I am not trying to minimize the suffering and pain of many unfortunate people in the path of these fires. But one can not help but wonder how much more there is to burn in this state. I dont think we still fully realize how different the pre-Colombian landscape was from today's. Almost anywhere you go in tis state, semi-arid and desert excluded, you see neck to single story high flammable oily xeriscape brush. Higher, up in elevation, crowded highly flammable trees surrounded by ladder fuel brush and tons and tons of fuel load fallen timber. It's gonna burn hot brother. I have been out two of the last three weekends in the nearby local Desolation Wilderness and adjoining Tahoe and El Dorado Nat. forests. Yeah, the Rubicon Trail area. You can see a few prescribed controlled burns,and some remnants of former fires, but there is a huge fire ball waiting. It has to come, it must. To return vast almost limitless quantities of public forest and watershed to cooler limited fire potential landscape will be a monumental work taking decades. Just the diesel emissions to cut, chip and plow will impact the arctic ice ( not !) it will take years of effort and controlled fires to clear away what we have allowed to pile up. I dont think our leaders have the bank account to pay the political price to do what is required. We can hold PG&E accountable, but we cant stop lightening. Coming around and over the last rise above the foothills on the way down, the entire Valley is invisible in haze. never seen this to this extent, for this long. 2008 was the last truly epic fire year and this is far worse.
