Here's an insightful article from the San Francisco Chronicle about repairing society's relationship with fire. The article discusses the significant benefits of prescribed fires and managed natural ignitions, which can reduce forest fuels to the point where subsequent wildfires are much less intense. An old burn area slowed the Ferguson Fire's approach toward Yosemite Valley, thereby allowing firefighters to stake their lines of defense and preventing the fire's expansion. While prescribed burns are now used to reduce fuel loading on National Forest lands, there are tight restrictions and sometimes a lack of resources.
To read the article, click here.
Photo credit: Santiago Meija of SF Chronicle.