Wildfire resources run thin as firefighters struggle to ‘contain one before another erupts’
Justin Silvera came off the fire lines in Northern California after a grueling 36 straight days battling wildfires and evacuating residents ahead of the flames. Before that, he and his crew had worked for 20 days, followed by a three-day break.
Justin Silvera came off the fire lines in Northern California after a grueling 36 straight days battling wildfires and evacuating residents ahead of the flames. Before that, he and his crew had worked for 20 days, followed by a three-day break.
Wildfires Burning in Heavily Clearcut, Logged and Roaded Parts of the Oregon Cascades
As many of us know, different ecosystems burn differently. High severity fires are natural, normal and expected in some ecosystems, not so much in others. It’s important to remember that many of the largest and most destructive wildfires in recent years—in terms of human lives and structures lost—were not even “forest” fires at all, but rather more urban fires that raced through neighborhoods and communities surrounded by dry grass, brush, shrubs, and chaparral. Many of these fires also had little to do with federal public lands. However, all of these deadly fires have been pushed by heavy winds during a period of prolonged drought and record high temperatures.
As many of us know, different ecosystems burn differently. High severity fires are natural, normal and expected in some ecosystems, not so much in others. It’s important to remember that many of the largest and most destructive wildfires in recent years—in terms of human lives and structures lost—were not even “forest” fires at all, but rather more urban fires that raced through neighborhoods and communities surrounded by dry grass, brush, shrubs, and chaparral. Many of these fires also had little to do with federal public lands. However, all of these deadly fires have been pushed by heavy winds during a period of prolonged drought and record high temperatures.
Our land was taken. But we still hold the knowledge of how to stop mega-fires
As wildfires rage across California, it saddens me that Indigenous peoples’ millennia-long practice of cultural burning has been ignored in favor of fire suppression.
As wildfires rage across California, it saddens me that Indigenous peoples’ millennia-long practice of cultural burning has been ignored in favor of fire suppression.
Wildfire resources run thin as firefighters struggle to ‘contain one before another erupts’
Tim Ingalsbee, a member of the advocacy group Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics and Ecology, said the June directive from Christiansen returned the forest service to a mindset prevalent for much of the last century that focused on putting out fires as quickly as possible. He said allowing more fires to burn when they are not threatening life or property would free up firefighters for the most dangerous blazes. With no end in sight to the pandemic, Ingalsbee worried the focus on aggressively attacking every fire could prove lasting.
Tim Ingalsbee, a member of the advocacy group Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics and Ecology, said the June directive from Christiansen returned the forest service to a mindset prevalent for much of the last century that focused on putting out fires as quickly as possible. He said allowing more fires to burn when they are not threatening life or property would free up firefighters for the most dangerous blazes. With no end in sight to the pandemic, Ingalsbee worried the focus on aggressively attacking every fire could prove lasting.
Oregon needs to start more fires in order to stop them. “Prescribed burns” are a common practice, however, in Oregon they chafe against the interests of the timber industry.
Tim Ingalsbee believes in fighting fires with fire—something he says Oregon isn't doing enough of.
A lifelong wildland firefighter who has worked for the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service, Ingalsbee is executive director of Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics and Ecology, an organization whose primary goal is advocating for a more preventative approach to wildfire management.
Tim Ingalsbee believes in fighting fires with fire—something he says Oregon isn't doing enough of.
A lifelong wildland firefighter who has worked for the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service, Ingalsbee is executive director of Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics and Ecology, an organization whose primary goal is advocating for a more preventative approach to wildfire management.
How can you help prevent homes from being destroyed by wildfires? Experts weigh in
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- On Monday, President Donald Trump and California Governor Gavin Newsom both talked about fire management going forward. More than 3.2 million acres have burned this year in California and there is now lots of discussion about what can be done to reverse this trend.
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- On Monday, President Donald Trump and California Governor Gavin Newsom both talked about fire management going forward. More than 3.2 million acres have burned this year in California and there is now lots of discussion about what can be done to reverse this trend.
Devastating wildfires out West inject climate change into the presidential campaign
Tim Ingalsbee, a retired wildland firefighter and a certified fire ecologist, pointed to the Holiday Farm Fire, a blaze near his home in Eugene, Ore., that has burned through thousands of acres of an industrial tree plantation. “This area has experienced the maximum timber management possible,” he said, “and has made these lands even more flammable than the native forests.”
Tim Ingalsbee, a retired wildland firefighter and a certified fire ecologist, pointed to the Holiday Farm Fire, a blaze near his home in Eugene, Ore., that has burned through thousands of acres of an industrial tree plantation. “This area has experienced the maximum timber management possible,” he said, “and has made these lands even more flammable than the native forests.”
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.
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.
“These Are Climate Fires”: Oregon Firefighter Ecologist Says Devastating Blazes Are a Wake-Up Call
President Trump has said little about the wildfires raging in California, Oregon and Washington for three weeks, other than to suggest poor forest management was primarily to blame. But the states’ governors are pushing back and directly linking the fires to the climate crisis. “These are climate fires,” says Timothy Ingalsbee, an Oregon-based wildland fire ecologist and former wildland firefighter who now directs Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, and Ecology. “Though some scientists hesitate to attribute a single event to climate change, these are exactly the conditions predicted by climatologists.”
President Trump has said little about the wildfires raging in California, Oregon and Washington for three weeks, other than to suggest poor forest management was primarily to blame. But the states’ governors are pushing back and directly linking the fires to the climate crisis. “These are climate fires,” says Timothy Ingalsbee, an Oregon-based wildland fire ecologist and former wildland firefighter who now directs Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, and Ecology. “Though some scientists hesitate to attribute a single event to climate change, these are exactly the conditions predicted by climatologists.”
California burning: Debate rages amid smoke and flames: How do we stay safe?
Smoke-choked air hid the sun in our Mountain Community’s Labor Day week as the massive Creek fire raged across Fresno County 200 miles to the north. It pushed billowing smoke clouds south while trapping hundreds of campers who had to be evacuated by National Guard helicopters. By Monday the U.S. Forest Service took a nearly unprecedented action. They closed eight of California’s nine national parks, effective immediately.
Smoke-choked air hid the sun in our Mountain Community’s Labor Day week as the massive Creek fire raged across Fresno County 200 miles to the north. It pushed billowing smoke clouds south while trapping hundreds of campers who had to be evacuated by National Guard helicopters. By Monday the U.S. Forest Service took a nearly unprecedented action. They closed eight of California’s nine national parks, effective immediately.
Mastering fire with fire
This is the reality now while there's increasing wildfire activity, and we've done and tried our best to change nature to our liking. It's time that we start getting a grip on our own behavior and the way we live our lives, you know with these flammable buildings fueled by all this fossil fuel burning, and that's something that we can control. We can solve for those issues and those problems. Once we do that, once we protect communities from fire, then we can start talking about how to manage and restore ecosystems with fire.
This is the reality now while there's increasing wildfire activity, and we've done and tried our best to change nature to our liking. It's time that we start getting a grip on our own behavior and the way we live our lives, you know with these flammable buildings fueled by all this fossil fuel burning, and that's something that we can control. We can solve for those issues and those problems. Once we do that, once we protect communities from fire, then we can start talking about how to manage and restore ecosystems with fire.
A tale of two fires
Coast Range Radio’s interview with Timothy Ingalsbee, Ph.D. We discuss the new messaging guide - Incendiary Rhetoric: Climate Change, Wildfire, and Ecological Fire Management from Tim’s organization, Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics & Ecology. To find the guide and to learn more visit their website, fusee.org.
Coast Range Radio’s interview with Timothy Ingalsbee, Ph.D. We discuss the new messaging guide - Incendiary Rhetoric: Climate Change, Wildfire, and Ecological Fire Management from Tim’s organization, Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics & Ecology. To find the guide and to learn more visit their website, fusee.org.
The Bear Fire ‘smoldered for weeks,’ then destroyed a town. Was Forest Service slow to fight it?
But earlier this year federal officials announced that because of the risk of COVID-19 to firefighting crews, the Forest Service would revert back to fighting every fire that ignited to try to keep them small, said Timothy Ingalsbee, a former wildland firefighter who’s the executive director of Firefighters United for Safety Ethics and Ecology. He said it didn’t matter. This year’s wildfire season left the Forest Service’s firefighting resources stretched so thin that they are having to “triage fires.” “There’s so much wildfire activity across the whole West Coast,” he said
But earlier this year federal officials announced that because of the risk of COVID-19 to firefighting crews, the Forest Service would revert back to fighting every fire that ignited to try to keep them small, said Timothy Ingalsbee, a former wildland firefighter who’s the executive director of Firefighters United for Safety Ethics and Ecology. He said it didn’t matter. This year’s wildfire season left the Forest Service’s firefighting resources stretched so thin that they are having to “triage fires.” “There’s so much wildfire activity across the whole West Coast,” he said
Wildfires: Can we adapt to live with them?
This time last year, as Australia emerged from winter to spring, the first flames of the devastating season that has since become known as Black Summer, had already begun burning their way through areas of bushland.
Although at the time long-term drought had rendered the ground and vegetation across much of the country kindling dry, and though scientists were warning that conditions were ripe for danger, the scale of the inferno to come would have been hard to predict.
This time last year, as Australia emerged from winter to spring, the first flames of the devastating season that has since become known as Black Summer, had already begun burning their way through areas of bushland.
Although at the time long-term drought had rendered the ground and vegetation across much of the country kindling dry, and though scientists were warning that conditions were ripe for danger, the scale of the inferno to come would have been hard to predict.
What’s an effective approach to preventing wildfires in Southern California?
“Fire is a powerful force of nature. We’re kind of in a situation of damned if we do and damned if we don’t do in terms of preventing and suppressing wildfires,” says Tim Ingalsbee, founder of Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, and Ecology.
“Fire is a powerful force of nature. We’re kind of in a situation of damned if we do and damned if we don’t do in terms of preventing and suppressing wildfires,” says Tim Ingalsbee, founder of Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, and Ecology.
Wildfire suppression efforts have gotten more aggressive, but is there an ecological cost?
But some conservationists believe that the current focus on fire suppression may be doing more harm than good. Tim Ingalsbee is with Firefighters United for Safety Ethics and Ecology. Ingalsbee, a former firefighter himself, says that aggressive wildfire suppression is a losing battle and it may be depriving forests and wildlife of the fires they need to thrive. “Making war on nature, we are damned if we lose for sure,” says Ingalsbee. “And we’re quite damned if we win because it will be a very different planet if we try to rob ecosystems of the fire they need to maintain their ecological integrity.”
But some conservationists believe that the current focus on fire suppression may be doing more harm than good. Tim Ingalsbee is with Firefighters United for Safety Ethics and Ecology. Ingalsbee, a former firefighter himself, says that aggressive wildfire suppression is a losing battle and it may be depriving forests and wildlife of the fires they need to thrive. “Making war on nature, we are damned if we lose for sure,” says Ingalsbee. “And we’re quite damned if we win because it will be a very different planet if we try to rob ecosystems of the fire they need to maintain their ecological integrity.”
Opal Creek to remain closed as Beachie Creek Fire is 0 percent contained, frustrating some
“People can coexist with fire, and I’m really bothered by these massive closures on public lands,” he said. “It’s an overreaction that further separates people from a totally natural and very beneficial part of the forest. These closures make people scared of all wildfires and fuels this ‘all or nothing’ approach that says, ‘we have to put this fire out or we’ll keep you out.’”
“People can coexist with fire, and I’m really bothered by these massive closures on public lands,” he said. “It’s an overreaction that further separates people from a totally natural and very beneficial part of the forest. These closures make people scared of all wildfires and fuels this ‘all or nothing’ approach that says, ‘we have to put this fire out or we’ll keep you out.’”