Gary Nakamura, Cooperative Extension specialist and Co-Director for the Center of Forestry, was appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger to the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection. He has served on the board since 2007 and has been a forestry specialist for CNR since 1985. Nakamura previously worked for the U.S. Forest Service and Champion International Corp.
Fire, once a key phenomenon in the balance of forest ecosystems, has gone rogue, thanks to years of detrimental land-use policy. Now, Scott Stephens and his band of pyromaniacs are restoring forests and setting the record straight.
From fighting wildfires in the field to predicting the role of the Santa Ana winds, CNR students and faculty have proven to be an invaluable resource in combating the more than a dozen fires that raged in Southern California in the past weeks.
Max Moritz, a fire ecologist and assistant professor of environmental science, policy and management, has been featured in The New York Times for his research on mapping the land susceptible to wildfires and USA Today describing homeowners’ roles in fighting and preventing wildfires.
Continue reading "CNR Faculty and Students Combat Southern California Wildfires" »
Rachel Smith, a graduate student in Environmental Science, Policy and Management with the Moritz Lab, was recently interviewed by NPR about her experiences fighting fire in Southern California.
Excerpted from the interview:
"As we work, the forest shadows deepen. The temperature drops. The humidity soars. Gradually, the fire is cooling. By the time we reach the cedar, it's past midnight. Our incident commander decides to knock off for a few hours before we try to cut down the dangerous tree. We spend the night spiked out inside the fireline, nestled in a burned-over hollow. I sleep with my boots on, just in case."
