Well, now, the air has cleared over our Lake, finally. AQI this morning is posted as 55 or Moderate rating. We've come a long way in the last week or so, from 400+ AQI. So, the aftermath begins and the USFS, our local Federal operation, starts with Emergency stabilization. What is that, anyway? Destructive effects of a wildland fire are obvious as media coverage emphasizes the primordial fears of man v. fire: run! When the fire has moved on, the burn area takes on another phase of natural life: the regeneration of the local environment, and this takes time, Mother Nature's own time, or a slow, multi-phase adaptation to the sudden changes wrought by fire.
The USFS and other agencies established a team to immediately go into the burned area(s) to assess damage and to identify possible threats to human life and property in the vicinity. The primary factors include potential for seasonal weather effects that may alter the landscape after a major rain storm or other event(wind and snow or combinations of same. The Caldor Fire burned across the Sierra, west to east, with Highway 50 as its backbone. The rugged terrain demonstrated the difficulties in fighting any blaze in the high Sierra. Now the team must analyze features on the ground that have been altered by a fire pass through. What areas of human and animal habitat are likely to be most affected? All the data must be collected and assessed to prevent further fire-related damage. It will take time, and the season is changing day by day. Results will take some time, but with the aid of satellite imagery, use of aircraft(and drones), the job will be completed sooner than later. All the information will then be disseminated to local authorities.
Patience is always necessary dealing with the USFS, so don't hold your breath. We in Tahoma are fortunate that our community was not burned over.
