Wildfires November 27, 2018, 08:38:05 pm On my daily walk I was pondering the scale and scope of wildfires this years. The fires were so bad here in the west we change our travel plans so we could be in 'fresh' air most of the trip. I do wonder if this will be the new normal.I can across this article I thought you folks might be of interest on this topic.Why California’s Wildfires Are So Destructive, In 5 Charts | FiveThirtyEight
Re: Wildfires Reply #1 – November 28, 2018, 05:00:11 pm My sister lives near Sonora CA in an area much like the area in Paradise that burned. First time I visited her there I felt very uncomfortable after driving through miles of dense forest with small streets jammed with houses down in the trees. My first thought was I sure wouldn't want to be here if a fire got going, you'd be lucky to get out alive much less have a home to return to. 1 Likes
Re: Wildfires Reply #2 – November 28, 2018, 08:41:16 pm About 25 years ago, PBS (KNPB - Reno) aired a 4-part series on the health of the Sierra and it mostly focused on Lone Pine, CA and north. The program was presented by the Forest Service with a focus on what a healthy forest should look like. It touched on fire suppression for the last 70 years. The gist of the program is that the Sierra can support 12 - 25 trees - firs, pines, conifers, a few aspens - per acre. The precipitation both snow and rain and soil nutrients can support that number of trees in a healthy environment. In most areas the trees number in the hundreds per acres. Think about that the next time you're driving along the Eastern Sierra or up and over one of the Sierra passes. Everyone loves the dense forest image but it's not healthy and it's not sustainable and that's proven by the number of dead trees. Whether they have been killed by bark beetles or from drought or it could be there simply isn't enough water to go around. There's too much undergrowth. And, there seems to be either no money, no personnel, or no incentive to clear out or clean up the forest regions. The lumber industry died about 40 years ago. Now, the forests burn. There are no easy answers.Juli WMinden, NV2006 26.5' RB 1 Likes