Cedars, September 2018

September 2018 7 OFF CAMPUS fuel to get started.” According to Gathany, dry, abundant fuel is the signif- icant factor that allows these massive fires to happen. And the reason that fuel remains so abundant? It’s a combina- tion of California’s historical policy and current climate. In the early 1900s, the Forest Service implemented a policy of no-exceptions fire suppression, characterized by the iconic Smoky Bear. However, Gathany said, fires are not only a natural part of the California ecosystem, but an es- sential one. Small, periodic fires can clear shrubs and brush, keeping fuel to a minimum and preventing larger blazes from appearing later. The Forest Service moved away from that policy in the mid-1980’s, focusing on minimizing and containing fires rather than extinguishing them immediately. However, Gathany said California may still be experiencing the last knock-on effects of the old, misguided fire suppression practices. “We’re still in that fire return interval for a lot of these places that have been impacted by that fire suppression activ- ity,” Gathany said. “So there’s a lot more fuel than would be typical, so we should expect some more damaging fires than as would be typical as we’re sort of coming out of that phase.” According to this explanation, there may be hope that in future years, once the fires have run their course, there may be a return to normal levels or even a decrease in fire activity. However, there is a second component to the sever- ity of fires: the California drought. According to Gathany, the accumulated effect of so many dry years in a row may have combined with the higher-than-average temperatures of 2018 to produce this worse-than-average year of fires. “California’s been in a pretty consistent drought phase for the last one or two decades, so that’s been accumulating,” Gathany said. “There are cycles to these things, and I know we have things tipping the scales with climate change too, things that make it not certain if we ever come out of this drought phase or if this is just the new normal for them.” In the western United States, it is not rain that brings the much-needed water supply, but snow. According to weather records, from May through August, Los Angeles received exactly zero days of rain, and this is not unusual for the region. Instead, California relies on meltwater from mountain snow, which filters into reservoirs to supply the cities. “If there’s no snow there’s no snowpack, there’s no melt, there’s no reservoir,” Gathany said. “That’s why they watch the weather really carefully over the winter in partic- ular. It doesn’t really rain in the summer to speak of, but it’s the snow that melts in.” Though the dry climate, abundant fuel and coastal winds are what consistently allow fires to catch and spread quickly, the actual spark that starts a fire can come from a variety of sources. Fires can start because of lightning strikes or other natural causes, but more often, Wilkinson said, it is human sources that initiate the blazes, intention- ally or accidentally. Wilkinson described one situation in which an overheat- ed car pulled over in a secluded, heavily wooded area, then exploded, starting a blaze. Fires have also been caused by sparks from a hammer strike and other accidental sources. Sometimes, however, fires are not so accidental. While it’s hard to verify the source of a spark, arson has been linked to several of California’s fires. During particularly bad fire seasons, arsonists are often emboldened to be even more active, because firefighters are spread thinner across the region. “I think trouble brings trouble,” said Wilkinson. “For people … who love fire, when they see a fire they think it would be cool to then distract firemen and start another fire, or just start one because that’s what brings them pleasure.” However, despite the disasters back home, Wilkinson expressed hope and trust in God’s faithfulness. “Fires are gonna happen; it’s definitely something you live with,” Wilkinson said. “It’s hard a little bit, but, I don’t know, you kind of always go back to God being in control, and controlling the controllables.” Breanna Beers is a sophomore molecular and cellular biol- ogy major and the interim off-campus news editor for Ce- dars. She loves exercising curiosity, hiking new trails, and quoting “The Princess Bride” whether it’s relevant or not. Photo by Cassidy Wilkinson Helicopters carry water and fire retardants to the flames to help contain the blazes. Photo by Cassidy Wilkinson Smoke clouds are visible for miles in areas near the fires. Photo by Tasha Peterson Smoke from the Holy Fire, burning since Aug. 6, obscures the morning sun, casting an eerie orange glow in Mission Viejo.