How Regulations Made California's Fires Worse

American Thinker.com ^ | January 18, 2018 | Richard Zuber

[Kaslin]

After raging through almost all of December, the so-called Thomas fire, California's largest wildfire ever recorded, was finally contained on January 12. While the worst is behind us (for now), the fact that last year's wildfires so violently spun out of control puts the spotlight on the Golden State's government and its lack of fire prevention measures.

The fires across the state caused unprecedented damage and loss of life. Unsurprisingly, California governor Jerry Brown was quick to pin the blame on climate change for the forest fires' ferocity and extraordinary longevity this season. Whatever truth there may be to this, it would be a mistake to gloss over how misguided policies and regulations have hurt California's ability to prevent and respond to fires.

According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), shrubs and live and dead vegetation are the most important factor in forest fires, being an easily ignitable fuel source that helps spread the flames quickly over vast distances. For a dry and warm state prone to fires, regular clearing measures removing this vegetation should be common sense. However, California has enacted several laws that heavily restrict such vital fire-preventing measures as logging, removal of dead trees, and clearing of dry underbrush.

[Balding_Eagle]

A retired California forest fire firefighter called in to rush and made the very same points.

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

This was news years ago. I’ve been out there a few times and have noticed how thick this stuff is, even in urban areas.

They had to finally pay the piper.

[SpaceBar]

It’s not just remote canyons, the ‘burbs’ on the coast are overgrown. Some areas are little more than jungle canopy conceiling multi-million dollar estates.

[Amendment10]

"For a dry and warm state prone to fires, regular clearing measures removing this vegetation should be common sense. However, California has enacted several laws that heavily restrict such vital fire-preventing measures as logging, removal of dead trees, and clearing of dry underbrush."

Restricting fire-preventing measures can’t possibly be due to state budget restraints since Democratic state lawmakers evidently want to take advantage of expanding economy by providing illegal aliens with healthcare. /sarc

California lawmakers propose health coverage for immigrants

[Jim Robinson]

Up in smoke.

[Cicero]

This has been going on for decades, ever since the idiots took over the California government.

[ptsal]

California air quality control regulations have nearly eliminated controlled burns in the foothills and mountains.

The hills are choked with brush that is 20 to 100 years old. When it burns, there is no stopping it.

The percentage of blame should largely fall on Sacramento and the enviro-control freaks, IMHO.

[Grampa Dave]

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/05/epa-waterways-wetlands-rule-118319

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clean_Water_Rule

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernal_pool

Nearly every acre of land from San Francisco to Eureka has a tributary stream (even if dry in summer) and vernal pools. EPA claimed jurisdiction over all of it in 2015 and said farmers, ranchers...anyone...could not cut anything within 100 feet of these “protected waters”.

The CA EPA supports and enforces these rules stridently.
Underbrush and grasses exploded.

Then they exploded in fire.

That’s the root cause of this horrible tragedy.

66 posted on 10/14/2017, 9:45:00 AM by Mariner (War Criminal #18)

[McGavin999]

I’ve been making that point here for years. Arizona also has lots of fires. We used to allow logging and grazing. Free ways of keeping Forrest’s healthy.

[Basket_of_Deplorables]

“When you’re dumb, you gotta be tough.”

[AlanGreenSpam]

In all fairness, the mention of “no logging” in the context of dry southern California chaparral is inappropriate.

100% of the area burned in the Thomas Fire is NOT logging country and never was. It’s chaparral/grass/oak. They simply don’t log in these places. So we can’t blame the fires on heavy logging restrictions at all. Maybe in Oregon/Wash/N Calif, but not in S Calif.

So I think the article is a bit overboard.

The true culprit is that there haven’t been fires in these areas for many years, so there was lots of dry fuel. Are people to blame for preventing fires? I’m sure there were many times in history when sections of the Thomas Fire had spans of 50-100 years without burning. The only cause of fire would have been lightening (in the absence of man)