Oregon lawmakers consider new rules for wildfire prevention. Bills would boost spending on wildfire response and reducing risk for communities
Oregon lawmakers are considering two bills that aim to prevent the kind of catastrophic wildfires that tore through the state last year.
Senate Bill 287 and Senate Bill 248 would require mapping wildfire risk across the state and working to reduce it with more funding for wildfire response and a variety of policy changes.
Oregon lawmakers are considering two bills that aim to prevent the kind of catastrophic wildfires that tore through the state last year.
Senate Bill 287 and Senate Bill 248 would require mapping wildfire risk across the state and working to reduce it with more funding for wildfire response and a variety of policy changes.
Burning Idaho to save it: Why one solution to our raging wildfires can’t gain traction
When fire scientists talk about prescribed burns, the discussion often turns to the Forest Service. Critics say the agency clings to a century-old “suppression culture” that resists deliberately starting fires. “For the Forest Service, the only good fire is a dead-out fire,” said Ingalsbee, a former firefighter with the agency in Oregon.
When fire scientists talk about prescribed burns, the discussion often turns to the Forest Service. Critics say the agency clings to a century-old “suppression culture” that resists deliberately starting fires. “For the Forest Service, the only good fire is a dead-out fire,” said Ingalsbee, a former firefighter with the agency in Oregon.
Burning California to save it: Why one solution to raging wildfires can’t gain traction
On a crisp, breezy February morning near Lake Tahoe, a crew of five firefighters descended on a snow-covered, heavily-forested park straddling the California-Nevada border. They came to start fires, not put them out.
On a crisp, breezy February morning near Lake Tahoe, a crew of five firefighters descended on a snow-covered, heavily-forested park straddling the California-Nevada border. They came to start fires, not put them out.
Environmental groups call on Oregon’s congressional delegates to stop post-fire logging
Federal land managers are working to auction 10,000 acres of fire-affected public forest for timber sale in Oregon, but environmentalists are pushing back.
Federal land managers are working to auction 10,000 acres of fire-affected public forest for timber sale in Oregon, but environmentalists are pushing back.
Report: Los Alamos National Laboratory not managing forests to prevent wildfires
Los Alamos National Laboratory has failed to properly manage its forested lands, increasing the threat of wildfires at lab sites and surrounding areas, according to a federal watchdog.
Los Alamos National Laboratory has failed to properly manage its forested lands, increasing the threat of wildfires at lab sites and surrounding areas, according to a federal watchdog.
The age of the “megafire.” Wildfires shattered records across a number of U.S. states in 2020, with scientists and state officials placing much of the blame on climate change.
Wildfires shattered records across a number of U.S. states in 2020, with scientists and state officials placing much of the blame on climate change.
Wildfires shattered records across a number of U.S. states in 2020, with scientists and state officials placing much of the blame on climate change.
Biden climate plan to address worsening western wildfires, but it will take years
If every person in the United States started driving electric cars powered by wind turbines tomorrow, and each country on earth agreed to dramatically reduce greenhouse emissions, the West Coast would still see catastrophic wildfires in the coming years and decades.
If every person in the United States started driving electric cars powered by wind turbines tomorrow, and each country on earth agreed to dramatically reduce greenhouse emissions, the West Coast would still see catastrophic wildfires in the coming years and decades.
Biden climate plan to address worsening Western wildfires, but it will take years
If every person in the United States started driving electric cars powered by wind turbines tomorrow, and each country on earth agreed to dramatically reduce greenhouse emissions, the West Coast would still see catastrophic wildfires in the coming years and decades.
If every person in the United States started driving electric cars powered by wind turbines tomorrow, and each country on earth agreed to dramatically reduce greenhouse emissions, the West Coast would still see catastrophic wildfires in the coming years and decades.
Oregon lawmakers reluctantly make $17 million downpayment on wildfire preparedness
If anything illustrated the need for Oregon to invest more in wildfire preparedness, it was last year’s cluster of Labor Day infernos that chewed through a million acres of forestland, destroyed thousands of homes and structures and killed nine people.
If anything illustrated the need for Oregon to invest more in wildfire preparedness, it was last year’s cluster of Labor Day infernos that chewed through a million acres of forestland, destroyed thousands of homes and structures and killed nine people.
California must burn more of its forests to save them. Is the public ready?
Bill Tripp was 4 years old when he began studying the benefits of fire, an education steeped in ancestral traditions many generations older than modern-day California.
Bill Tripp was 4 years old when he began studying the benefits of fire, an education steeped in ancestral traditions many generations older than modern-day California.
Whack and stack: PG&E’s toppling of trees creates new hazards
In an attempt to clear vegetation from around power lines, the workers cut down old-growth redwoods, and in some cases simply sawed off the tops of the beloved giants, creating a “horrid Dr. Seuss kind of tree,” Kristi Anderson said. “It makes us sick to our stomachs.”
“Some of these guys on the powerlines are going for overkill, with minimum supervision and no ecology,” former firefighter Ingalsbee said. “They are little fire bombs waiting to ignite. They can burn for hours.”
In an attempt to clear vegetation from around power lines, the workers cut down old-growth redwoods, and in some cases simply sawed off the tops of the beloved giants, creating a “horrid Dr. Seuss kind of tree,” Kristi Anderson said. “It makes us sick to our stomachs.”
“Some of these guys on the powerlines are going for overkill, with minimum supervision and no ecology,” former firefighter Ingalsbee said. “They are little fire bombs waiting to ignite. They can burn for hours.”
Can 'fuel treatments' like thinning and controlled burns slow Oregon wildfires?
In addition, opening the tree canopy can dry out ground fuels and increase wind, fueling wildfire behavior rather than slowing it, said former firefighter Tim Ingalsbee, director of Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, and Ecology. “Particularly in a world where climate change is drying out soils and vegetation faster than ever, we need to hold on to as much canopy cover as we can to retain that moisture,” he said.
In addition, opening the tree canopy can dry out ground fuels and increase wind, fueling wildfire behavior rather than slowing it, said former firefighter Tim Ingalsbee, director of Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, and Ecology. “Particularly in a world where climate change is drying out soils and vegetation faster than ever, we need to hold on to as much canopy cover as we can to retain that moisture,” he said.
How can wildfires like those Oregon experienced in 2020 be avoided? Scientists and loggers have different ideas.
“The 21st century climate is rapidly ending the effectiveness of our 20th century firefighting strategies and tactics,” said Dr. Timothy Ingalsbee, executive director of Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics & Ecology. He spoke on the Oregon Wild panel in October. He said aggressive firefighting is becoming more dangerous to firefighters and more expensive to taxpayers and isn’t effective at stopping fires.
“The 21st century climate is rapidly ending the effectiveness of our 20th century firefighting strategies and tactics,” said Dr. Timothy Ingalsbee, executive director of Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics & Ecology. He spoke on the Oregon Wild panel in October. He said aggressive firefighting is becoming more dangerous to firefighters and more expensive to taxpayers and isn’t effective at stopping fires.
California firefighters critically injured setting backfires
“Their burnout may have backfired,” said Timothy Ingalsbee, a former federal firefighter who reviewed the report at the request of The Associated Press. “That’s a horrible thought.” ”These were explosive fire conditions — the classic what we call ‘blowup conditions’ — and the crews were really, really pushing the envelope” by trying to set backfires, said Ingalsbee, executive director of Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, and Ecology.
“Their burnout may have backfired,” said Timothy Ingalsbee, a former federal firefighter who reviewed the report at the request of The Associated Press. “That’s a horrible thought.” ”These were explosive fire conditions — the classic what we call ‘blowup conditions’ — and the crews were really, really pushing the envelope” by trying to set backfires, said Ingalsbee, executive director of Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, and Ecology.
In California, rethinking who ‘owns’ wildfire
Wildfire has illuminated Norm Brown’s life. In 1983, he joined California’s primary firefighting agency, known as Cal Fire, and during the next three decades, he worked thousands of fires, protecting lives, homes, and land. He retired as a deputy chief in 2017, and since then he has stayed close to the flames – by choice and by chance.
Wildfire has illuminated Norm Brown’s life. In 1983, he joined California’s primary firefighting agency, known as Cal Fire, and during the next three decades, he worked thousands of fires, protecting lives, homes, and land. He retired as a deputy chief in 2017, and since then he has stayed close to the flames – by choice and by chance.
'Our right to fire': Tribes battle agencies, old policies to restore fire practices
HAPPY CAMP, California — Leeon Hillman knew something was wrong in the early hours of Sept. 8 as he listened from the bedroom of his home along Indian Creek Road.
“At 2 in the morning, I was laying there with my fingers crossed because I heard the wind, and it was so hard,” he said.
HAPPY CAMP, California — Leeon Hillman knew something was wrong in the early hours of Sept. 8 as he listened from the bedroom of his home along Indian Creek Road.
“At 2 in the morning, I was laying there with my fingers crossed because I heard the wind, and it was so hard,” he said.
Oregon’s Labor Day wildfires raise controversial questions about how forests are managed
From a small airplane flying above the Holiday Farm and Beachie Creek fires, the extent and severity of the devastation look colossal, as if some angry god took a blowtorch to the landscape and didn’t stop until it lay in ruin.
From a small airplane flying above the Holiday Farm and Beachie Creek fires, the extent and severity of the devastation look colossal, as if some angry god took a blowtorch to the landscape and didn’t stop until it lay in ruin.
A burning planet: Why we must learn to live with fire
There is a paradox at the core of Earth’s unravelling firescapes.
There is a paradox at the core of Earth’s unravelling firescapes.
'People are burned out': Brutal fire season is taking a toll on firefighters' mental health
Josh Baker just got home from a 50-day deployment to three California wildfires. Although his job wasn’t dangerous – he worked on a support team, making calls to track down equipment such as port-a-potties and bulldozers – the hours were long, the stakes were high and the work was exhausting.
Josh Baker just got home from a 50-day deployment to three California wildfires. Although his job wasn’t dangerous – he worked on a support team, making calls to track down equipment such as port-a-potties and bulldozers – the hours were long, the stakes were high and the work was exhausting.