We don’t often talk about the benefits of wildfire. Environmental scientists say some plants and animals depend on periodic wildfires for their ecological balance. Dr. Cintra Agee, lecturer in Native American Studies at the College of the Redwoods, teaches our students that fire played a significant role in the heritage and cultural traditions of the native tribes in our area. Before modern settlement of the American West, forested areas in our region burned naturally from lightning strikes or were intentionally burned by native communities to preserve the forest or clear land for agriculture. But over the past hundred years, most Western states have suppressed fires. That has resulted in increasingly dense forests and abundant brush on the forest floor.
The idea that deforestation practices, along with climate change and higher temperatures, are contributing to the increase and severity of wildfires in the West has been a topic of debate for several years. We recall the disagreement between former President Trump and Governor Newsom in 2020 over the driving forces behind the California wildfires. Trump claimed that poor forest management was the cause, while Newsom cited climate change as the main cause. Interestingly, research from scientists at several leading universities confirms the importance of both factors in the occurrence of wildfires.
Regardless of the cause, wildfires are common throughout the world, causing widespread destruction and displacement. This year, several fires have spread over 8,000 acres and caused the evacuation of 4,000 people in Colorado. Several fires are raging in Oregon, the largest of which covers about 459 square miles, and high temperatures are increasing the risk of further spread. As Californians, it is increasingly likely that we know someone who has been affected by wildfires. The current Park Fire, the fourth largest in California history, has burned about 400,000 acres, destroyed 564 structures, and forced over 25,000 people, including my own family in Shingletown, to flee their homes. With over 3,400 square miles burned by large wildfires in the Western United States and individual fires like the Park Fire affecting thousands of residents, the impacts are being felt widely
As with all weather extremes, wildfires in the Western U.S. are getting bigger, spreading faster, reaching higher altitudes, and becoming more intense, cutting down more trees and destroying entire swathes of forest. An analysis by Climate Central shows that fire seasons have become longer and more intense since the 1970s, especially in the Western U.S. (https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/longer-more-intense-fire-weather-seasons). At the same time, the San Francisco Chronicle reports a critical staffing shortage at the U.S. Forest Service. Since 2020, there are nearly 1,000 fewer firefighters on duty, leaving important equipment unused and hampering wildfire control efforts (https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/federal-firefighter-shortage-19565303.php). Because of this, California will need to hire 11,000 additional firefighters in the coming years. (https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/federal-firefighter-shortage-19565303.php).
In response to these growing challenges, the College of the Redwoods has proactively expanded our fire prevention program by hiring former Humboldt Bay Fire Chief Sean Robertson as a full-time faculty member. Our one-semester program prepares students for immediate employment with local agencies, and in past years, all of our graduates have been hired immediately upon program completion. The program will train future firefighters in the latest industry principles, tactical operations, fire prevention, and hazard identification and elimination. Assistant Professor Robertson and his fellow fire prevention faculty bring hands-on experience from roles that have included firefighting, fire department management, and hazardous materials handling, among others.
Under the leadership of Assistant Professor Robertson, our program is designed to provide students with a certificate in fire protection technology that will give them the tools they need to gain employment with Cal Fire and other fire departments and make an immediate difference to local and state fire departments. The administration is committed to providing Assistant Professor Robertson with the resources he needs to complete an associate’s degree, work with our EMT and paramedic programs, and achieve state accreditation.
In addition to our educational efforts, it is important that we push our elected officials to take climate change seriously and challenge traditional land management practices. These methods, like controlled burns, have been proven effective in maintaining forest health and preventing the devastating, hard-to-control wildfires we are currently experiencing. By combining these best practices with modern science and implementing strong climate policies, we can better mitigate wildfire risks and protect our communities.
