[arthurus]

Once upon a time the Indians didn't experience these monster fires. They did not let the underbrush become the mountain of fuel that we permit. They burned the forest annually. Annual fires burn off the year's minor accumulation of underbrush without damaging the trees. Keeping the forest clear encourages the growth of the trees and creates ideal habitat for game animals. This was the general practiced in both Americas. It was a form of agriculture and animal husbandry. Now, of course, we try not to permit fires to burn. We prefer and promote the growth of the underbrush so that when a fire does start it becomes a raging inferno very quickly and it burns up the trees along with the underbrush.

1491

[Pelham]

That would be fine but neighborhoods like Coffey Park weren’t built near chaparral or the canyons. And that’s a neighborhood that burnt to the ground. This appears to have started with power lines blown to the ground. Once a fire starts embers can jump from house to house or even for a mile or more.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

The last big fire in the Napa, Santa Rosa area was over 40 years ago when it was much more rural. And that fire was nowhere near this big.

This is, unfortunately, a common pattern - a record-setting wet winter followed by a hot, dry summer (as they all area here). By the fifth month of the six-month dry season, things are really ready to let go.

[little jeremiah]

Environazis have hugely contributed to the horrendous infernos that happen now. They and their pet legilstaors, lawsuits and so on.

Hopefully the new heads of the Interior, BLM and USFS will change policies.