As the U.S. endures its worst forest fire season in 50 years, some enviros and scientists are wondering whether climate change might be one of the catalysts. “It’s very difficult to say with a great degree of certainty, but what you can say is that this summer’s events are very typical of the kinds of phenomenon we would see more of during global warming,” said University of California-Berkeley professor John Harte. The finger is also being pointed at industrial forestry because loggers have generally taken the big, valuable trees that are the most fire-resistant and left the small ones that burn more readily. U.S. Forest Service Chief Mike Dombeck is pushing a proposal to reduce fire danger by cutting small trees and leaving the big ones behind, as well as setting prescribed burns. Forest fires are also raging outside the U.S. this summer, in Brazil, Greece, Spain, and other nations.
