Abstract
Yellowstone National Park was created in 1872 and wildland fire has been a major factor in shaping the physical appearance of the park ever since. Wildland fire has shifted from being an indivisible part of the landscape, to a foe in need of suppression, and finally to a natural but often unpredictable element that perpetuates natural processes. These changes in approaches towards fire are visible in historical and archaeological records. This thesis seeks to answer what motives drove change in the perception of fire on the landscape, how wildland firefighting is present in the archaeological record, and how wildland fire is part of our definition of wilderness.