Urban Wild Land Fires Ravished California Again
Sylmar Fire
1 month after the Porter Ranch Fire, California was once again under siege from devastating fire storms.
As we take stock of the events that led up to these firestorms, we might want to evaluate how our land management agencies, conservancies, and other organizations charged with protecting our valuable natural resources are facing these mounting challenges.
Deer Lost
California will double its population.
The desire to live further away from cities and be in more rural areas has been thoroughly documented.
As population and land preservation mix, SINS OF COMMISSION suggests this may also be an appropriate time to take a fresh look at how we are protecting these large unbroken swaths of Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas (ESHA) in these interface zones.
Building codes updates are important, but they’re half the equation.
Without a willingness to explore new possibilities of vegetation modification (brush clearance) and apply it to these large wilderness areas, a/k/a/ fuel beds in fire department lingo, we are continuing to put people’s lives, property, and the environment we all wish to preserve at risk from repeated burning. Not to mention the huge cost in men and machines to fight the fires.
Tags: California, California Coastal Commmission, Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas, fire storms, natural resources, Porter Ranch Fire, Sins of Commission
