Lake Tahoe threatened by Caldor fire

[peterb]

Interesting piece on how controlled burns are common in the Southeast.

https://www.npr.org/2021/08/31/10298...g-from-florida

In 1990, Florida passed a law to encourage prescribed burns, recognizing that the state would lose significant biodiversity without it. After firestorms in 1998 that burned almost 500,000 acres, the law was strengthened.

Florida set up a certification system for burn managers, also known as "burn bosses," requiring candidates to get special training on weather and landscape conditions for safe burning. With that certification, burners are protected from liability lawsuits in the rare event a burn gets out of control, unless it's shown there was "gross negligence" on their part.

[0ddl0t]

About half of California - and the vast majority of the forests that burn here - are on federal land. These fires aren't because homeowners aren't clearing underbrush and raking pine needles on their own properties...

The US Forest service control burned about 120,000 acres in California annually from 1984-1995. From 1999-2017 that average was just 13,000.

[Borderland]

The southern half of CA used to be a desert about 400 years ago. I mean a desert like the Mohave which exists there now in a small part of southern CA.

If you have ever traveled from Needles to Barstow on I-40 you would have a good idea about a real desert.

[peterb]

https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES/conus.php?sat=G16

The spread of smoke from the Western fires is clearly visible in satellite photos.

[rdtompki]

Best wishes to the residences and fire fighters.

California needs to get their shit together. Our valley has been filled with smoke from their fires for the last two months causing a lot of health issues for the people of Utah.

I don't know what they fight fires with over there but when we have something catch fire here, they get it put out pretty damn quick. They have had several cases of arson as well.

Same here in Idaho's Treasure Valley (Boise area). I've heard more than one individual opine that the smoke has cut down on attendance at our Monday and Wednesday afternoon matches.

[Dog Guy]

About half of California - and the vast majority of the forests that burn here - are on federal land. These fires aren't because homeowners aren't clearing underbrush and raking pine needles on their own properties...

The US Forest service control burned about 120,000 acres in California annually from 1984-1995. From 1999-2017 that average was just 13,000.

The "plan" for prescribed burning and forest management in CA has been a joke for decades. The USFS leadership since at least as far back as the GW Bush administration has never stood up and spoken truth about what is needed or what it would cost. It's always happy talk to fend off the hard questions. But the Fed agencies cannot do prescribed burns without meeting all the environmental and air quality requirements of the CA state, county, and local jurisdictions. Very few residents will tolerate smoke in their neighborhood in the name of preparation and long term protection. Add in that CA courts tend to be very environmentalist friendly and it's no wonder that fuel treatments seldom get done. Looking only at ownership doesn't tell the whole story.