Quote: Original post by Kirl
I've been wondering what's up with all the huge wild fires lately in California and australia etc. We know how to effectively prevent or limmit wild fires. Ever since I was a little kid I knew about fire ditches, preventative burning etc. Why are these things not practised, especially in high risk areas?

There's massive fires in Australia every year (not just lately). We have a "bushfire season" and all of those preventative measures *are* practised in the lead up to it.

However, this continent has been burning and regenerating for the entirety of human history (plants have even evolved to only drop seeds when burnt here), so trying to stop fires from happening is kind of futile.
Before European colonisation here, the Aboriginal people would deliberately light these fires, because they knew that if the forests were not regularly burnt down, then when they eventually do catch fire it will be hell-on-earth.

Since colonisation though, we've built all sorts of important things (e.g. cities) so we can't really go burning down the whole country, which means we can only do so much to limit the size of the fires when they come...

Quote: Original post by Hodgman
Before European colonisation here, the Aboriginal people would deliberately light these fires, because they knew that if the forests were not regularly burnt down, then when they eventually do catch fire it will be hell-on-earth.

The Native Americans here pretty much did the same thing. Then we stopped them from doing that, the undergrowth built up and when it inevitably dried out, fires. There is also a beetle infestation that has been wiping out forests here. To quote Thoreau, "Dead trees love the fire."

Quote: Original post by Hodgman
Before European colonisation here, the Aboriginal people would deliberately light these fires, because they knew that if the forests were not regularly burnt down, then when they eventually do catch fire it will be hell-on-earth.

Quote: Original post by LessBread
The Native Americans here pretty much did the same thing. Then we stopped them from doing that, the undergrowth built up and when it inevitably dried out, fires.

That's what I meant with preventative burning (controlled burning to prevent build up), you both make it sound like you don't do this anymore then?

That would be insane, for the reasons you also both mentioned. You know it's going to burn anyway, better try to controll it then ignore it and wait for certain annual hell.

Quote: Original post by Kirl

Quote: Original post by Hodgman
Before European colonisation here, the Aboriginal people would deliberately light these fires, because they knew that if the forests were not regularly burnt down, then when they eventually do catch fire it will be hell-on-earth.

Quote: Original post by LessBread
The Native Americans here pretty much did the same thing. Then we stopped them from doing that, the undergrowth built up and when it inevitably dried out, fires.

That's what I meant with preventative burning (controlled burning to prevent build up), you both make it sound like you don't do this anymore then?

That would be insane, for the reasons you also both mentioned. You know it's going to burn anyway, better try to controll it then ignore it and wait for certain annual hell.

Well, They DO use controlled burns, the problem is there is only so much you can control burn in a season without actually starting off wild fires, and even an area that has been control burned has enough fuel to feed a firestorm that started somewhere that wasn't control burned. (It just isn't as likely to burn completely out of control, and has a chance of being put out by fire fighters.)

The fire burning in Yosemite right now began as a controlled burn. Wildfires Continue to Rage Around California:

Quote:
...
The Big Meadow Fire was started by park officials as part of a controlled burn that jumped the lines and got out of control. Park officials say the need for the controlled burn was a must to rid the area of hazardous dried brush in the area for safety.

Many residents questioned the need for the fire, especially at this time of year when wildfires are so aggressive. Fire officials met with the residents on Monday to explain the necessity. Investigators are still trying to figure out how the controlled burn got out of control.
...