![\"\"](\"http:\/\/invertedsky.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/bouldercreek.png\" "\\"bouldercreek\\"")
<\/a>Boulder Creek Streamflow, click for larger.<\/p><\/div>\n
April, May, June are statistically our wettest months.<\/p>\n
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Regarding the media coverage of forest fires, they commonly cite that the fires are worse due to the mountain pine beetle killing the trees.\u00a0 In one local case, they stated the fire was burning in a tinder-dry beetle killed forest, when I knew for a fact there were very few beetle killed trees in that area. They will stop at no lengths to sensationalize a story.<\/p>\n
The problem is, as we learned with the Bush administration, if you repeat something enough times, it becomes true in people’s minds.\u00a0 This leads people to thinking that the pine beetles have to be dealt with in some way.\u00a0 For example a large part of the forest near where I live, where people hike, camp, and ride bikes is going to be “patch cut”.\u00a0 Patch cutting is removing all of the trees in large areas, similar to clear-cutting.<\/p>\n
Remove the trees, and yes, the pine beetle “problem” goes away for obvious reasons.<\/p>\n
Pine beetles have always been a part of the forests here.\u00a0 They have been documented as being around for at least a hundred years and are probably a native species.\u00a0 Their job is to keep the forests from getting overgrown, just like natural fires.\u00a0 Based on my own observations, they don’t kill all of the trees. Thirty to forty percent continue to live.<\/p>\n
Here is the link to the article:<\/p>\n
CU-Boulder researchers: Pine beetles not always tied to increased fire danger<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" After experiencing the driest second quarter (April, May, June) in recorded history, a dozen wildfires across the state, a wildflower-less landscape, and record breaking temperatures and dry wind, the rains have finally come.\u00a0 I’ve received nearly 3 inches of precipitation … Continue reading