High Park’s Fires Help Toronto’s Nature Thrive

Every spring, parts of Toronto’s High Park are intentionally set on fire — but not by accident. These controlled burns are part of an Indigenous-informed ecological practice that helps restore and protect the park’s rare Black Oak Savannah, one of the last of its kind in North America. The fires clear invasive species, release nutrients, and allow native plants to grow — reviving a centuries-old ecosystem at the heart of Canada’s largest city.