Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
In 2020, California had over 9,900 wildfires, which burned a record 4.25 million acres and killed 33 people, according to the state’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire). It is time for California to rethink its approach to wildfires, stakeholders said.
Both wildfires and utility-owned power lines run throughout California’s federally-, state- and privately-held forest lands. Regulated utilities have caused less than 10% of California s wildfires, according to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), but a California constitutional provision makes utilities financially liable if their equipment is involved in, without causing, a fire’s ignition.
As a result, the state’s three dominant investor-owned utilities (IOUs) and their customers have incurred costs for fires involving their equipment on lands where public agencies efforts to avoid fires has been inadeq
By David Callaway, Callaway Climate Insights When I was a young foreign correspondent in the City of London in the ‘90s, I often marveled at how different that small “Square Mile” was from the rest of London, or the UK for that matter. The true global hub of finance, it had its hands in everything, […]
SFNF: Here We Go Again – Too Many Abandoned Campfires! - 9:56 am
Patrols found 18 abandoned campfires over Mother’s Day weekend on the Jemez Ranger District. Courtesy image
SFNF News:
SANTA FE On the brink of the 2021 wildfire season, with severe drought conditions and high fire danger across the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF), one abandoned campfire is one too many.
Over Mother’s Day weekend, fire prevention patrols on the Jemez Ranger District found 18 abandoned campfires. The Pecos/Las Vegas Ranger District was not far behind with an estimated 10 abandoned campfires reported over the last 10 days. Most of the abandoned campfires – still the leading human cause of wildfire – are found at dispersed campsites.
Wildfires Fast Facts
About
Wildfires are sometimes called wildland fires.
Wildfires can originate from a dropped match, cigarette embers, campfires, exhaust sparks from a train or arson. Many wildland fires are ignited by lightning.
There are no official rules, but the first responders usually name a fire after a meadow, creek, city or type of plant they see.
Wind, temperature and humidity all influence wildfires. Strong winds push flames toward new fuel sources. Wind can pick up and transfer burning embers and sparks, starting spot fires.
During the day, sunlight heats the ground and warm air rises, allowing hot air currents to travel up sloped landscapes. At night, the ground cools and air currents travel down the slopes.
WASHINGTON, D.C. â A bicameral group of lawmakers is seeking funds for wildfire risk mitigation and recovery be included in the next COVID-19 relief package.
U.S. Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, both D-Wash., joined the group of senators and representatives sending a letter to House and Senate leadership.
âA record 2020 wildfire season forced thousands of evacuations, threatened air and water quality, and destroyed homes and businesses across the West,â the members wrote. âCommunities that have been fighting the public health and economic impacts of COVID-19 are now also now beginning the long journey of recovering from catastrophic wildfire.