I am used to hearing about grass fires throughout the Bay Area each summer, but this year the number of fires burning across our neck of the woods and the state are just alarming. The fires in Gilroy, Morgan Hill, San Martin and Santa Cruz make you wonder what we are doing to help create this, and if nature is trying to tell us something. But beyond that, and strictly having to do with dollars and cents, who is paying for all of this—literally?
While walking the dam in Los Gatos yesterday morning, I ran into a firefighter friend who said that over 500 fires are burning in the state right now. He said he has never seen things this bad and how it is completely overtaxing every fire department in our area because so much manpower is put towards these fires. Though he was not on the front lines fighting the fires from the ground or the air, he has had to work a lot of overtime to cover the shifts of those who have. This reminded me of our discussions of the police department and the money drain that taxpayers face to be protected. What about the money spent on firefighters? Where is that extra money coming from?
Local funds will soon be depleted if the fire season rages on as it has lately. Firefighters do an amazing job, but some are working one 24-hour shift after another to cover these fires, while others are in the stations responding to medical and other fire emergencies. I am not sure how all that money is divvied up and spent, but it seems that our city must make more contingency plans for fire safety.
How are we going to pay for it all?
Good thinking, Dave. Naturally one would attack those who believe in natural management of our resources, not building homes in areas that were not designed for building, expecting others to pay for their privilege of invading the pristine forests.
Although I am not a Sierra Club member I find your argument difficult to accept. Seems to me if people didn’t build in forests which from time-to-time will burn, then their homes would not have to be protected.
I realize not building in areas that shouldn’t be built on is a foreign concept to many, but if the homes weren’t there they wouldn’t burn.
Great column SG. It might surprise you to know that the City of San Jose, and the County do not have a very good natural disaster plan set up in our communities should we need it. That in and of its self is pretty frightening don’t you think?
Native,
As you said, forests do burn from time to time. But it seems to me that we have reasons for managing those forests other than the protection of homes. First of all, what happens in a forest affects even those who live in places where you (and the Sierra Club) think they should live. A forest fire left to the whims of the elements can damage air quality and water resources, destroy rail and power lines, drive wild animals down from the mountains, and create hazardous mudslide conditions on trails and roadways. The lightening strikes that occurred this past weekend started so many fires in this state that those who’ve long held that we should allow nature to take its course should be reconsidering their beliefs. Were all these fires allowed to burn until they burn themselves out, huge parts of “human habitat approved” California just might become uninhabitable.
Managing nature is the nature of man. There is no sin in acknowledging the dollar value of forests, harvesting them responsibly, and managing them to our benefit. Indeed, the livability of our state may, in the long run, depend on it.
Native #2,
To quote you, “I realize not building in areas that shouldn’t be built on is a foreign concept to many, but if the homes weren’t there they wouldn’t burn.”
What an idiotic statement. In that case, we shouldn’t build anywhere since evil man is altering some eco system. Also, this isn’t about just fighting fires to save man’s houses, but also the habitats of the animals and birds. What about the millions of animals and birds who are being fried to death because of the Sierra Club’s misguided actions and greedy lawyer willing to file a lawsuit to collect a paycheck. I have been at the edge of one of these infernos and heard the literal screaming of these animals and their dead remains.These are not natural fires as they once were. The floors of the forests have become filled with tinder and trees growing too close together so that the canopies of the large trees burn, totally killing them and sterilizing the soil. Nothing regrows for hundreds of years. The forest service is even prevented by the Sierra Club lawsuits and idiot judges to go into these devastated areas after a fire to salvage timber and take down the dead trees to prevent the spread of disease. I think the Sierra Club etc, should be sued to at least partially pay for the costs of these fires, since their forced policy of not cleaning the forest and not allowing the weeding out of excess small trees, has lead to the infernos we now have.
#5- Dave,
You have a kind and loving heart. Thank you for showing compassion for the animals. Too bad more people don’t care about them enough to protect them.
The Sierra Club can also pay animal shelters, animal rescuers, counties, and cities for the costs of human beings losing their property, evacuating, Vetting, and housing these often times burned, and injured displaced animals. It is one thing to try and preserve the forest; it is another to go so far overboard that you defeat the very purpose you’re trying to accomplish.
Native,
I somewhat understand what you are saying. It is the same line of thinking I use when I see wildlife shot in the mountains. I wonder why people build a home in the mountains, and then complain when a hungry coyote trying to feed its young comes down and eats the family pet. Or someone builds a home on a cliff and then cries when a mudslide takes their home over the edge and into the sea.
In fairness, I think Dave points out some of the real problems with over doing a good and well-intentioned vision or goal. All of us saw the devastating affects of the fires right here in San Jose a week or so ago. Ash was all over our cars, the sky was yellow, and the air was so polluted you could barely breath. Unfortunately, it is a sword that cuts both ways. Prevention is vital and clean up is also necessary. New growth needs help from human beings, and animals do too.
Bill the Sierra Club. They have filed lawsuit after frivolous lawsuit preventing the cleaning of our forest. Thanks also to their immoral lawyers. That is why we now have infernos and firestorms which destroy everything. Send them the bill for the fire costs.