ENVIRONMENT
SITUATION;
- It’s time to reverse a century of fire-management policy
- Will require sweeping regulatory reforms, and tons of money.
SOLUTIONS:
- This means reversing a century of US fire suppression policies
- Relying on deliberate, prescribed burns therefore controlled.
- Clearing out the vegetation that builds up into giant piles of fuel
- Gov Newsom expanded drought emergency to 41 California counties,
- Covers 30% of state’s population; Made $ 2B proposal for fire-prevention.
- Includes thinning out overgrown forests
- Also more investment in firefighting equipment like planes & helicopters
SIGNICANCE:
- Identifying Fire Hazard Severity Zones as fire hazard, not fire risk
- Classify “Hazard” based on the physical conditions
- Area would be burned over a 30 to 50-year period;
- Without considering modifications such as fuel reduction efforts.
- Local governments have financial responsibility for wild land fire protection,
SOURCES:
Suppressing fires has failed. Here’s what California needs to do instead.-https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/09/17/1008473/wildfires-california-prescribed-burns-climate-change-forests/
DEPARTMENTS & PEOPLE INVOLVED:
Diego Saez-Gil, CEO, Pachama, startup using AI & satellite data to help restore & protect forests [info@pachama.com.]
California’s Fire Hazard Severity Zones
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection,
Office of the State Fire Marshal
Karla Nemeth, director of the California Department of Water Resources.
Jasneet Sharma, director of Santa Clara County’s Office of Sustainability,
Chuck Bonham, director of California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Cal OES Fire and Rescue Chief Brian Marshall.
