SJS wrote:
Whether we run cable through the woods, or set up some sort of ad-hoc
mesh network using a bunch of solar-powered (seems kind of silly in
the woods, but hey) wireless sensors, or even just build towers and
pay a guy to sit up in 'em looking for smoke.... we need information
about when and where the small fires are in order to do anything
about 'em.
(Oooh, we could also have robots.)
Or we could just let nature do it the way it's been doing it since
forests and lightening first met. At least in forest and heavy timber
areas. The only reason to put out forest fires is to protect human
property. In my opinion that's a huge waste of time, money, effort, and
most unfortunately, human lives.
If you live in an area that is inclined every once in a while to
self-immolate, you should have no more expectation of having your
property saved at the risk of others than if you built it on the edge of
a sea cliff or on top a known and visible fault line or in a flood
plain. I have no objection to your doing so. I also feel no moral
obligation to feel sorry for the consequences you suffer for doing so.
If you like adventure and understand the risk then I'll admire you for
it. Up to the point when you whine about how you missed the ramp on
landing and that I should figure how to make sure it doesn't happen the
next time. At my risk as well as yours.
Let nature burn the forests as it sees fit. Stop mass building in areas
that are geologically prone to self-pruning or adapt your building
methods. Expect to withstand the inevitable on your own. Maybe learn how
to farm ashes.
My personal inclination is to take preventative action -- the controlled
burns to eliminate the excess fuel, so that even a nominally out-of-control
fire would be self-limiting.
Which by the look of things just doesn't seem to help. Either we don't
do it enough, or our definition of a controlled burn is too restraining
to have a large enough affect.
But your instrument-the-forest approach intrigues me.
Maybe the instrumentation should say "Hey, it's about time I did a purge
here, so with the next spark, I'm gonna blow!". Upon which said
instrumentation screams to all nearby Humans: "Runnnn!".
--
Best Regards,
~DJA.
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