Cali's wildfire research center makes scary discovery

[Eldorado]

On the second day of April, the skies were clear over the San Francisco Bay Area and the view from atop the sun-drenched Mount Umunhum in the South Bay spread across a sea of green shrubs and trees carpeting the surrounding Santa Cruz Mountains.

It was a beautiful sight, but a team of researchers from San Jose State University's Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research Center — the only wildfire research center in California — noticed something wasn't quite right.

SF Gate article

US to enter mega drought which will be the worst for 1200 years – here’s what to expect

UK Independent article

Edited April 13, 2021 by Eldorado

[keithisco]

Too many people planting Eucalyptus and Olive trees for their "aesthetic" appeal will always lead to massive wildfires. Why not plant indigenous trees?

When the "Mega drought" doesn't materialise then what will be blamed then?

Edited April 13, 2021 by keithisco

[Hankenhunter]

Now, instead of proactive, the reactive solutions will be discussed, then ignored by politicians. No greenery means fire hazard year around. No money in it either. This doesn't bode well.

When I ran a slash burning/ fire fighting company in BC we used the FMC method to see if cedar dominant areas would burn too fast, too slow, or not at all. Overly dry cedar will literally explode with fire. I was working with one forestry official once, who overroad my decision to not burn with his thoughts that a computer readout 200 miles away was more accurate than the FMC method on the ground. He was wrong. And fired. The second growth (planted trees) around the area burnt down, as well as running into the standing over 500 meters. California's will be much worse. There's going to be a huge run on sprinkler fire suppression/protection systems. It'll work till the water runs out. And it will. This is shaping up to be an ecological disaster. If the ground burns, as well as the Chaparral, the mud slides will be horrific. Regrowth will take decades if not more as the ground seeds will be burnt also. Not going to be pretty.

Edited April 13, 2021 by Hankenhunter
Spelling

[Hankenhunter]

26 minutes ago, keithisco said:

Too many people planting Eucalyptus and Olive trees for their "aesthetic" appeal will always lead to massive wildfires. Why not plant indigenous trees?

When the "Mega drought" doesn't materialise then what will be blamed then?

The study isn't done with imported flora. It's done with natural flora. No budding at this time is very disturbing.

[keithisco]

19 minutes ago, Hankenhunter said:

Now, instead of proactive, the reactive solutions will be discussed, then ignored by politicians. No greenery means fire hazard year around. No money in it either. This doesn't bode well.

When I ran a slash burning/ fire fighting company in BC we used the FMC method to see if cedar dominant areas would burn too fast, too slow, or not at all. Overly dry cedar will literally explode with fire. I was working with one forestry official once, who overroad my decision to not burn with his thoughts that a computer readout 200 miles away was more accurate than the FMC method on the ground. He was wrong. And fired. The second growth (planted trees) around the area burnt down, as well as running into the standing over 500 meters. California's will be much worse. There's going to be a huge run on sprinkler fire suppression/protection systems. It'll work till the water runs out. And it will. This is shaping up to be an ecological disaster. If the ground burns, as well as the Chaparral, the mud slides will be horrific. Regrowth will take decades if not more as the ground seeds will be burnt also. Not going to be pretty.

...and yet Chaparrals fires typically take between 30 and 100 years to fully recover. This is nothing out of the ordinary

[keithisco]

2 minutes ago, Hankenhunter said:

The study isn't done with imported flora. It's done with natural flora. No budding at this time is very disturbing.

Its only disturbing if the time interval exceeds the average