How America’s Forest Fire Revolution Lost Its Spark
Half a century ago, there was a serious push for prescribed fires to benefit wilderness areas. Those efforts have waned.
By M.R. O’Connor
https://undark.org/2023/11/03/excerpt-forest-fire-revolution/
Book:
https://bookshop.org/p/books/ignition-m-r-o-connor/19628689
I've wondered about this. It was definitely considered the new standard when I was camping at Yosemite with my folks.
I had assumed it was still being done until recently, when discussions about big wildfires made it clear that most areas did not do prescribed burns.
@corlin @tyghebright
Much of the earliest work and initial burns were conducted in northern Arizona led by Northern Arizona University and the Forest Service. We recognized our urban wildland interface was a particular danger a long time ago in the largest ponderosa pine forest in the world.
@tyghebright
It is extremely local, not an agreed on national policy. All the forest service workers I know, firmly believe in it. And advocate for “good fire”.
The devil is in the details, and is dependent on a complex set of environmental factors.