Climate change is this generation’s defining issue
Each generation has opportunities to distinguish itself and leave the world a better place than they found it. In some cases, that means going to war, as the Greatest Generation did. Others undertake major social change, like the baby boomers focused on the civil rights movement. After more than 40 years in public service, I am convinced that combating the effects of climate change is the single most important issue faced by this and subsequent generations.
To craft a solution, we must first understand the problem. While scientists agree that it’s difficult to blame climate change directly for wildfires, we can say with some certainty that it contributes to the root causes. For instance, warmer, drier air, caused by higher temperatures dries out vegetation and creates more fuel for fire. Warmer air also contributes to more lightning strikes, which given the current state of California’s for- ests, with millions of dead or diseased trees, is a veritable matchbox awaiting only a scattered thundershower to ignite.
Yet, it isn’t just simply the dire environmental factors at work. There is a generational imperative to protect and care for our friends and neighbors, not to mention future generations of Californians.
Research shows that some 10 percent of Californians now live in a wilderness area where wildfires can be most destructive. For their peace of mind, these working families must be assured that we are taking steps to thwart the effects of these extreme weather changes. For instance, giving our public safety personnel equipment and resources they need must be a priority. Updating and improving radio communications, providing sufficient funds for early staging of equipment and personnel and adequately preparing rural communities to triage burns before resources can arrive will all be a vital part of our “new normal.” Also, an investment in early warning systems will provide a proactive effort to help communities evacuate safely, particularly if these systems are given wide authority to be deployed.
Additionally, as the weather patterns change, we should make investments in infrastructure to strengthen it against unforeseen weather events. A 2015 study, published by Environ- mental Research Letters, predicted that the total area at risk of being burned by Santa Ana fires could increase more than 60 percent by the middle of this century. This means that regions not normally affected by these dry, hot winds that wreaked so much havoc last year need to start preparing now — collaborating with experts in the private sector to develop resilient roads, bridges and an essential services infrastructure while working in tandem with residents and regulators to smooth the path for delivery and implementation of the new technology.
Failure to decisively act endangers our communities, neighborhoods, friends and family. Time is now of the essence as we must work together to develop solutions for a problem already growing in complexity and reach.