CNN says Colorado is having record forest fires with “unheard of fire growth.”
East Troublesome fire: Colorado officials warn that two major wildfires could merge – CNN
Here are the Colorado fires, which are about to be extinguished by a foot of snow this weekend.
Compare to the 1898 fires, which covered “most of the northwestern part of the state.”
The Deseret News – Google News Archive Search
Total burn acreage in the US this year is not much different from other recent years, and much lower than prior to 50 years ago.
Burn acreage this year is less than 10% of the preindustrial average for the conterminous US.
The 1910 fire burned three million acres, most of which occurred in six hours. The burn rate from that fire was an order of magnitude larger and flames were hundreds of feet high.
1910 Fires – USFS History – Forest History Society
The Lodgepole Pine forest which is burning has not burned for decades, and there is a huge fuel load on the ground. I took this picture two days ago in the Medicine Bow National Forest.
Lodgepole Pine seeds need fire to germinate. Without large fires, the species would go extinct.
Up In Smoke: Why Lodgepole Pines Love A Good Forest Fire – Here By Design
Massive fires are the normal ecosystem of Colorado and the western US. Clueless and dishonest journalists are also normal.
Spokane Falls Daily Chronicle – Google News Archive Search
