A lesson in tampering with nature's cycles.

brianlux

Unless I'm terribly mistaken in my math, the total fire acreage in fires with 50% or less containment in California is now approximately 370,000 acres. These numbers are a result of our engaging in too much unnatural fire suppression over the last 100 years or so. Before European human intervention in the west, lightening strikes annually caused small fires that kept low growing vegetation and shrubs in check and it is believed that Native populations may have engaged in some control burning as well. Modern efforts at control burning have helped in some areas but there is still far too much thick growth in areas that would have burned off in small fires had we not messed with natural cycles.

My concern is threefold: Despite some progress in wild lands conservation and habitat protection I'm concerned about our continued disregard for natural cycles and the balance they maintain in the living world, I'm concerned for the loss of wildlife and habitat and I'm concerned for those who have lost or are in danger of losing their homes. Make that four- I live in a semi arid/semi-rural part of the state and it could just as easily happen here.

Fall rains will be very welcome here in the west.