[Paul R.]

Forgot to add that we all know that the drought here in CA a few years back really helped the bettles tear up alot of our trees. These dead trees were obviously a fire hazard so work began to remove them.

Of course, due to CA laws and the destruction of our logging industry, there were not enough sawmills left to handle them all. Many sawmills, who were hanging by an thread and were downsized to survive, were now having to turn away logs. Many were sent to be chipped or cut into firewood. Perfectly useable board foot down the drain due to years of CA regulations purposely designed to kill the logging/lumber industry.

I have always though the best place to ask about these forest fires is forestry guys. Go find some, talk with them, and you may just find that forest stewardship relies fairly heavy on the logging/lumber industry.

Thank you, walkingdead.

Emphasis mine.

You are absolutely correct. How do I know? My late Dad's degrees were in Forest Management, Forest Ecology, and Forest Genetics. Plus he accumulated over 60 years of practical field work, extension work and consulting.

One other thing. Radiative heat will go right through a double glass window. Not to mention that glass melts in or near any intense fire.

[Texas resident]

“I have always though the best place to ask about these forest fires is forestry guys. Go find some, talk with them, and you may just find that forest stewardship relies fairly heavy on the logging/lumber industry.”

The forest products industry works to protect itself by making sure that fire won’t destroy the raw product.

The big growers like Weyerhauser and IP have a staff of foresters who work to protect their investment.

I am a timber grower and have worked with a forester for about 30 years to grow and protect our future raw materials that will be turned into 2X4’s in the futures.

[walkingdead]

You’re welcome. Men like your dad understood good forest management, many others do not. I grew up in the lumber/logging areas of northern California and have many friends who went into forestry. Their hands are now tied, and for a few decades now have been trying to warn everyone of the crisis we now find ourselves in.

Forests are no longer allowed to be thinned as needed, roads which used to allow access for firefighters are overgrown and impassible, and here we are with article after article wondering why these forest fires are so bad. What in the world do they think were controlling them in the past?