California Ag Network

Category: Weather

  • A Producer’s Guide to Drought

    Drought events are often wide-spread, persistent, and long lasting. Drought losses are as substantial as those from hurricanes, tornadoes, and other immediate-impact disaster events. Drought causes losses to agriculture, and affects domestic water supply, energy production, public health, wildlife, and contributes to wildfire.  

    If drought has impacted your operation, USDA can help you recover from your losses, mitigate risk, and prepare for future natural disasters. USDA offers a suite of programs that help with recovery as well as those that can help you manage risk and build resilience on your operation.  

    Assistance for Farmers

    If you raise livestock, assistance is available through:

    We can also help with damage to conservation practices or forests. The  Emergency Conservation Program (ECP)  and  Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP)  provide financial and technical assistance to restore conservation practices like fencing, damaged farmland, or forests. ECP can also help implement water conservation practices during severe drought. 

    Similarly, the  Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)  provides financial and technical assistance to implement conservation practices. Common drought recovery forest management plans, tree/shrub establishment, brush management, prescribed grazing, pasture and hay planting, wildlife habitat, livestock watering systems, and cover crops. 

    Finally, the  Tree Assistance Program (TAP)  provides cost share assistance to rehabilitate or replant orchards and vineyards (trees, vines, or bushes). 

    Disaster assistance programs are designed to complement risk management tools available to producers, such as federal crop insurance and the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP). Crop insurance provides indemnity payments to growers who purchase crop insurance for production and quality losses related to drought and other weather hazards, including losses caused by inability to plant on time. Meanwhile, NAP covers losses for crops not covered by crop insurance.   

    Producers impacted by drought should also consider available guaranteed and direct (including emergency) farm loan options.  In addition to loan making, USDA offers loan servicing options for borrowers who are unable to make scheduled payments on their USDA farm loan debt because of reasons beyond their control. 

    Reporting Losses

    If your operation was impacted by a natural disaster, you should report losses and damages and file an application with the Farm Service Agency, or if you have crop insurance, report to your agent. 

    Timelines for reporting losses and applying for payments differ by program:

    • ELAP: 30 days for livestock and fish and within 15 days for honeybees;
    • TAP: within 90 days; 
    • NAP: within 15 days, except for hand-harvested crops, which is within 72 hours; and
    • Crop insurance: within 72 hours of discovering damage and follow up in writing within 15 days.

    Improve Drought Resiliency

    Conservation practices can help you use water more efficiently and boost soil health. Healthy soil stores water better for when it’s needed most. The Natural Resources Conservation Service,through programs like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), provides technical and financial assistance for conservation practices like irrigation efficiency, prescribed grazing, reduced- or no-till, cover crops, mulching, and residue management. Conservation practices that boost organic matter in the soil lead to more water – every 1% increase in organic matter results in as much as 25,000 gallons of soil water per acre.

    More Information

    To learn more, visit our Drought webpage, Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, or Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet. If you want to learn more about the U.S. Drought Monitor, which is a trigger for many of our programs, read our question and answer with one of the drought monitor’s climatologists. 

    For assistance with USDA programs, reach out your local Service Center. —By Ciji Taylor, USDA public affairs specialist

  • Preparing Your Orchards for 2022 in the Face of Drought

    Plan for the worst, hope for the best. That’s a tough, solid, strategy as the 2021 season winds down and almond growers and PCAs look to 2022. The following are some considerations when following this strategy. Every operation is different, and growers must decide what works best for their business. Final decisions may not need to be made until early 2022, but planning ahead, given the stakes, is recommended.

    The core issue is water, with both availability and quality of concern depending on local conditions.

    The region and state start the water year (Oct-Sept) way behind on water. As of the middle of September, major reservoirs (Shasta and Oroville) serving the region and state are at 22-25% capacity, less than half of the normal storage for this time of year. The current forecast for the rest of 2021 is for equal chances for normal precipitation in the Sacramento Valley with a 70-80% chance of La Niña winter. 2020-21 was a La Niña winter. These are all predictions, not certainties, but the current precipitation outlook for the winter ‘21-‘22 is not great.

    If the drought continues, more groundwater will be pumped to keep trees alive and, if enough water is available, productive. Using moderate to low quality water (see table) can risk decreasing yield from increasing rootzone salinity and/or toxic levels of the elements chloride, boron or sodium. For most of the Sacramento Valley, groundwater quality is good to very good. However, for parts of the Colusa and Sutter groundwater basins, water quality is not so good. Irrigation water quality levels are important to planning for next year, especially if similar quality groundwater was used in 2021.

    Thresholds for 3 important irrigation water quality components based on risk to almond growth or yield reduction.

    *For a more extensive information on water quality for almond irrigation see:

    https://www.sacvalleyorchards.com/almonds/irrigation/lower-quality-water/ 

    With a worst case scenario of low/no surface water deliveries and falling well water levels, here are some thoughts to consider in planning for 2022.

    Rank orchards by potential value (net return to grower) in 2022 and future years. Possible considerations and rankings for use in farming decisions are suggested in the following table. These groupings are just examples based on UC research and the author’s experience. Orchard rankings and farming decisions should be based on local conditions and grower experience with input from PCA/CCA and nut handler.

    Orchard conditions possibly influencing net grower returns (NGR) in a drought year.

    Fall to prebloom practices can influence production potential for 2022 and could be adjusted on a per orchard basis. For example, higher cost items such as winter irrigation/salt management, potassium fertilization, preemergent herbicide and dormant sprays could be prioritized to the orchards with higher net return potential. [Orchard sanitation is also a big cost, but lack of sanitation in one orchard can mean that increased NOW, there, can spread harm and reduced net return in adjacent orchards.] Lower yielding orchards could receive less inputs this fall and/or spring, further limiting potential net income next year, depending on what is cut out or limited. Limiting inputs to orchards considered for removal could be further savings to growers.

    Hopefully, adequate rain and snow will mean that these hard choices to remove or limit orchard yield will not need to be made. In the meantime, planning ahead will make springtime decision making simpler if the weather stays dry. — By Franz Niederholzer, UCCE Farm Advisor, Colusa and Sutter/Yuba Counties

  • Protecting Workers from Wildfire Smoke

    CA Department of Public Health Occupational Health Branch — In 2020, California had five of the largest wildfires in state history during that one year alone. This year, the Dixie fire continues to burn and is now the largest single wildfire in state history. Poor air quality due to wildfire smoke may persist for months and spread to neighboring counties and states. Smoke is made up of a mixture of gases and fine particles that can cause a range of health problems. These respiratory irritants can cause coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing; they can also cause aggravation of pre-existing medical conditions and increased risk of premature death.

    Outdoor workers such as agricultural workers, landscapers, and construction workers are especially affected by wildfire smoke exposure. Cal/OSHA’s Protection from Wildfire Smoke regulation requires employers to take important measures to protect their employees when the Air Quality Index (AQI) of harmful particulate matter (defined as “PM2.5” because of particle size) at their worksites is 151 or greater. As fires become a growing problem, workers need to be protected from smoke and poor air quality.

    What does the regulation require employers to do?

    1. Identify harmful exposures – Determine employee exposure to wildfire smoke at the start of each shift and periodically thereafter by obtaining AQI forecasts (available online).  
    2.  Communication and training – Train workers and supervisors on the health effects of wildfire smoke, the right to obtain medical treatment without fear of reprisal, methods to protect employees from wildfire smoke, and the use and limitations of respirators. 
    3. Reduce workers’ exposure to wildfire smoke using:
    • Engineering controls: Where possible, provide an enclosed building, structure, or vehicle with filtered air for employees to spend some or all their time. 
    • Administrative controls: Relocate workers to another outdoor location where the current AQI is lower, change work schedules, reduce work intensity, or provide more rest periods (preferably in cleaner air).
    • Personal protective equipment: 
      • Provide NIOSH-approved particulate respirators (such as N95 masks) to employees for voluntary use if employers cannot reduce workers’ exposure using the methods above.
        NOTE: When the AQI of PM2.5 is greater than 500, employers must provide and require employees to use respirators.
      • Provide eye protection where employees are experiencing burning sensations, redness, and tearing of the eyes caused by wildfire smoke. 

    Resources

    Protecting Outdoor Workers Exposed to Smoke from Wildfires | Spanish – Cal/OSHA information and resources for workers who are not firefighters
    Voluntary Use of NIOSH-approved N95 Respirators (including for smoke protection) – new Cal/OSHA training video
    List of National Suppliers with N95 Respirators in Stock – vendors compiled by Cal/OSHA
    Worker Protection from Wildfire Smoke – overview of Cal/OSHA regulation, CCR, Title 8, Section 5141.1
    Worker Protection from Wildfire Smoke (PDF) | Spanish – printable factsheet from UCLA Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program
    Air Quality Index (AQI) – U.S. EPA website with real-time information; includes zip code search tool

  • Critical Groundwater Supplies May Never Recover From Drought

    Illustration of groundwater location. (USGS)

    Along with hurricanes and wildfires, there’s another important, but seldom-discussed effect of climate change — toxic water and sinking land made worse by groundwater drought. Water from snow and rain seeps deep into the ground between layers of soil and accumulates in sponge-like underground bathtubs, called aquifers. Farmers rely heavily on this groundwater to irrigate their crops when they can’t get enough water from surface water sources.

    Roughly 85 percent of Californians also rely on groundwater for some portion of their water supply. Worldwide, an estimated two billion people depend on it. However, excessive groundwater use combined with droughts has caused land surface to sink, damaging critical infrastructure including roads, buildings, and sewage and water pipes.

    New UC Riverside research shows groundwater takes an average of three years to recover from drought — if it ever recovers at all. In the largest study of its kind, scientists found that this recovery time only applies to aquifers that aren’t touched by human activity, and the recovery time might be even longer in regions with excessive pumping.

    For groundwater levels to recover after a drought, new precipitation requires time to percolate through the soil and recharge the depleted aquifer. The researchers show that this process can take several years longer in areas with deeper groundwater levels.

    “If people pump groundwater without first letting it recharge, groundwater levels keep going down, the cost of pumping goes up, and the land sinks,” explained Hoori Ajami, UCR groundwater hydrologist and study co-author and principal investigator on this project.

    Published in the Journal of Hydrology, the new study is the first to examine groundwater response to droughts on a continental scale. Previous investigations of groundwater drought have mostly relied on model simulations and covered smaller areas. This study relied on 30 years of daily measurements from 600 wells across the country.

    On average, the researchers determined it takes about two years for rainwater drought to become groundwater drought, though in some cases it takes as long as 15 years. Because of the long lag time, the effects aren’t felt or seen immediately. However, they can be severe.

    Groundwater drought combined with pumping can cause a gradual, uneven lowering of the land surface called subsidence. “It is a known problem in California’s Central Vaalley, exacerbated by climate factors and excessive water pumping,” Ajami said. “Subsidence causes irreversible damage to infrastructure, buildings and roads.”

    As the ground shifts and water level declines, contaminants in the soil, like arsenic, can mobilize and poison the water. In coastal areas, aquifers depleted by drought and pumping can fill up with salty sea water, making groundwater unusable for drinking or farming.

    “You start with a problem of water quantity, and you end up with a problem of water quality,” Ajami said.

    “Excessive pumping lowers the groundwater level, creating a downward spiral in which restoring the aquifer becomes harder and harder,” added study co-author Adam Schreiner-McGraw.

    To reduce the damage from prolonged droughts that are an inevitability as the planet continues to warm, the researchers have several recommendations. Most climate models show rain becoming more intense. Storing rain waters could recharge aquifers, speeding up the recovery process.

    The researchers also suggest that farmers improve irrigation efficiency and switch perennials like almonds, pistachios, and walnuts to annual, less water-intensive crops in areas where groundwater depletion is severe.

    “We need to improve our climate projections to include groundwater, so that we can better assess what we have and how to protect it,” Ajami said. “There are ways to better manage what we have.” — By Jules Bernstein, UC Riverside

  • What Effects do Forest Fires have on the Storage of Carbon?

    The other day I was enjoying a nice breakfast, when I saw a man sitting next to me with his bicycle. Of course, my wife started talking with him! It turns out that he is a professor from Columbia, NY who, as far as I could understood, teaches something related to climate change. I couldn’t help asking him, do we still have time to fix the global warming problem and mitigate climate change? His tone of voice changed and his gazed off and said, “Save yourself, there is nothing we can do about it.” Still, a week after that conversation I am thinking about his comment! I consider myself an optimist, but it worries me when I see what is happening with the fires on the West Coast, and recently the floods in Belgium, Germany, and other places.

    According to the National Interagency Fire Center as of August 26, 88 large fires are burning in the US across 13 States. They have destroyed nearly 2.4 million acres of forest. We know that trees are our best friends, they can store and sequester carbon. We know that a healthy forest reduces carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but what happens when a forest catches fire?

    The answer is not very simple because the carbon cycle is very complicated, with many variables involve. When carbohydrates are burned, they oxidize, creating carbon dioxide (CO2). Photosynthesis on the other hand, removes CO2 from the atmosphere and simultaneously stores carbon in the form of wood. According to NOAA, a very big and hot wildfire could emit the same amount of CO2 as six large coal power plants in one year.

    To better understand the role that a forest ecosystem has on the storage of carbon, a study was conducted by the NASA Institute on Climate and Planets. They studied what happens in unburned and burned sites in the Black Rock Forest, NY. The hypothesis for the study stated that the unburned site will significantly store more carbon than the burned site.

    The results, as we expected, showed that more carbon was stored in the unburned plot than in the burned plot, which means that the fire diminishes the carbon that was originally store in the wood. On the other hand, some of the vegetation is not consumed by burning, instead it is transformed to charcoal which has the advantage that it resists degradation so it can store carbon in soils over long periods of time. As it was mentioned before, the carbon cycle is very complicated, and fire has other consequences like emissions from decomposing dead wood which can surpass the direct emissions from the fire itself. But at the same time, new growth in the burned areas starts once again to take CO2 from the atmosphere and store it. This topic is very complicated, but fortunately, it looks like the effects of wildfires on climate change are smaller than the effects of coal, oil, and gas. — By Henry Mayer, University of Florida, Institute of Food & Agricultural Sciences

  • How Can We Mitigate Wildfires?

    As wildfires rage across the western U.S., incinerating hundreds of thousands of acres, destroying entire communities, and polluting the air, Bill Pekny has a message: We need to get more educated on what causes these disasters. It’s the only way we’ll be able to reduce the devastation.

    “There are a lot of misconceptions around wildfires,” says Pekny, author of A Tale of Two Climates: One Real, One Imaginary (Two Climates LLC, 2021, ISBN: 978-1-73493-960-6, $34.59). “One of the biggest is that they are 100 percent preventable. They aren’t, and in fact, prescribed burns are beneficial. Still, we can and should do certain things to lessen their frequency and severity.”

    For example, says Pekny, we can take the following steps:

    • Use smart, strategic logging. Trees leave the forest in two ways: smoke or lumber. With judicious logging practices, we will also create much needed firebreaks and access roads in the process.
    • Build more dams and reservoirs, especially in drought and fire prone areas. Find ways to trap seasonal floodwater for drought, fire mitigation, and hydropower, rather than simply wasting the water by allowing it to flow unchecked into the oceans.
    • Relax regulations that stymie dam and reservoir construction, forest thinning, and removal of brush that fuel wildfires.
    • Insist that forest policy decisions be based on life-cycle cost-benefit analyses, in order to make the best use of our nation’s money.
    • Last but not least, keep learning. Teach ourselves and our children about forest safety and security.

    Pekny says that in order to make these changes happen, we need to brush up on our understanding of wildfires. For example…

    Two Facts About Wildfires

     

    Humans cause most wildfires. Yes, lightning and high winds that down power lines sometimes play a role. But, humans—not weather or climate—actually ignite the majority of wildfires, whether they are set intentionally (e.g., arson or prescribed carefully controlled burns), or accidentally (e.g., bad camping habits, vehicle fires, and the like).

     

    There are several major contributing causes that ramp up the intensity of wildfires… 

    • Drought conditions that happen naturally and cyclically, in spite of 71 percent of the Earth’s surface being covered by water, as well as 67 percent cloud cover, on average.
    • Periodic, natural, downslope winds, such as the Santa Ana winds of Southern California and the Diablo winds in Northern California.
    • Maintenance issues that result in downed power lines and the fires they ignite.
    • Environmental and/or forest management policies that prevent or discourage the thinning or clearing of underbrush that fuel wildfires.

    The bottom line?

    “Let’s focus on what we can reasonably and affordably do to mitigate the devastation and pollution caused by any wildfire,” says Pekny. “And let’s do a better job of educating people on the causes of wildfires. The more we learn, the more likely we’ll be able to make needed changes.”

    About the Author: 

    Bill Pekny is the author of A Tale of Two Climates: One Real, One Imaginary. He holds physics M.S. and B.S. degrees from Georgia Tech and DePaul University, plus graduate study in physical meteorology and numerical analysis at Florida State University and the University of Utah, and a visiting scholar appointment at the Ginzton Laboratory of Applied Physics at Stanford University.

    Bill’s career in science spans over 50 years in the U.S. Armed Forces and the aerospace industry.

    His career highlights include: Project Stormfury with the U.S. Navy Hurricane Hunters; applied atmospheric physics and meteorology research; LASER RADAR development; new product testing in various atmospheric environments; aviation optics and electronics; global climate research; and more.

    For more information, please visit:  https://twoclimates.org

  • Preharvest Conversations Growers & Wineries Need to Have Regarding Smoke Taint

    “Uncertainty” seemed to be the theme of 2020 for all, and it was no different for the wine industry.  Unfortunately, this uncertainty continues this year for wine grape growers as they gear up for harvest amidst another threatening wildfire season.  With severe drought plaguing the American West, it’s not a question of if, but when more wildfires will occur and whether they will compromise the integrity of the wine grape crop with smoke tainting compounds. Many growers fear the possibility of rejections at the winery should their crop be impacted by wildfire events.  To mitigate some of this uncertainty, watch this brief interview with Jeff Bitter, President of Allied Grape Growers, as he shares some key insights on some of the conversations growers really need to have with their wineries upfront this year to prepare for potential smoke taint concerns. Also, read a detailed report on the topic in the August issue of American Vineyard Magazine.
     
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Vmech for their industry support.

  • Preparing to Harvest Raisins Under Smoky Skies: What Growers Need to Know

    Most agricultural news coverage of the wildfire impact last year focused on the wine grape industry.  Though raisins don’t share the same concern for smoke taint as wine grapes, the lack of radiant sunlight due to smoky overcast skies had a significant effect on the sugar accumulation and natural drying process for much of Central Valley raisin crop last year.  Watch this brief interview with UCCE Viticulture Advisor George Zhuang as he shares some key insights for growers moving into another dry season, and how to better prepare for harvest should last year’s circumstances reoccur.  Read more about it in American Vineyard Magazine.
     
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Vmech for their industry support.

  • USDA to Begin Payments for Farmers Impacted by 2018 & 2019 Natural Disasters

    More than $1 billion in payments will be released over the next several weeks starting June 15 for agricultural producers with approved applications for the Quality Loss Adjustment (QLA) Program and for producers who have already received payments through the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+). These U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs provide disaster assistance to producers who suffered losses to 2018 and 2019 natural disasters.

    Producers weathered some significant natural disasters in 2018 and 2019, and USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) provided support for crop value and production losses through QLA and crop quantity losses through WHIP+.

    “From massive floods to winter storms, and from extreme drought to excess moisture, natural disaster events in 2018 and 2019 were exceptionally catastrophic for agricultural producers nationwide – many suffered the impacts of multiple events in not just one but both years,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “FSA staff worked tirelessly for many months to develop and implement comprehensive disaster programs that meet the varying and unique needs of a large cross-section of U.S. production agriculture. QLA and the second round of WHIP+ assistance will provide much-needed assistance to help producers offset significant financial loss.”

    QLA Payments

    QLA provides assistance to crop and forage producers who suffered a quality loss due to qualifying natural disasters occurring in 2018 or 2019. FSA will begin issuing payments to producers on June 15. FSA accepted applications from Jan. 6 to April 9, 2021. Based on these QLA applications, producers will receive 100% of the calculated assistance under QLA.

    For each crop year, 2018, 2019 and 2020, the maximum amount that a person or legal entity may receive, directly or indirectly, is $125,000. Payments made to a joint operation (including a general partnership or joint venture) will not exceed $125,000, multiplied by the number of persons and legal entities that comprise the ownership of the joint operation. A person or legal entity is ineligible for QLA payment if the person’s or legal entity’s average Adjusted Gross Income exceeds $900,000, unless at least 75% is derived from farming, ranching or forestry-related activities.

    Second WHIP+ Payments

    WHIP+ provides payments to producers to offset production losses due to hurricanes, wildfires, and other qualifying natural disasters that occurred in 2018 and 2019. WHIP+ covered losses of crops, trees, bushes and vines that occurred as a result of those disaster events.

    Producers who applied for and have received their first WHIP+ payment can expect to receive the second payment beginning in mid-June for eligible crop losses. Due to budget constraints, producers received an initial WHIP+ payment for 2019 crop losses equal to 50% of the calculated payment. This second payment will be equal to 40% of the calculated payment for a total 90% WHIP+ program payment. This second round of WHIP+ payments are expected to exceed $700 million. A third round of payments may be issued if sufficient funds become available. Producers with 2018 crop losses have already been compensated at 100%.

    Future Insurance Coverage Requirements

    All producers receiving QLA Program and WHIP+ payments are required to purchase federal crop insurance or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage for the next two available crop years at the 60% coverage level or higher. If eligible, QLA participants may meet the insurance purchase requirement by purchasing Whole-Farm Revenue Protection coverage offered through USDA’s Risk Management Agency.

    More Information

    USDA offers a comprehensive portfolio of disaster assistance programs. On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Farm Loan Discovery Tool can help producers and landowners determine all program or loan options available for disaster recovery assistance. For assistance with a crop insurance claim, producers and landowners should contact their crop insurance agent. For FSA and NRCS programs, they should contact their local USDA Service Center.

    USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

  • Will Drought Fan the Flames this Fire Season?

    Will the current drought increase the chances of another bad fire season this year? We talked to Scott Stephens―a fire ecologist at UC Berkeley and a member of the PPIC Water Policy Center research network―about the risks, and what can be done.

    How might drought conditions affect this fire season? 

    With very low moisture levels in vegetation in landscapes across the state, I have no doubt we’re looking at very challenging conditions. Dry vegetation makes fire behavior more extreme. We’ll probably get to typical fire season moisture levels six weeks early this year because of the drought. Scientists at San Jose State and elsewhere have found record-low fuel moisture levels in vegetation in the South Bay, and we’re just in May. The good news is that the drought has kept the grasses low, which should reduce flame length.

    In your opinion, how well prepared are we for wildfire this year?  

    We are getting more prepared, especially on the fire suppression side, which is incredibly important in a state with a volatile, dry-summer climate and 40 million people. CalFire hired 1,400 new firefighters this year, replaced its helicopters, and added a fleet of fire engines. There’s also greater awareness by the public—people are creating more defensible space around their properties and being more careful to avoid ignitions.

    But there are two fundamental areas that need to change for California to have a better outcome. People must get better prepared for the inevitability of fire. I think we’ve under-appreciated how vulnerable so many communities are to fire—there are hundreds up and down the state. Climate change is making the risks worse with higher temperatures and more drought. CalFire has a “ready, set, go” policy to help people deal with fire risks, which is helpful, but I’d like to see more emphasis on the readiness piece.

    In Australia, there is a culture of community preparation for wildfire emergencies. California has begun to do more—for example, with fire safe councils—but in Australia a professional service is involved in helping develop neighborhood plans and other preparations. It’s similar to our agricultural cooperative extension service, which is really effective. Oregon created a service like this two years ago.

    The second piece is getting the landscape better able to handle fire and climate change. Our forests are just too dense, making them susceptible to disease, drought, and extreme wildfire. I’ve been working with a number of California tribes, and they have witnessed profound changes in the composition of the state’s forests. A restoration strategy can get forests in a condition that reduces tree mortality during droughts.

    We’ve done very little prescribed burning in this state, and especially in the coastal mountains. The fires in the coastal area last year created a mosaic of burned and unburned areas. We can build upon that with prescribed burns to increase fire resistance in those areas.

    Every one of last year’s fires had a restoration component, because they helped thin overly dense forests and removed flammable underbrush. Even the Creek Fire, which had a huge section that experienced the most severe fire conditions, also had lower-severity burn that helped restore the landscape to a healthier state. So even the worst fires that cause the most damage have some beneficial aspects to them. But the price is too high—both to people and the landscape. We need to create better conditions in the untouched forests adjacent to burn areas to help stop the next extreme fire.  We have to focus more on reducing the density of the green and worry less about the parts of the forest that are already dead.

    What gives you hope looking forward?

    At the state level, we’re seeing greater attention to wildfire issues at all levels, from the governor’s office to the various agencies. I applaud the state and CalFire for trying to do something about it. I’m excited about the funding that’s going toward home hardening and forest management; I’ve never seen that kind of money for this work in my entire career. I do wish we’d started earlier, though. The Biden‒Harris administration hasn’t weighed in yet, but the vice president is well aware of the issue. I’m hopeful that they will energize more work in this area. — By Lori Pottinger & Sarah Bardeen, Public Policy Institute of California