Live data from Hacker News

A controlled blaze in Utah could improve models of how wildfire smoke spreads

nature.com

1–10 of 27 posts

Re: A controlled blaze in Utah could improve models of how wildfire smoke spreads

#2
Forests that have been clear cut have a different structure from old forests and burn very differently. Most California fires were of the former kind.

In “Young” forests grown in the place of clear cut “old forests”, the shrubbery grows before the trees and is very thick. The trees are not that high and the branches are close to the ground. These forests get completely annihilated by fire.

Old forests have tall trees, with branches away from the ground and almost no shrubbery. So when a fire happens, the shrubbery tends to burn out before any trees catch on fire. Such forests are benefitted by fires.

Cleaning the shrubbery in some parts of idlewild, ca prevented the forest from burning during the recent fires. It’s a strategy that is proven to work.

Not clear cutting forests also helps of course.

Re: A controlled blaze in Utah could improve models of how wildfire smoke spreads

#3

Forests that have been clear cut have a different structure from old forests and burn very differently. Most California fires were of the former kind. In “Young” forests grown in the place of clear cut “old forests”, the shrubbery grows before the trees and is very thick. The trees are not that high and the branches are close to the ground. These forests get completely annihilated by fire. Old forests have tall trees…

It sounds to me like there's a very simple solution to this problem: just don't clear-cut forests.

Of course, as usual with stupid humans, when there's a very simple solution to a problem, they absolutely refuse to do it, usually because some selfish person is benefiting from the action that's causing the problem, and countless other people are perfectly happy to enable that person.

Re: A controlled blaze in Utah could improve models of how wildfire smoke spreads

#4

Forests that have been clear cut have a different structure from old forests and burn very differently. Most California fires were of the former kind. In “Young” forests grown in the place of clear cut “old forests”, the shrubbery grows before the trees and is very thick. The trees are not that high and the branches are close to the ground. These forests get completely annihilated by fire. Old forests have tall trees…

[deleted]

Re: A controlled blaze in Utah could improve models of how wildfire smoke spreads

#5

Forests that have been clear cut have a different structure from old forests and burn very differently. Most California fires were of the former kind. In “Young” forests grown in the place of clear cut “old forests”, the shrubbery grows before the trees and is very thick. The trees are not that high and the branches are close to the ground. These forests get completely annihilated by fire. Old forests have tall trees…

Not fighting forest fires also helps.

Truth is forest fires are necessary. The bugs in forest fires, like destroyed homes and lives are because we are doing it wrong: https://www.vox.com/2018/8/7/17661096/california-wildfires-2...

Re: A controlled blaze in Utah could improve models of how wildfire smoke spreads

#6
post #3

Forests that have been clear cut have a different structure from old forests and burn very differently. Most California fires were of the former kind. In “Young” forests grown in the place of clear cut “old forests”, the shrubbery grows before the trees and is very thick. The trees are not that high and the branches are close to the ground. These forests get completely annihilated by fire. Old forests have tall trees…

It sounds to me like there's a very simple solution to this problem: just don't clear-cut forests. Of course, as usual with stupid humans, when there's a very simple solution to a problem, they absolutely refuse to do it, usually because some selfish person is benefiting from the action that's causing the problem, and countless other people are perfectly happy to enable that person.

It's true that in a lot of cases, the simplest solution is the best solution. For example, if you want to lose weight, eating and drinking less is the right solution, not to exercise more.

But in situations with complex dynamics of nature, such as the one in the comment you replied to, there are often unforeseen laws of nature or physics or government that make things more complicated, that only the experts really know about, so that our solutions often aren't grounded in the facts that would make them very useful or practical.

Re: A controlled blaze in Utah could improve models of how wildfire smoke spreads

#8
post #3

Forests that have been clear cut have a different structure from old forests and burn very differently. Most California fires were of the former kind. In “Young” forests grown in the place of clear cut “old forests”, the shrubbery grows before the trees and is very thick. The trees are not that high and the branches are close to the ground. These forests get completely annihilated by fire. Old forests have tall trees…

It sounds to me like there's a very simple solution to this problem: just don't clear-cut forests. Of course, as usual with stupid humans, when there's a very simple solution to a problem, they absolutely refuse to do it, usually because some selfish person is benefiting from the action that's causing the problem, and countless other people are perfectly happy to enable that person.

Were we in 1819, then I would agree.

Unfortunately, we're in 2019, and it's already happened. You're stuck with homogenous forests.

Re: A controlled blaze in Utah could improve models of how wildfire smoke spreads

#10
post #9

Yep, american "scientists"...I knew it.

Just curious - what is your country doing to study the issue and come up with solutions? Forest fires are necessary in nature, and at least this is a controlled one with the intent of being studied.
Post reply on HN