video - megafires

Question 1

How has fire frequency in the Western U.S. changed over the past 40 years?

Answer 1

Increased by about 1000%

10 times more burning today

Question 2

What is a current limitation of wildfire prediction models?

Answer 2

Not sophisticated enough (terrain)

Don’t account for spotting at all

Question 3

What was the 10:00 AM policy introduced during the 1930s? During those years, what was the general message being sent to the public about wildfire?

Answer 3

You would have that fire controlled by 10am, if you failed then 10am the next day

The general message sent to the public was that fires must be always put out, despite them being a natural part of nature.

Question 4

Explain the concept of torching.

Answer 4

Torching: controlled OR prescribed burning
a. fire reaches a combustion point where entire tree will go up in flames

Tree Torching: of a single tree OR group of trees
a. start at bottom of trees so flame growing into live part of tree [preheating at bottom]
b. Heat up to combustion

Question 5

How do lakes provide a record of environmental history related to fires?

Answer 5

Fossil charcoal, fossil pollen, sedimentological and geochemical analyses of lake sediments