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Having fought forest fires in Yellowstone and Glacier for two summers, back in the day, drought conditions may be the "spark," as it were, but deadfall was the "tinder" that started the little fires raging, allowing them to go from under control straight to an inferno, sometimes in just a few seconds.

Now, there's not a whole lot one can do about deadfall in a national park, no matter how many people the NPS would like to have clearing it away; so you live with it (not much you can do about the drought, either!). But in residential neighborhoods, there is no excuse for not at least attempting to clear deadfall, except that the envirowackos will be on your ass quicker than a fly on butter at a picnic, especially in California. We know they don't give a damn about the houses going up in flames, and a few dead people are no big deal, but surely they're apoplectic about all the carbon pouring into the atmosphere -- well, you reap what you sow, wackos, and the price in this case is loads of evil carbon (oh, the horror!).

every major fire in the last ten to twenty years in californistan has been because of the activism of treehugging twits!

these are the same people who are pro abortion - kill the babies and save the trees.

i could curse right now!

I originally come from Reno NV, and spent many happy summer days at nearby Lake Tahoe. Hearing about these fires ruining one of nature's gems is really upsetting. And knowing that environmental do-good policies like not being able to clear out deadwood and undergrowth is a likely contributor to the spread of these fires is just icing on a very bitter-tasting cake.

Pam - I was in SLT just a couple of years back visiting my neice. I remember stumbling out of a casino at sunrise - it sure was beautiful - this is a shame. My niece has since moved back home to Alaska, which is a good thing, the house she lived in is now gone. Problem is - they're having a fire in the Caribou Hills, south of Anchorage, very near where she (and the rest of my family) live. You can run, but...

Q: Why are all plants and all animals (except humans) considered "natural" and humans are considered "unnatural"? What? Are we invaders from Alpha Centauri like Tom Cruis says?

I saw an interview with a woman who's home did not burn while her neighbor's had. She said that she had ignored the rules and gone ahead and cleared around her home even on the adjacent natonal forest land. By disobeying the bureauweenies and environuts she saved he home. I bet they're out to get her now, eh? Save he home by ignoring their rules?! They'll show her!

i've spent a goodly amount of time in tahoe being a lodge bunny while my friends would ski - it truly is (was) one of the most beautiful places on the left coast.

bob - i saw an interview with a man who did the same thing and his house was turned into a pile of ashes.

when we went to nor-cali last week, i told my husband it wouldn't take much for the entire northstate to go up in flames - it looked like wheat that needed to be harvested.

it was inevitable. if you do not thin and/or propagate this is what happens. even the native americans in some places would burn acreage every few years to replenish harvests for the years to come.

we thinned the trees on about seven acres of our land in arkansas - taking down the spindly ones for 10 to 15 feet around the healthier trees and now the girth of those trees have doubled and even tripled in some cases. we also got rid of all the hot mulch beneath them - if a fire were to strike our area, we'd feel much safer knowing it couldn't get within a hundred yards or so of our cabin.

While they're at it, they may want to clear up the deadwood in Sacramento, Reno and Washington,DC.