November 9 Digest: This Week in Wildfire Recovery News
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.
More ‘Megafires' Burning California Now Than Ever Before
From NBC Bay Area, by Candice Nguyen, Jeremy Carroll and Kevin Nious | November 5, 2021
Analysis of wildfire data shows that more megafires have occurred in California in the last twenty years than the previous 100, growing more frequent and destructive than ever.
PG&E says Dixie Fire will cost $1.15 billion – and is being probed by federal officials
From The Sacramento Bee, by Dale Kasler | November 3, 2021
The Dixie Fire is now just one more in a long list of fires for which PG&E is either under investigation or held financially liable for by officials, amounting to billions.
A Campfire Commemorative Event for Survivors was Held Today at the Skyway Antique Mall in Paradise
From Action News Now, by Ryan Ketcham | November 6, 2021
At the third anniversary of the Camp Fire's deadly destruction in Paradise, survivors organized an community event to share free resources, provide counseling, provide a place for people to share artwork and messages of hope as a way to mark this significant day.
Malibu’s ‘community brigades’: A new model for fighting wildfires?
From C+KCRQ, by Adriana Cargill | November 8, 2021
Inspired by the work of ad hoc volunteers during the Woolsey Fire, a new approach using volunteer firefighting brigades is taking shape in Southern CA in collaboration with the LA Fire Department.
FEMA-CalOES Visits Greenville; Deadline to Register is Nov. 8
From Plumas News, by Ken Donnell | November 5, 2021
FEMA and CalOES arrive in Greenville to help local residents impacted by the Dixie Fire by assisting with FEMA registration and provide information about post-fire recovery, fire safe reconstruction, and increased risks of flooding in specific areas.
Oregon to Receive More Than $422 Million for Long-Term Disaster Relief
From KGW8, by Christine Pitawanich | November 3, 2021
Much of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's allocation of more than $422 million will go towards helping low- to moderate-income families find housing in Oregon's long term disaster relief.
AI-Driven Tech a 'Game-Changer' for Wildfire Recovery
From Government Technology, by Jed Pressgrove | November 3, 2021
Public Safety teams in Oregon and California test new artificial intelligence that take images with a 360-degree camera that can be computed into mapping data that will show the extent of wildfire damage.
One of America’s Toughest CEO Jobs: Fixing PG&E
From The Wall Street Journal, by Katherine Blunt | November 5, 2021
Chief executive of PG&E Corp, Patti Poppe, devises multibillion-dollar plan to bury the utility’s 10,000 miles of fire-prone power lines
Semtech’s LoRa® Devices and the LoRaWAN® Standard Boost Urban Forest Management
From Business Wire | November 4, 2021
ICT International uses a range of LoRaWAN devices in order to measure plant and environmental parameters through monitoring the health of urban forests in real time.
Increasingly Frequent Wildfires Linked to Human-Caused Climate Change
From Science Daily | November 5, 2021
A study from scientists at UCLA and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory suggests that climate change is the main cause linked to the rapidly growing and spreading wildfires in the western U.S.
As UN Tackles Twin Climate Threats, California Struggles With Them Too
From CAL Matters, by Rachel Becker and Julie Cart | November 5, 2021
California struggles to deal with two enduring factors of climate threats: methane and widespread destruction of forests.
Will the COP26 Global Deforestation Pledge Save Forests?
From National Geographic by Kieran Mulvaney | November 4, 2021
Despite the multinational commitment to end deforestation by 2030, the lack of concrete action leads some to believe it is another empty promise.
COP26 Deforestation Pledges a Win, But Only if They Are Upheld
From Forests News by Julie Mollins | November 5, 2021
A pledge made by more than 130 countries promises the halt and reverse of deforestation and land degradation by the end of the decade, but many from forestry programs urge that actions rather than words will show improvement.
Water is Life
From The Nature Conservancy | October 20, 2021
Water resources are in jeopardy in California. Water supply is critically low and ecosystems are suffering. Human engineered systems have not been built for sustainability. To adapt, collaboration and long range strategy will be essential to recharge ground water, restore wetlands and ensure river health.
Colorado Forests May Never be the Same After Historic 2020 Wildfires
From News 9, by Jon Glasgow | November 5, 2021
As researchers study the trends of drier weather, there is fear that Colorado's forests are burning at faster and hotter rates and the ecosystem for pine and fir will never recover.
The Work Doesn't Stop
From Mail Tribune, by Allayana Darrow | November 8, 2021
Lomakatsi and a coalition of groups who transitioned recently from fire fighting to forest management in the Rogue Valley, taking care to both manage fuels and support forest health and ecological balance.
Healthy Forests Require Prescribed Burns and Year-Around Management
From The Seattle Times, by Kim Schrier | November 5, 2021
As this fire season comes to an end, strategies in forest management and prescribed burns must be formed during the offseason to reduce future destruction of megafires.
Judge Halts Post-Fire Roadside Logging on Oregon's Willamette National Forest
From OPB, by Bradley W. Parks | November 5, 2021
A U.S. Forest Service plan to log along more than 400 miles of roads within national forest was put to a stop after it was decided the project will have a negative impact on the environment.
U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla, Colleagues Introduce Bills to Reform Federal Wildfire Disaster Response
From Sierra Sun Times | November 5, 2021
Senators Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla introduced two new bills that redesign the federal governments response to wildfires by ensuring FEMA's disaster preparedness and response efforts address unique nature of wildfires and their impact, and ensure they fully address the needs of underserved communities.
Merkley, Wyden Announce $422 Million in Federal Funds to Help Wildfire-Hit Communities
From KTVZ | November 3, 2021
Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announce that $422 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will go to the state of Oregon to assist those experiencing housing instability.