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Forest fires

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humanrace

humanrace

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Bryan, TX
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Dennie
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Spears
I started a ride last year and had to postpone the second half because of smoke and ash from fires in Oregon and California. I was scheduled to resume my ride on the 22nd of July. With the number of fires in California and Oregon right now, I may have to postpone until next year when there will not be any trees left.
 
We’re paying the price for decades of mismanagement of our forests. Turns out that fire is good and we should be using it as part of a management program rather than prevent all of them.
 
Where's a good map of current wildfire conditions (actual burn, smoke coverage, etc) ?
 
2N2OUT said:
We’re paying the price for decades of mismanagement of our forests. Turns out that fire is good and we should be using it as part of a management program rather than prevent all of them.
Click to expand...

"We" have known and understood fire ecology and the role fire plays in maintaining healthy forests for decades. So I don't understand why fire has been supressed.

Unless it is because homes have been built in forests. Perhaps that shouldn't be allowed. Or maybe we need fire proof building codes.
 
I'm in colo right now. Just finished the BDR. Seems like the entire northern part of the state has a haze over it from all the fires
 
Stay out of AZ too.

I think we currently lead the nation in the number of fires and the number of acres burned. On a recent trip between Show Low and Tucson I rode through ten MILES of burnt out hillsides south of Globe from the recent Telegraph Fire. They still had crews on it doing mop-up operations. I have one current fire six miles east of my Show Low house but it doesn't currently pose a threat.

Sadly, we lost two air attack personnel a couple of days ago in a crash.
 
I wonder how my DRZ would do on a long winter ride? Heading east takes me away from the abundant free camping available in the western states. Pray for rain.
 
SpiritAtBay said:
"We" have known and understood fire ecology and the role fire plays in maintaining healthy forests for decades. So I don't understand why fire has been supressed.

Unless it is because homes have been built in forests. Perhaps that shouldn't be allowed. Or maybe we need fire proof building codes.
Click to expand...
Many have fought against the management of forests using fire, machinery and other methods, arguing the forests should be left untouched and unmanaged. Protocols for years have followed this strategy which has allowed the ladder fuels to grow. These ladder fuels are what allows the fire to get into the tree canopy and run, known as a crown fire. Couple this lack of management with growth of homes into the forest and the local FD running out to extinguish every fire because the homes are at risk means nature is being prevented from natural management of these fuels through fire. Eventually mother nature fights back with overwhelming force to pound the big reset button on the forest.

Prior to the big Yellowstone fire of 1988, the forest service allowed natural fires to largely burn themselves out. In 1988 this all changed because the fire was so big and so volitile. There is a delicate balance of fire, growth and development and healthy forests. Like many other topics we've swung from on extreme to the other rather than finding that balance.

This is no different that the climate change argument nor species going extinct. It's all a part of the natural process. Things go extinct and the climate changes. When humans start trying to save things and prevent changes is when it all comes off the rails.

I would agree that development and fire resistant construction should be part of the solution. Richy Rich want's his shrubs, wood fence, and other stuff regardless of how fire resistant they are. Look no further than west Austin where they plant Yaupon (highly flammable) and don't eliminate cedar, an invasive species that wasn't here prior to 100 years ago, which is highly flammable and kills out other natives grasses and trees by stealing their water.
 
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