She goes on to lament that there are only about three decades left before we cross the “tipping point.” That murky fate is enough to make the viewer pause for sure, but then the doc focuses on solutions. Thankfully we still have options.

Elemental: Reimagine Wildfire is worth the watch though it isn’t the least bit interested in entertaining. This is a full-throttle edu-doc that presents facts, problems, and solutions along with lightly capturing the pathos of avoidable tragedy. This is an important documentary that avoids the perils of agenda to offer what is believed to be a navigable path to a better future among the trees.

6 out of 10