ponytug
Super Member
It is a big state, with lots of wild lands and national forest. So the fact it might have 50 times more fires than Conneticut might just be area alone....I think that it is quite pretty in many places, and I think that there are lots of pretty places elsewhere, too!It would take a mighty powerful incentive to make me live in s place famous for catching fire every year that comes.
The five largest wildfires in US history happened in California(4.5M acres, 2020), Texas(4M acres, 2011+), Idaho/Montana(3Million acres, 1910), Michigan(2.5Million, 1871).
List of wildfires - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
Here is a map of wildfires from 1980-2014;
The management of forests has favored large fire conditions for decades, and it will take awhile to change forest management practices to favor lower intensity fires through ground level brush clearance by fire or mechanical means. That would mean more frequent fires, but smaller, and more easily contained.
I think that firefighting is a tough tough job, and I am thankful for all of the people who are willing and able to do it. I know that the few times I have hauled fire fighting hoses have been about the most strenuous job on the ranch. I couldn't do it in a Nomex suit, in heavy smoke for 24 hours at a stretch.
Stay safe out there.
All the best,
Peter