Logging Companies, Privatization, but what about global warming?

[Stargleamer]

Lately on DU I've seen logging companies and privatization being blamed for California's wildfires, and I can't argue that they share some responsibility. But living in California I have noticed that summers here have been warmer as of late and winters not as cold, or at least it seems that way. Has anybody else in Calif. noticed it? I would think that global warming would have an effect, and might further explain wildfires in late October.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=115&topic_id=2171

[seekerofwisdom]

1. causes and risks are many

There is probably too many reasons for wildfires to argue any one reason. Sure logging may result in an elevated risk. Old growth and ground cover is like tinder to a fire. Even the species of tree's determine fire risk. Electrical storms, high winds and cig butts out of windows of cars all lead to wildfires.

But fire is a natural part of growth and regrowth.

I've no doubting that increased temperatures, global warming, will result in conditions that create a higher risk for wildfires. We will never prevent them however. Its best we prepare for them by building in proper areas, making appropriate fire measures such as fire breaks etc.

[blindpig]

2. no doubt, but...

I suspect a more immediate reason is overpopulating a region unsuited to all but the most marginal densities. If nothing else gets us first, human overpopulation surely will.

[pmbryant]

3. Fires have always been a natural event in the fall in California

This has been true in the past and will continue to be true in the future.

Large parts of California, especially Southern California, get absolutely no rain from May through November, every year. It is only natural that the fire hazard in late October would be tremendous.

--Peter

[GreenGreenLimaBean]

4. Science cannot connect the dots.

I have been frustrated about this issue as well. We see stories
over and over about draught, record temperatures, melting glaciers,
but Science is unable to attribute these specific events to global
warming. They are usually glossed over as localized events, or
more commonly blamed on El Nino. We need to get the scientist to
start connecting the dots. An overall warmer climate melts glaciers,
increases the likelihood of drought, increases water temps which
in turn make El Nino events more frequent. All of this seems
to fit the picture of what is happening, but scientists are wary
of making these connections. Why?

[Hawthorne]

5. cont.

Well even Shrub himself admitted global warming is real.


The recent fires in S. California is the big example of what happens when the urban interface moves out into wooded areas.

It's too bad all the tax money is being spent on the war effort, because a federally funded effort to perform fuels reduction projects around urban/forest interface areas would employ thousands of americans. Instead the Shrub administration kept insisting any fuels reduction projects would have to pay for itself in the form of merchantable timber. Now a healthy forest inititive has passed the senate which will continue to cut older trees as a way of paying for fuels reduction, mostly in areas away from areas where people make their homes.

The projects that need to take place are not profitable if part of the commercial timber sale program ala' USDA-Forest Service-BLM's predominant method of implementing projects.......which is SELLING TIMBER. Which as we all know disturbs the ground and removes trees in areas which should be preserved.

So my feeling is that a federally funded program to reduce fuels in areas near where people make their homes would be money well spent.

Fires in areas where people don't live, that start naturally should be allowed to burn as they are part of natural cycles.