I bet fewer than 10% of the residents wanted the forests around Paradise “cleared” before the fire.
It turns out that many people like to live in forested areas.
And in coastal hills with ocean views...with no nearby neighbors. Given the nature of Santa Ana/Diablo winds, there is virtually no way to guarantee fire safety in some of California's most desirable areas. It's like building a beach house on the Outer Banks - a beautiful place, but one day you know you're going to get it.
Paradise is Trump country. Lots of churchgoing, older white folks living in trailers and simple rural homes. And some meth users higher in the forest. These are not blue state environmentalists but yes they also likely liked their trees but I suspect they would be in favor of logging and controlled burns. Even before this week.
CLEARED in one thing-—Thinned & brush removed is another.
NONE of these trees are healthy- There is too much density & none of threes are getting the water & sunlight they need to be healthy.
The BARK BEETLE has ruined vast areas of the forests west of the Mississippi.
Those in charge would NOT listen when we told then to let the bark beetle trees be cut down & logged.
The sierra Club is the ground zero of this whole problem.
I lived with oak & pine trees on my acreage. I kept it well cleared. So did my neighbors. The National Forests are a disaster in more ways than one.
I would gladly have a conversation with anyone who only lives in NYC & thinks that Central Park is a forest.
CLEARED in one thing-—Thinned & brush removed is another.
NONE of these trees are healthy- There is too much density & none of threes are getting the water & sunlight they need to be healthy.
The BARK BEETLE has ruined vast areas of the forests west of the Mississippi.
Those in charge would NOT listen when we told then to let the bark beetle trees be cut down & logged.
The Sierra Club is the ground zero of this whole problem.
I lived with oak & pine trees on my acreage. I kept it well cleared. So did my neighbors. The National Forests are a disaster in more ways than one.
I would gladly have a conversation with anyone who only lives in NYC & thinks that Central Park is a forest.
I was among them until the Waldo Canyon and Black Forest fires here in Colorado Springs in 2012 and 2013. Now all of my neighbors and I have done major clearing of brush and trimming of tree branches up to 12' off the ground. However, we still spend the summer with our cars half-packed in case we have to evacuate in a hurry. Fire is terrifying, and I'm so sorry for all of the people in California who've lost their homes.