Matt Ellis

Fire Management Officer, Methow Valley Ranger District, U.S. Forest Service

Methow Valley, WA

8/23/22

Our exposed skin soaks in the beating Methow sun as we sit perched on the edge of a dusty gravel road overlooking a field that has been swept with a large black paintbrush. Our eager eyes follow the outline of the valley ridge that Matt Ellis traces with his hand. We sit amidst a man who offers insight into the power of fire.

Matt is the Methow Valley District Fire Manager Officer. Originally from Tennessee, Matt has worked in fire management in several states, and has been in the Methow Valley region for the past seven years. He states, “even though I am from Tennessee, working in the Methow has been a highlight in my career because the area fits my personality. ” This statement shines through not only in his work, but also in how he speaks with us.

In our time together, Matt makes clear that fire serves many purposes. He speaks of how fire has the power to destroy, while it is also a natural process that is key in maintaining a healthy environment. Wildfires, or “disturbances” as Matt refers to them, result in burning vegetation, which eventually become heterogeneous zones. Heterogeneity allows for diversification of flora and fauna that is necessary for the formation of a “patchwork quilt” landscape. In creating this quilt, species have a greater chance at surviving and further evolving.

Everything in the world is deeply interconnected, and as we learn from Matt, destruction in the form of fire can contribute to a healthy ecosystem. Matt is confident that with a combination of clear communication with community members and a positive attitude, the Methow Valley will become an even more resilient place. Future fires, whether prescribed or not, will weave that textured patchwork into a tighter quilt, ultimately balancing everything out and benefiting the environment.

By Katie Spegar