Subject: Re: [LPNY DISCUSS] Re: forest fires
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2004 14:47:54 -0500
To:        <lpny_discuss@yahoogroups.com>
From:     Bob Armstrong <bob@cosy.com>
 From  http://www.northernrockiesfire.org/history.htm :

Infrequent, high-severity fires tend to recur at intervals of 100=
 to 400 years in the northern Rocky Mountains. Few of the=
 overstory trees (<20%, Brown 2000) survive most fires. By=
 killing most overstory trees, such fires usually set the stage=
 for the generation of new forests, which is why they are also=
 commonly referred to as "stand-replacement" burns (Smith and=
 Fischer 1997). These fires often burn through tree crowns,=
 leaving swaths of charred, standing dead trees in their wake.=
 However, some fires that carry though the understory may kill a=
 sufficient number of overstory trees to be considered=
 high-severity. Typically these "lethal" understory fires kill=
 trees by burning slowly or deep enough into the ground to damage=
 tree roots or other crucial low tissue. 

 That would describe the Colorado fire .  

 These fires happen . The time scale is from way before any=
 possibility
 of human intervention . The "buffer zones" have to be wider than=
 a
 superhighway . Even in Suffolk county , there is a stretch of=
 Sunrise
 Highway where you see the scars of a fire , essentially in the=
 scrub
 and small tree growth jumped the highway . Only active=
 "understory" 
 clearing could prevent such events , and as the quote above=
 points out
 big fires travel in "overstory" . 

 Your Rousseauian theories of benign eco-neglect have been tried=
 and
 abandoned . 

On Fri, 12 Mar 2004 10:29:29 -0800 (PST), Travis Pahl wrote:
>=A0On Fri, 12 Mar 2004, Bob Armstrong wrote:
>=A0>=A0>=A0>=A01. houses built near forests should have an adequate=
 buffer zone.
>=A0>
>=A0>=A0I can't believe you live in a wooded area . People live IN=
 forrests
>=A0>=A0not just near them . You may have your Pollyanna views=
 because the
>=A0>=A0NW is so wet . You are spouting total unreality with respect=
 to
>=A0>=A0CA , CO , WY and other vast areas .
>
>=A0Yes people live in forest. =A0And when they build their house,=
 they cut all
>=A0the large trees sourrounding their home down. =A0They also if=
 smart try to
>=A0irrigate the area around their home to keep wet plants in the=
 area. 

 Glad they have the surplus water to irrigate with and are rich=
 enough to
 by 10 hectares instead of one . ( hectare : 100 m^2 ; acres=
 confuse me . )

 The only places safe from fire in the valleys of Colorado are in=
 the 
 flood plains - where they exist - of the creeks .

--=A0
=A0Bob Armstrong -- http://CoSy.com