Rim Fire threatens Yosmite
brianlux
Posts: 42,055
Wildfire is natural and essential here in the west. Several species of plants and trees depend on wildfire for propagation. Many animals and birds thrive in the wake of wildfires. But unfortunately, due to more than 100 years of suppressing wildfires in the west as well as human encroachment on habitat (indirectly, myself included because though I haven't built, I've occupied structures here in the foothills), the fuels in our forests have built up hugely such that instead occasional small cleansing fires we are now experiences ravaging infernos such as the Rim Fire which has now scorched over 184,000 acres including some sections of Yosemite and we have lost some old growth trees which would have survived smaller fires in the past. Sadly, this is another example of the price the planet has to pay for our human meddling.
The smoke here in the foothills is very problematic, even here in the Placerville area which is about a 3 1/2 hour drive from here. Visibility this morning was about 1/4 mile or less due to smoke.
Please send out good thoughts, prayers, light a candle (safely!
) for our National treasure, Yosemite, the critters who have lost or who are in danger losing their lives, the beautiful old growth trees that we have lost or are endangered, and our lungs.
Thank you!
The smoke here in the foothills is very problematic, even here in the Placerville area which is about a 3 1/2 hour drive from here. Visibility this morning was about 1/4 mile or less due to smoke.
Please send out good thoughts, prayers, light a candle (safely!
) for our National treasure, Yosemite, the critters who have lost or who are in danger losing their lives, the beautiful old growth trees that we have lost or are endangered, and our lungs.Thank you!
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.
Post edited by Unknown User on
0
Comments
Yes, as the say, "Mother nature bats last", but her swing can be rather brutal! :(
We spent two days outside the park in Lee Vining, three days in the high country (Tuolumne) and three days in the valley.
Gorgeous.
So sad. I fear more of our natural treasures will be at risk in the future.
"Why go home? I am home! And I gotta tell you, it feels FUCKIN GREAT to be here. You may experience this yourself but, if you were born in Chicago, you're always from Chicago. And even if you don't live in Chicago, Chicago will always live in you."-Ed
The parks will return to their natural state.
dude ... the sequoias in some of those groves are over 3,000 years old ... once they are gone ... they aren't coming back ...
although fire suppression is an issue ... so, is drought and high winds ... from january to june this year - california received a record low amount of rainfall ... this is global warming ... this is climate change ...
I understand their age.
Climates change....we had the most pleasant summer.
I do not want to see them burn...i am certain those strong trees have the armor needed to survive. I am certain they have battled many fires before.
Those trees did not come from nothing.
The loss of old growth trees due to human influence is, indeed tragic. And yes, global warming and climate change are part of the scenario. I've watched the climate and it's effects on California's environment since I was a kid- since the early 1950's. It's changed and changed for the worse. The effects of humans on California's environment have been recorded for a long time. In 1965, Ray Dasmann wrote about what was happening in his book The Destruction of California. We would have done well* to have listened.
* Yes, hedonist, very tempted to say "should" in this case.
Light-heartedness aside, I also feel (seems an inadequate word) for those who lost their homes in this fire. Devastation all around.
The Native Americans were much wiser than any European ever gave them credit for!!!!
So true. Chief Seattle's words ring truth.
As I sit here growing slightly accustomed, but not comfortable, with breathing wildfire smoke (sorry Reno and Tahoe, I know you have it worse), I think about the amazing power of nature's ways. In this case, wildfire.
I read recently that in 1987 the Black Dragon Fire incinerated 18 million acres on the border of China and Russia wiping our unthinkably vast forests- forests that stretched to horizons- and killing over 200 victims, injuring and burning another 250, killing or displacing countless birds, insects and animals, creating it's own weather patterns and even, in some areas, changing the chemical make up of the soil.
And now our own forests closer to home are burning. I wouldn't mind so much, really, if this were what the Indians saw- cleansing fires that they themselves often started. But what we are experiencing is the effects of the arrival of the Europeans. We came, we killed and conquered and we tried our hardest to subdue nature with our clever gimmicks our industry and our sheer numbers.
But we're not as cleaver as we think. Once again, Mother Nature is kicking ass. I think and hope she always will. I do feel very badly for innocent people impacted heavily by fire damage but even more, I'm sorry critters, trees, birds, insects, and soil, for we are so foolish.