Will They Never Learn?

It was hazy yesterday evening and we were wondering if it was just dust from the wind or smoke from a wildfire. We decided it was probably from two fires south and west of us. (About 100 miles away?)

The newscast about the fires included,

Another fire also burning on the Mt. Taylor Ranger District — that is causing controversy this morning — is the “Diener Canyon Fire.”… It was started by the Feds earlier this week as a prescribed burn. It’s gotten out of control and escaped containment lines — after the wind picked up to more than 50 miles an hour.

….

We asked the U. S. Forest Service why they would start a fire before a high wind day when it’s been super dry. We haven’t heard back yet.

Here’s the video if anyone is interested:

This brings back memories. The reason we had to evacuate, and 400 families lost their homes, in May 2000 was because of another prescribed burn that got out of control. Will they never learn that prescribed burns aren’t a good idea when it’s dry and windy?

 

This entry was posted in Life As a Shared Adventure. Bookmark the permalink.

12 Responses to Will They Never Learn?

  1. stuff like that happens both here and Australia – I never can quite understand why they leave such fires to be started under “prescribed” when it’s obviously the conditions are just not right…

    I guess this happens because “we’ve always done it now/this way/whatever…” I see ours as often to do with colonisation and those earlier settlers wanting more agricultural land cleared.

    Wind has a tendency to be unpredictable and can easily move some quiet flames into roaring fires, which fan/race across area including roads and similar areas…

    • Jean says:

      The fire that ravaged our place was because they didn’t have enough low intensity fires. It was part of the ecosystem until humans kept suppressing them, so now they’re trying to reduce the fuel load in a controlled manner. Why they chose now is another matter.

      I read the explanation about the 2000 fire — the trees and undergrowth were tinder dry and they thought it was better to try to get rid of it in a controlled manner than have a devastating fire started by human activity or lightning. It appears they waited too long, when things got so dry.

  2. Cindi says:

    This is insanity.
    Seems like everything is controlled by incompetent people.
    How truly awful.
    I just can’t verbalize how I feel about this.
    🙁

    • Jean says:

      Needless to say, they will get a lot of guff for it. As I was looking for it Andy joked about it being started by a prescribed burn, but he was dumbfounded when he found out that was indeed the case.

  3. tammy j says:

    oh there are just no words.
    anybody in access of the national weather service can SEE wind predictions.
    they have it down to a fine science now. even a dummy would know when or when NOT to do a prescribed burn.
    i’m with Cindi.
    and i know the importance of keeping down the brush. but OMG.
    our fires are terrible again. and it’s because of the wind.
    i guess they just need to burn us all up and get it over with. NM KS OK and some of TX. it truly is insanity.

    • Jean says:

      If this turns out to be the new normal people will somehow have to make big changes and learn to adapt. It won’t happen right away. It will be interesting to see how Santa Rosa deals with its need for more housing. Will the new fire code be enough? With high winds, embers can travel as much as a mile and if the houses aren’t fireproof they will go up in flames. But that costs money and people need housing. Adapting isn’t easy, and big changes won’t happen until people are convinced these events aren’t rare.

  4. .Rummuser says:

    I personally am of the view that only mentally challenged people join the civil services. At least here, it is by and large true. I wonder if the same applies in your part of the world.

  5. There’s only one word for it—stupidity! This is literally ‘throwing caution to the wind’!

  6. Linda Sand says:

    I have a friend who participates in prescribed burns in a local state park. They have cancelled many because the conditions were not right. Does the Forest Service not do that?

    In Minnesota, if a person causes a wildfire they are required to pay the costs of fighting it and any damages done. Will the Forest Service be required to pay?

    • Jean says:

      The American taxpayer will pay, but I’m not sure how the Forest Service will be affected. I’ve read the net cost of the 2000 fire here was almost a billion dollars. I’m guessing the Forest Service didn’t pay all that.

Comments are closed.