On the heels of a dry winter, firefighters around the US brace for wildfire risks
On the heels of a dry winter, firefighters around the US brace for wildfire risks
From the southwestern U.S. to Minnesota, Iowa and even parts of New Jersey, it was a dismal winter. Many communities marked record dryness between December and the end of February.
Many communities marked their driest winters on record, snowpack was nearly nonexistent in some spots, and vegetation remains tinder dry -- all ingredients for elevated wildfire risks.
More than 1,000 firefighters and fire managers recently participated in an annual wildfire academy in Arizona, where training covered everything from air operations to cutting back brush with chain saws and building fire lines. Academy officials say there’s consensus that crews will be busy as forecasts call for more warm and dry weather, particularly for the Southwest.
Experts with NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information reported in early March that total winter precipitation in the U.S. was just shy of 6 inches (15.24 centimeters) — or nearly an inch (2.54 centimeters) below average. The period of December through the end of February — what forecasters consider the meteorological winter — ranked the third driest on record.
Maybe it would be smart to begin controlled burns of dry vegetation early this year
If they have enough staff, yes. If not you're in for a world of hurt this summer ... and I'm so sorry for that. :(
Just as we fired most of the seasonal fire fighters. Perfect. The brewing shitstorm of this administration keeps sucking all of us down.
Just do what Trump said. Clean the forest floors with rakes and vacuum cleaners. That's how they manage their forests in Finland. Reference
And Canadian and Australian firefighters have less of an incentive to help out this time, given err recent events.
America has to request it first, and I wouldn't guarantee that will happen.
Ps. Don't forget Mexico often helps as well.