August 16 Digest: This Week in Wildfire Recovery News

August 15, 2022

This is a digest of selected news and media that emerged over the last week related to wildfire emergencies, recovery efforts, and resilience building efforts in the American West. 

Communities Navigating Recovery

One year memorial of the Caldor Fire, dedication and community ceremony at LTCC gallery

From South Tahoe Now | August 15, 2022

Lake Tahoe Community College and Tahoe artist Shelley Zentner are partnering to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Caldor Fire at the college's Haldan Art Gallery that will showcase an exhibition of paintings and drawings made with charcoal gathered from the Caldor Fire

'We’re still grieving': Community members impacted by Caldor Fire mark one year of progress, acknowledging work still to do

From KCRA 3, by Lee Anne Denyer | August 14, 2022

Community members impacted by the Caldor Fire come together for memorial service to mark the one-year anniversary, celebrating their progress with food, music, and connection, but acknowledging the hard work still ahead

Tough trade-offs for victims of Oregon’s historic wildfires: Rebuild or leave?

From The Seattle Times, by Kale Williams | August 14, 2022

Oregon residents come to terms with the regular fires that are here to stay, either making peace and doing what they can to make the blazes as harmless as possible, or being forced to leave for somewhere new

Feeding fire survivors: Camp Fire survivors helping survivors of the Oak, McKinney Fires

From Action News Now, by Tori Apodaca | August 10, 2022

E&J’s Kitchen in paradise helps out with Oak and McKinney fire survivors by providing food and support to those most in need

Benefield: ‘Fire Cats’ film about Tubbs, Camp Fires rescues screens Sunday

From The Press Democrat, by Kerry Benefield | August 12, 2022

Katharine Parsons launches documentary project showcasing the work put in by rescuers to help reunite owners with their lost pets during wildfire

Gas giveaway event held for McKinney Fire survivors

From Action News Now, by Lorraine Dechter | August 14, 2022

Paradise Camp Fire survivor Stephen Murray takes $19,000 worth of gas cards to Yreka and distributes them to more than 760 fire survivors from the McKinney Fire

"She believes in transparency," new Fire Victim Trust trustee sparks optimism for payments

From KRCR, by Ryan Matthey | August 12, 2022

After Fire Victim Trust has yet to compensate thousands of survivors after the Camp Fire, people are hopeful with new leadership from Cathy Yanni who is already listening to and answering the concerns of trustees

Before the Fire: Building Resilience

Wildfire season: How to stop California burning

From The Irish Times, by Dave Lee | August 15, 2022

In the Napa Valley, private groups and local businesses are doing what they can to mitigate fire risk, including clearing dangerous brush and vegetation without removing an area's natural beauty

California Demonstration State Forest System adds 2,500 acres to statewide total for research, restoration and conservation

From Lake County News, by Cal Fire | August 9, 2022

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection announces addition of 2,246 acres along South Cow Creek in Shasta County and 267 acres in the headwaters of the Bear River in Nevada and Placer counties to its demonstration state forest system, increasing opportunities for critical research, forest restoration and public recreation

Remembering Jan van Wagtendonk, who shaped fire management in Yosemite National Park

From Wildfire Today | August 14, 2022

Remembering the contributions to wilderness management, fire policy, pioneering of prescribed fire around Mariposa Grove by Yosemite scientist Jan van Wagtendonk

Report: US Forest Service is sometimes overstating fuel management accomplishments

From Wildfire Today, by Bill Gabbert | August 11, 2022

NBC News finds through investigation into claims and stats about vegetation management projects through the US Forest Service that claims of accomplishments can sometimes be misleading

Decade-long mitigation spared some towns from Caldor Fire

From CBS Sacramento, by Shawnte Passmore | August 14, 2022

In the decade leading to the Caldor Fire, US Forest Service conducted fuel treatments 1,000 acres in the wildland-urban interface forest lands that helped moderate the fire's intensity

Policy Update

Legal Agreement to Permanently Close Oil Wells, Restore Habitat in California’s Carrizo Plain National Monument

From Center for Biological Diversity | August 15, 2022

Conservation groups today announced a legal agreement securing the permanent closure and restoration of 11 long-dormant oil wells inside the Carrizo Plain National Monument

Paradise unanimously passes fire hazard law

From Paradise Post, by Rick Silva | August 13, 2022

The Paradise Town Council unanimously passed an ordinance to amend the definition of a fire hazard as a public nuisance, and discussion turned to whether or not to cite citizens in violation of the new fire hazard code as a misdemeanor or with an infraction

Climate

Climate Change Could Increase Lighting in California — and Spark More Wildfires

From Times of San Diego, by Julie Cart | August 14, 2022

Wildland firefighters fear the increase of strange patterns in climate-caused lightning that spark unseen fires that are left for days before flaring out of control

After devastating wildfire, Northern California family seeks different climate in Vermont

From Los Angeles Times, by Michael Casey | August 5, 2022

After surviving the Camp Fire, families are forced to now take climate into account when searching for new places to live

Why the ‘Big One’ Could Be Something Other Than an Earthquake

From The New York Times, by Raymond Zhong | August 15, 2022

Climate scientists reveal new research that suggests a large superstorm that could pummel both Northern and Southern California with rain and snow in alarming quantities is made more and more likely through human-caused global warming

Posted in News Digest