Saturday, August 15, 2015
Constants and variables 30
This summer is horrendously fiery. Early heat set up a constant ready-to-flash condition that normally wouldn't happen until mid-August (ie just about now). After the extreme heat in June, the weather pattern returned to normal, but the soil and plants are NOT normal.
The constant hair-trigger reactivity has allowed a couple of variables to stand out clearly.
In short: Humans cause most fires, and humans stop most fires.
In Spokane we've had a constant barrage of small fires started by stupidity or malice, but all of them were caught and extinguished quickly because people were watching.
Until this week, we didn't see the usual number of wildland fires. Most wildland fires are caused by lightning, which didn't happen until this week. Now that some storms have passed through areas like Chelan, those fires are growing huge because nobody was around to catch them.
Watching can go too far.... maybe. Firemen have responded to some 'alarms' where people were spotting smoke from a distant fire that was already being worked.
I suppose this item from last night was too far, but it's not the sort of alarm you'd want to punish. Somebody saw a porch light through the overall smokiness and haze, and thought it was a new flare.
Better safe than sorry. Doesn't apply in all situations, but definitely applies to fire.
Later thought: Another variable. This year the state Destroyer of Natural Resources (DNR) hasn't yet intervened on the side of fire. Last year the Pateros fire exploded because DNR was preventing people from defending their own property. Ruined farmers and property owners filed a lawsuit, which is still grinding through the system. I don't know if DNR is slowed down by the processes of the lawsuit, or simply doesn't feel ready to commit murder yet.
Labels: Constants and Variables, defensible spaces
¶ 4:09 AM
