I’m not sure preparing and waiting for another fire is the best answer. I lived in the state from birth to adulthood in the central valley, and we had to handle our share of fires in the Sierras and coastal mountains. And the one thing obvious to the returning of the problem is the ground vegetation.
If the trees burn and are gone, and won’t be back for many years, why do the fires happen every year? Simple, the only fuel available is ground vegetation to include new growth trees. It has time to sprout and grow to do so. So if it is not controlled or removed, then after it goes the only thing left is rebuilt buildings which is our problem, not the forests’. This is how natural back burning accomplishes growth and has for thousands of years until man put up other fuel.
Therefore, since man has to change something in their land takeover, but fails to do so, they continue to be toast. The state or the feds need to control growth if they are going to invade an area. And that means controlled burns and brush clearing which they won’t do because of the ecologists. And they have no idea, or don’t care, what needs to be done to correct their spotted owl or any other problem. They need to weigh in on what’s important.
rwood
That's just an excuse, they have an idea alright, they want everyone to live in one of their urban utopias where they can be easily controlled.