[pct-l] drought and its consequences along the PCT

[jmertes at verizon.net (John Mertes)]

In one of the many environmental magazines I get, there was a recent 
article about forest fires throughout the west. Main point I remember 
from the article is that different forests and parts of forests have 
different burn patterns depending on local climate, drought, terrain, 
tree species, and so on. Some forests or parts are characterized by 
infrequent severe fires where everything burns, other parts may have 
milder more frequent burns. The fires are a natural part of the ecology 
of the forests. The natural world is always changing, our own desires 
not withstanding.


IMHO: Biggest "problem" now is that people want to live in and adjacent 
to the forests. Yet these people don't accept the consequences of their 
decision -- being burned or having their property burned. In stead they 
expect the government (all of us) to put out the fires to protect them 
from the consequences of their decision. Also the government (us) to 
bail them out when they get burned. Similar situation with people who 
live on flood plains and ocean front.

My 2?