prescribed burning
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The fires in Los Angeles are still burning as I write this. The loss of property, the disruption and loss of lives, and the trauma these fires created are horrendous. Nevertheless, there are lessons we can learn to change fire policies to mitigate (not prevent) such tragedies in the future. Wildfires are a natural part…
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A recent Bend Bulletin Editorial repeated the numerous misconceptions about prescribed burning. The commentary suggested that more prescribed burning would reduce smoke in Bend during the summer months. While I agree that less smoke would be a great outcome, prescribed burning will not accomplish that for several reasons. First, much of the smoke we experience…
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During the 1992 Presidential Election cycle, political advisor James Carvel devised a brief and successful mantra that helped Bill Clinton win the election: “It’s the economy, stupid.” A similar mantra could characterize all large wildfires in the United States: “It’s the wind, stupid.” Although numerous elements contribute to fire spread, including slope, topography, fuel type,…
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I continuously see articles in the media about “good fire, ” defined as frequent and low–severity. In other words, such fire seldom kills mature trees. These fires, we are told, mimic “historical” conditions, creating “healthy” ecosystems by clearing away fuels without killing mature trees. A “good fire” by happy coincidence reduces high-severity blazes or so…
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I just finished watching the film Crown Jewels. Many conservation groups are promoting the movie, but few are willing to critique some of the flawed premises in the video. It is admirable that the filmmakers want people to appreciate old-growth forests. But their message is confusing. On the one hand, they promote the idea that…
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The idea that frequent low-severity blazes as practiced by Native American removes litter but does not kill trees and thus can preclude large blazes is widely promoted by media, the Forest Service and others. Photo George Wuerthner The idea that frequent low severity blazes as was practiced by some tribal people can reduce large conflagrations…
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Heavily logged lands failed to preclude the 2007 Jocko Lake Fire near Seeley Lake, Montana. Photo George Wuerthner Recently Senator Daines spoke at the Professional Fire Fighters conference in Bozeman. Daines advocated more management of our forests, believing that we can chainsaw our way to “forest health.” Senator Daines can be forgiven for his ill-advised…
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Sandstone outcrops and chaparral along Hurricane Deck, San Rafael Wilderness, Los Padres NF, California. Photo George Wuerthner Chaparral is one of California’s most widespread vegetation communities due to the state’s Mediterranean climate of winter precipitation and summer drought. Chaparral is particularly common in the Coast Range, Traverse Ranges, and western slopes of the Sierra Nevada.…
