Fire Suppression
In the early 1900's, the United States started a war on wildfire. Fire suppression became federal policy to combat wildfire in order to protect both western towns and as well as the lumber industry's assets. Smokey the Bear was hence born who then was tasked with carrying the pennant across the west, that proclaimed, "Only YOU can prevent forest fires".
Healthy Rocky Mountain Forest
As a result of this policy, fuel loads, historically cleared by naturally occurring forest fires, began to build up. Now over a century later, forests across the west are burdened with dead and downed trees stacked like ladders for the flames of fire to climb up to the tops of live trees, helping to spread the flames up the sides of mountains and cross large expanses of forested land.
Forest Ravaged by Bark Beetl
Heating and Drying Forests
To add to this coming conflagration, climate change is drying out and heating up western forests, making fires easier to ignite and harder to control.
Closer Look at Ravaged Forest
Bark Beetle Infestation
But perhaps the most visible and frightening ingredient of this recipe for disaster, are the dead trees than fan out across almost every mountainside. The dead trees appear as a dark grey haze across the landscape, reminding me of a mourning veil. These once carbon dioxide eating trees have been slain by the bark beetle. Bark beetle, a natural part of the western forest ecosystem, is kept in population balance by cold winter nights, which helps to kill the beetles larvae. With climate change, the winter nights are not as cold as they used to be, and as a result more of the beetles larvae survive to eat the cambium of the tree.
Attempt at Cleaning Up the Forest Devestation
Not Enough Resources
Forest management practices across the west are trying to keep up with the carnage, thinning the live forest, harvesting the downed trees and educating the public to create fire breaks near homes and businesses. But the scope of the problem far exceeds the resources that the US Forest Service has to expend. My hope is that private enterprise can step in and provide a solution. Perhaps a wood pellet production business from the dead and harvested wood.
Flower of the day: Blue Columbine
Blue Columbine
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