Is climate change worsening California fires, or is it poor forest management? Both, experts say
Forest thinning would not have prevented such a situation, but more fire-resistant structures could have helped avoid some of the worst destruction, said Timothy Ingalsbee, the executive director of a group called Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics & Ecology. “We can do that,” Ingalsbee said. “We have the tools, technology and know-how to make homes that don’t burn catastrophically.” Even installing a more resilient roof, such as using stone-coated steel, can dramatically raise the odds of a home surviving a fire, Ingalsbee said. Houses consumed by wildfires are often ignited by landing embers, not massive walls of flames, he said. “All the politicians, they want to say, ‘Log the forests before they burn again, relocate suburban communities.’ None of that will work unless and until we start putting limits on and eventually eliminate burning fossil fuels,” Ingalsbee said.