Smokey Bear, that icon of wildfire prevention, warns “Remember … only YOU can prevent wildfires.” That widely recognized slogan is as trite as it is true and continues to serve as an important reminder, as vast parts of the American West have gone up in flames this summer.
In California, where destructive fires have ripped through the state, studies show that 95 percent of the blazes were started by humans — either intentionally or by accident. (Drought conditions add to the danger, but they don’t cause the initial spark.)
Some of the stories highlight the worst of human nature — such as a man telling police via text message that this place “is going to burn” before igniting the Holy Fire which burned through Cleveland National Forest in Southern California. Others were started from cars or hammering on a fence.
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These fires are preventable. If individuals were more careful and better educated on prevention and the causes of fires, hundreds of thousands of people might still have their homes, and dozens might still be alive.
Of course, preventing man-made wildfires is more complicated that just being careful not to create sparks.
Another part of the equation is proper prevention. After all, if humans hadn’t pushed developments into fire-prone areas, a few flying sparks wouldn’t produce raging wildfires. Since urban sprawl has pushed residents into areas that were once wilderness, these are no longer places where controlled burns can clear out and refresh forest ecosystems. That means that instead of taking precautions, these communities leave a ticking time bomb literally on their doorstep.
This isn’t to say that developments can’t or shouldn’t take place but rather that they need to be done responsibly where builders and buyers are aware of the risks. If people didn’t live there, then even accidents, like downed power lines or hammering on a fence, wouldn’t contribute to sparking fires.
Fighting wildfires and rebuilding homes and businesses is a huge cost to communities, the state, and the country. We could avoid some of that with a little foresight in development, education, and greater attention to fire danger.
