The term burning bridges is not literal. The term is used when someone did something to get rid of something or someone that could have helped them out in the future.
Burning Bridges EP was created in 1999.
Bridges Worth Burning was created on 2002-08-06.
The Burning Bridges Tour was created on 2005-04-26.
Burning Bridges - film - was created on 1928-09-30.
Burning Bridges - 1928 was released on: USA: 30 September 1928
Burning Bridges - 1990 - TV was released on: USA: 6 May 1990
Burning Bridges - Status Quo song - was created on 1988-11-21.
Burning Bridges - Arch Enemy album - was created on 1999-05-21.
Burning Bridges - 2013 was released on: USA: 9 September 2013 (Los Angeles, California)
Burning Bridges - 2011 I was released on: USA: 1 October 2011 (Screenwriter's Workshop Annual Meeting)
Burning Bridges - 1996 was released on: USA: 1 February 1996 (Hof International Film Festival)
the Garth Brooks song of course. :) http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/brooks-garth/burning-bridges-5005.html Answer: The concept of not burning your bridges predates Garth Brooks.