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Impact of forest thinning on wildfires creates divisions

Western Wildfires Forest Thinning
Rich Pedroncelli/AP
In this July 25, 2014 file photo, Chad Hanson, of the John Muir Project, inspects a young Ponderosa Pine tree growing in an area destroyed by 2013's Rim Fire, near Groveland, Calif. Each year thousands of acres of dense timber are thinned near remote communities, all designed to slow the spread of massive wildfires. While most scientific studies find such forest management is a valuable tool, environmental advocates say data from recent gigantic wildfires support their long-running assertion that efforts to slow wildfires have instead accelerated their spread.
Western Wildfires Forest Thinning
Posted

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Firefighters and numerous studies credit forest thinning projects with helping to save communities like those near Lake Tahoe. But dissent from some environmental advocacy groups is roiling the scientific community.

States in the U.S. West and the federal government each year thin thousands of acres of dense timber and carve broad swaths through the forest near remote communities. It's designed to slow the spread of massive wildfires.

Forest managers also credit deliberately set fires with helping protect the Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park. But some environmental advocates contend data from recent gigantic wildfires support their assertion that efforts to slow wildfires have instead accelerated their spread.

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WILDFIRE RESOURCES

ASSEMBLE AN EMERGENCY SUPPLY KIT

Put together your emergency supply kit long before a wildfire or other disaster occurs and keep it easily accessible so you can take it with you when you have to evacuate.

Emergency Supply Kit Checklist:

  • Face masks or coverings
  • Three-day supply of non-perishable food and three gallons of water per person
  • Map marked with at least two evacuation routes
  • Prescriptions or special medications
  • Change of clothing
  • Extra eyeglasses or contact lenses
  • An extra set of car keys, credit cards, cash or traveler’s checks
  • First aid kit
  • Flashlight
  • Battery-powered radio and extra batteries
  • Sanitation supplies
  • Copies of important documents (birth certificates, passports, etc.)
  • Don’t forget pet food and water!

Items to take if time allows:

  • Easily carried valuables
  • Family photos and other irreplaceable items
  • Personal computer information on hard drives and disks
  • Chargers for cell phones, laptops, etc.

Always keep a sturdy pair of shoes and a flashlight near your bed and handy in case of a sudden evacuation at night.