Op-Ed: The Bootleg fire is burning miles from my house — climate change has never felt more real (via latimesopinion)
The science is irrefutable: These extreme events would not be happening were it not for the reality of human-caused climate change. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions alone will fail to meet the moment: Managing overcrowded forests and fixing outdated energy infrastructure must be central features in new climate policies.and threatening the infrastructure that provides power to nearly 80% of California.
The health of the landscape in Lake County, where Lakeview is the county seat, depends on frequent, low-severity fires that have historically cleaned out dead trees and prevented larger, more destructive fires. But have disrupted this cycle. To get back on track we need active forest management activities that promote ecological diversity, support healthy trees and reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire.These methods commonly include thinning areas with too many trees followed by prescribed burning to maintain tree health and promote the growth of grasses, shrubs and flowers that are all contributors to a forest’s ability to capture carbon from the atmosphere and store it in the soil.