Options Paper

Posted: January 4th, 2023

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Options Paper

Problem

California experiences considerable risk of wildfires that are sometimes fanned or made severe by strong, ravaging winds called Santa Ana winds that blow from the south and diablo winds that emanate from northern California. The wildfires in California are increasingly becoming severe because of climate change, and because of the increases building practices in some sections of the forest. The American taxpayers spend nearly $3 billion annually to suppress wildfires, while big infernos can result in billions of dollars in property losses.

Background

Wildfires can demolish millions of acres of land very fast, and can destroy everything, including trees, wildlife habitat, homes, and human beings that stand in their path. Some of the wildfires travel as fast as 14 miles per hour, which translates to nearly a five-minute mile pace, and can surpass the normal human in few minutes (State of California). Harm caused by wildfires in the U.S. has dramatically increased in the last twenty years. Approximately 72,400 wildfires devastated about 7 million acres of American land annually since 2000, double the amount of space consumed by wildfires in the 1990s (State of California). As much of America is expected to become drier and hotter with climate change, the risks of wildfire is likely expected to increase. At the same time, as human population continues to expand and people keep shifting into wilderness and rural areas, more structures and homes are likely to suffer the effects of fire.

California has hot, windy, and often dry weather conditions from the start of spring through autumn that can cause moderate to severe wildfires. The state has witnessed numerous wildfires in the past some of which have caused considerable damages to the environment, the organisms that depend on such habitats, as well as human beings (State of California). The wildfire season experienced in 2018 was the deadliest and the most harmful wildfire seasons ever witnessed in California’s history, with more than 8000 cases of fire erasing an approximate two million acres and becoming the largest space of eroded acreage recorded in history based on reports by the National Interagency Fire Center and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (State of California). The 2018 wildfire season alone cost the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection nearly $430 million to mitigate the effects, and by 2019 the insurance claims connected to the fire had passed $12 billion (State of California). The initial wave of the 2018 fires occurred between July and August when a series of enormous wildfires occurred across California leading to the declaration of a national disaster in Northern California. The second wave of the 2018 wildfire season occurred from mid-November with strong winds sweeping across the state aggravating the incident (State of California). The Camp Fire and the Woolsey Fire that were notable during the second wave claimed the lives of at least 80 people with two missing. The fire razed more than 18,500 structures, becoming the most disparaging and deadliest wildfires on record (State of California). California is still struggling to overcome the effects of the 2018 wildfire season that is stuck in the memory of many people.

2019 was not any better because California witnessed another season of wildfire that officials attributed to the moderate weather with fewer windy, hot days. Cosgrove writes that California lost nearly 160,000 acres of vegetation on the wildfires experienced in 2019 which the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection estimates to be a fraction of the amount lost in 2018. Scott McLean who serves as the spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection cautioned the residents of Ventura and Los Angeles counties to prepare for Santa Ana winds that would blow through the regions, causing hot dry conditions and escalating the risks for fast-travelling wildfires (Cosgrove). The spokesman urged people to be vigilant, and expressed the urge to come up with long-lasting solutions that would prevent future occurrences (Cosgrove). The historical background indicates that wildfires are a serious issue in California, which requires an intervention approach that would bring a halt to the catastrophe.

Options to Solve the Problem

The teams in charge of containing the wildfires can embrace various approaches to prevent the menace that may become unbearable if the relevant parties fail to act swiftly and effectively to contain the situation. It is possible to identify several ways of curbing wildfires but it may be hard to implement all of them. A suitable approach, therefore, would be to select the most suitable design and build on it achieve the desired goals and objectives.

Option 1

An option would be to start fires under safe conditions to clear out thick underbrush and dead plants that propel many fierce wildfires. Decades of studies reveals that lighting fire under strict watch helps to restore natural processes that once maintained the resilience and healthiness of the forest (Rosen). It can be a dangerous alternative because such intentional fires can turn catastrophic as well as cause devastating effects to the environment through the smoke that they emit (Rosen). Nevertheless, experts feel that the advantages far outweigh the dangers. The overgrown forests came under intense criticism when President Trump blamed them for California’s recent wildfires calling out for more effective and vigilant management.

Option 2

The second option would be to fence large tracts of forests to prevent people from accessing them, a move that is likely to contain the devastating wildfires that continue to create havoc in California. The state administrators should work closely with the deferral authorities to create proper mechanism for coding off forests from members of the public to limit entry into the areas that could spark fires. In addition to fencing large tracts of forests, the authorities should dispatch security officers in high risk places to avoid unnecessary entries that could increase the likelihood of experiencing such infernos.

Option 3

Wildfires usually cause massive destruction of properties and loss of lives, which means that relocating the people living to high-risk areas, will help to minimize the effects should such calamities occur. Authorities such as the National Interagency Fire Center and the California Department of Forestry and the Fire Protection should join hands with other governmental entities such as the U.S. Forest Service and non-governmental institutions to strategically eject people from the high-risk areas and discourage them from erecting commercial buildings or other properties in the affected regions. The ejection should happen in such a manner that no one loses his or her life, or get injured in the process. The federal government, which manages about 18 national forests in California, should oversee the process to save the lives of many Californians who are at risk.

Option 4

Continuously managing the size of forest cover, especially man-made forests by harvesting trees once they are ready for commercial sale may help to fight the wildfires that cause so much damage and loss. Trees emit a strong pollutant called black carbon as they combust, which is more harmful than greenhouse gases. In addition, decaying trees continue to release dangerous pollutants that would be less harmful if the authorities managed its forest cover effectively. Whereas the approach could help to minimize the effects of wildfires, the implementers should know the possible effects on limiting the attempts to increase tree cover.

Option 5

A possible alternative would be to educate members of the public about the negative effects of burning large tracts of forests, and inform them about the benefits of protecting the trees from any harm. The education processes should include everyone, and should touch on the key aspects that would discourage people from causing wildfires. The awareness process should include multiple teams that employ various resources to inform about the dangers and benefits of wildfires and effective preventive measures respectively. It is highly likely that appropriate and adequate sensitization will help to lower the California wild fires that are causing so much threat, state-wide and nationally.

Option 6

The authorities can improve the fire-fighting response mechanisms to advance how fire-fighters contain any emergence. The teams suppressing the effects of wildfires should use powerful fire extinguishers and utilize helicopters to extinguish major infernos. The surveillance teams should employ advanced technology to monitor cases of fire in the middle of forests where it is impossible for people or forest administrators to access. The use of drones may also help to assess possible instances of fire breakouts in areas that are hard for people to access. The teams in charge of fighting forest fires should always watch out for the latest inventions to be in a position to contain such fires more effectively.

Option 7

Training the inhabitants on effective measures of preventing the wildfires may have significant contributions towards preventing the infernos that consume large volumes of forest cover in California. The training in this case is different from sensitizing members of the community about the dangers of wildfires and the importance of safeguarding the environment from harm in the sense that people will acquire practical skills on how to battle the fire should they occur. The trainers in this case may have to select a few individuals at the community level who have the ability and desire to undergo the training because not everyone may have the ability to fight the fire. The approach makes it possible to have a quick response team in case of any eventuality but it is disadvantageous in the way the trainees may not have all the necessary skills, which may put the lives of some rescuers at risk.

Option 8

An option would be to initiate various programs that help victims at times of catastrophes. Already, a number of programs exist in California to help victims at the times of disaster, but they mostly focus on offering humanitarian aid rather than offering plans to mitigate future occurrences. The California Fire Foundation is an example of a wildlife relief program that administers several programs that offer aid to firefighters, victims, and communities that become victims of natural disasters. Such programs help achieve various requirements throughout the aftermath of the calamity. Other programs in California aimed at helping the victims of wildfires, include the Fire Prevention Grant Programs and the California Firefighters Benevolent Fund among others.

Option 9

A possible way to contain the fires would be to create policies that outline strict penalties for individuals suspected of causing wildfires. The courts would have to rely on proper evidence to give judgment based on the regulations set by law. 

Option 10

A possible alternative would be to invite external experts from other states and countries to mitigate the problem using outsourced techniques. A possible merit of hiring experts from other states and countries to contain the wildfires is they may introduce new technology that may prove to be more effective compared with what the local authorities already use to contain the threat. A possible limitation, however, is that the approach may be quite costly, especially if the specialists may want high payment for their services.

The Best Option

A suitable approach to solve the rampant would be to educate members of the public and all other stakeholders about effective ways of containing the wildfires. Man-made or natural, members of the public must know that three factors must be available for wildfire to burn and spread; heat source, oxygen, and fuel. The public must understand that sources of heat such as campfires, lighting, and cigarettes can spark wildfires, which makes it necessary to be cautious while handling fire or source of fire near large tracts of forests, especially during dry and windy conditions. The public should understand that handling sources of fire in an area with a lot of fuel or any flammable materials surrounding the fire such as grasses, homes, or trees increases the likelihood of experiencing wildfires, and that the higher a location’s fuel load such as a forest, the more severe the fire is likely to be. Passing the information to members of the public may remind people to be cautious when handling sources of heat near large tracts of forests, a move which may help to reduce instances of wildfires. Land managers and scientists agree on the values of lowering flammable fuels in the state’s extensive conifer forests, and they feel that a suitable way to achieve this is to educate the public. The educators should remind the public, especially in the most affected areas to restrict air supply in case of a wildfire because oxygen is a vital requirement for wild fires to spread.

The educators can go further save the environment by informing members of the public how burning large forests or how wildfires suppress the carbon-minimization initiatives. California is one of the leading American states in terms of curbing greenhouse gases emission, but the smoke produced by major wildfires is so strong that a one-weeks-long emanation can interfere with a year’s worth of carbon-suppression efforts. State officials and environmentalists are concerned that what is emitted into the air during wildfires could tamper with California’s efforts to achieve its strict greenhouse-gas minimization objectives. The educators should inform the public that a single wildfire can cause devastating effects on the air quality than millions of automobiles. More importantly, the instructors should inform the public that wildfires deter the attempts to suppress climate change that is increasingly becoming a global issue. Sensitizing the public on the need to avoid causing wildfires and taking appropriate mechanisms in case of natural catastrophes may help to lower greenhouse gas emission, and contribute towards regulating climate change.  

How the Chosen Option Addresses the Problem

Educating members of the public about how to prevent the possible emergence of wildfires addresses the in the way it equip people with concrete knowledge regarding the negative effects of initiating such fires. It becomes easier to contain the forest fires through educational practices if curriculum developers and educators introduce emergency management programs in schools to start nurturing learners at an early age about the various ways of preventing wildfires, and the effects of burning down extensive forest covers (REMS 1). California has initiated the school emergency operations plan (EOP) targeting K-12 schools to equip learners with valuable information, encompassing emergency management, security, preparedness, and safety (REMS 1). The planners are applying effective measures to equip trainees with enough information on possible hazards and threats associated with wildfires, and will inform them about the basic guidelines regarding planning about such events (REMS 1). The EOP also targets school districts and Institutions of higher learning, and hopes to equip learners at these facilities with adequate awareness on how to deal with the hazards of wildfires with the motive of keeping the community safe and secure.

The need to educate people on the importance of avoiding wildfires as much as possible facilitates the development of essential guides to help learning institutions prepare their learners into people to can prevent future emergences of wildfires. Six federal agencies, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Departments of Justice, and the Departments of Education came together to devise guidelines that are helpful at the primary, secondary, and higher level of learning (REMS 2). The team composed the Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Institutions of Higher Education to education students in institutions of higher learning on the need to prevent and plan well for wildfires (REMS 2). The team also composed the Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans to guide primary and secondary schools on how to prepare learners into people who understand the implications of initiating or failing to prevent wildfires (REMS). Programs are underway at the community level as well to sensitize people on the various effects associated with wild fires. Such initiatives indicate that using education and sensitization as a way of dealing with the California wildfires is already underway and considerable steps have been made to enlighten people starting from the learning institutions.

Possible Limitations

The teams in charge of sensitizing the public at large should be aware of some of the limitations associated with using education as a way of overcoming the wildfires that appear to be problematic in California. A possible challenge is the education process may require heavy financial investment to conduct successful state-wide awareness programs, which may be demanding for the state government. The state must hire enough professionals who are conversant with ways of preventing and mitigating the effects of wildfires, and must acquire equipment such as projectors and computers to facilitate education programs at the community level. It also requires a lot of funds to develop guidelines for schools, and to get students learning about how to prevent forest fires.

Future Developments about the Problem 

Educating the public about the importance of preventing wildfires and saving the environment through minimal emission of greenhouse gases will have considerable impact on how California deal with future cases. More people will acquire insight into how avoid forest fires, and they will transmit the awareness and knowledge to future generations. Educating the public may also improve how future generations suppress wildfires because it increases the chances of being innovative. Educating people now may increase the possibilities of performing successful researches in future on how to curb such problems, and increases the chances of coming up with more effective ways of dealing with the challenge that is not affecting the ecosystem and the lives of many people.

Conclusion

The option paper identifies the use of education and public sensitization programs as a suitable way of overcoming the wildfires that repeatedly occur in California. The authorities in California should first consider several other options before settling on the most appropriate one. The public sensitization and awareness program should cover both learning institutions and the communities, especially in the areas that are at high risk. Successful awareness programs should inform the target populations the adversities of man-made and natural wildfires, as well as tell about the importance of saving the environment from excessive emission of greenhouse gases. Educating the public on the importance of preventing wildfires increases the likelihood of witnessing fewer cases in future, although the relevant teams should watch out for the possible limitations the approach may present.

Works Cited

Cosgrove, Jaclyn. “These are the Largest Wildfires Burning in California Now.” Los Angeles

            Times, October 9, 2019. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-09-10/fires-

            california-wildfire-season-now

REMS. “Wildfire Preparedness for K-12 Schools and Institutions of Higher Education.” REMS,

            n.a. https://rems.ed.gov/docs/WildfireFactSheet_508C.pdf

Rosen, Julia. “Here’s how California can use Fire to Solve its Wildfire Problem.” Los Angeles

            Times, December 20, 2018. https://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-

            controlled-burns-forests-20181220-story.html

State of California. “Cal Fire.” State of California, 2020. https://www.fire.ca.gov/