Remember our fire last spring? They’ve now figured out what started it. The Forest Service had burned some piles of forest debris to help reduce the fuel load in the forests, and they thought those fires were out. Instead a couple, one here and one elsewhere in the state, smoldered for months under wet snow with no sign of heat or smoke. They sprung back to life when the weather turned dry and windy. Now the Forest Service will use heat-detecting drones and handheld devices to make sure their proactive burns are really out.
Another thing they learned — the burn scars from the 2011 fire didn’t offer the protection they expected. The idea was all the trees had already burned, so no big problem. Instead there were tons of dry dead trees, both on the ground and standing, enough to provide ample fuel for the new fire.
Even though it has been hot here, Andy has been diligently working a bit at a time to keep our defensible space clear of burnable material.
July 26,2023
hindsight isn’t always a good thing – but how interesting that the snow could not “kill” (for want of a better word) the fires
Hindsight is better than not learning at all. 🙂
this is unbelievable, that is survived under the snow, i mean. I am glad they figured this out, sorry to hear the burn off doesn’t work. this morning they said off the keys here in FL the water temp is 101 and that is a new record. this means worse storms when they come. our pool continues to climb and is unusable which has never happened in 34 years
I’ve been watching your weather — it’s horrible! Those water temperatures blow me away.
I start to wonder whether there will be any vegetation left after a couple more years of fires.
No big trees, but plenty of vegetation as long as we get some rain. That’s why Andy spends so much time keeping our defensible space clear.
Unbelievable! The Forest Service themselves, who are supposed to be the experts, caused it. They need to leave the forest ALONE when they start doing more damage than good. But I am glad it was not covered up, and they admitted it.
No, the forests were/are overgrown because fire was part of the natural ecosystem. We humans suppressed fires for obvious reasons, but it means the ones that happen are much hotter and more destructive when they occur. Reducing the fuel load needs to be done, but very carefully.
Wow, I would have never thought that could happen.
It was a surprise to everyone.
I thought it was interesting when they changed the name of “controlled burn” to “prescribed burn”. They never could guarantee control.
A friend once told me about going on a prescribed burn. The person in charge said, “When I say run, RUN!”
Great advice!
Oh my word, who’d have guessed?
That’s great about Andy doing what he can to protect your place.
My mother and I were in Los Alamos visiting friends in May of 2000 and I remember the huge homemade sign someone (on Alabama Ave.) erected in front of what was left of their quad: “Open house … open layout … unobstructed views … decorating courtesy of the National Park Service.”
Yes. When we evacuated we drove down to Albuquerque and spent some time watching the news on TV to see if it would burn our apartment. We were lucky.
WOW, who would have thought a fire could smolder under snow.
I know!