Fund healthy forest practices
A
few years ago, there was an enormous systematic effort in Sequoia National
Monument to reduce fuels around structures and communities within the monument.
With popular support among all parties, dense stands of small trees, brush and
dead ground fuel that were near settlements were piled and burned. So far there
have been no fires to test whether it will actually protect structures from
wildfires, but I don’t see how it could not.
I
agree with The Bee editorial that the practice of removing funds for programs
like this to fight wildfires is unwise. Wildfire has been a part of Western
forests for as long as they have existed. However, the man-made climate change
that we are experiencing, the earlier arrival of spring, higher temperatures,
dryer soil and vegetation is unprecedented as far back as any proxy measurements
can be made. This reality, along with a hundred-year-old policy of interrupting
the natural fire regimen has resulted in a real risk of catastrophic changes to
Sierra forests.
We
need long-term plans to address this, to adapt to coming changes and to avert
them by moving to non-fossil forms of energy.
http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article30786618.html
Raymond West
August 11, 2015
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