Forest Fires are the Mountain's Meth

Every summer the back country fires come and every year great terrain is chewed up. Photo courtesy of Grundlepuck from the Seattlest flickr pool.

Authorities have decided to let a wildfire burning in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness run its course. Considering this is one of the most beautiful areas in the state, it’s kind of like saying, "We know the prom queen just started snorting meth but we’re going to let this thing play out and see how it goes."

We know where this is headed and it isn’t pretty.

The drive over Highway 2 still hasn't recovered from the forest fires that ravaged the Tumwater Canyon region back in the mid 1990's. Granted, forest fires are a natural element to the mountain slopes and it costs money to combat these things; it’s just unfortunate that it's hitting such an dependable stretch of hiking backcountry.

Obviously God is not a hiker. If he was, he’d relocate this thing somewhere down in the Yakima Valley where nobody’s going to notice the aesthetic drop-off, and everything would work out fine.

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By John in Miscellaneous on September 3, 2009 2:30 PM

Comments [rss]

striatic

seconding eldorp.

fires are part of the natural ecology, and if they are constantly suppressed the entire region can turn into a dangerous tinderbox instead of an area where localized fires can naturally run their course.

the "meth" comparison is ridiculous, but you probably knew that and are just baiting for links, comments, page views.

eldorp

While the smoke is unpleasant and the burned area can remain "unsightly" for some years after a fire, fire suppression is a very bad idea in areas where occasional fires are a part of the ecology, as they have been in the eastern slopes of the Cascades over the past 10,000 years. The hideous burn ongoing in the San Gabriels near LA is an example of what happens when small fires are suppressed for a long time. Fuel accumulates and the resulting large fire is far more catastrophic than a series of small fires would have been. The Tumwater Canyon fire a decade or so ago was a Cascades east slope example of the consequences when small burns were suppressed and a large fire finally happens, as one inevitably will. Allowing the fairly small fire to burn in the Alpine Lakes is desirable. It will burn off a light load of fuel and help prevent a massive fire in the wilderness area later.

hayhay

As one who has hiked a bunch in the ALW, I feel your frustration.

Also, as one born and raised in the Yakima Valley, where I've seen some beautiful forests charred by wildfire, I want to punch you in the face.

How about, say, Fife?