![\"\"](\"https:\/\/socialcoldstreams.files.wordpress.com\/2017\/09\/headline.png\")
\nNote the reference to “in one of the nation’s worst fire seasons”.
\nAnd:
\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/socialcoldstreams.files.wordpress.com\/2017\/09\/headline2.png\")
\n“worst fire seasons we’ve ever seen”?<\/em>
\nSome news writers confused record spending with record wildfires. While there is a linkage, it is not an accurate 1:1 correlation nor is the spending inflation adjusted.<\/p>\n
Data:<\/h2>\n\n- From U.S. Forest Service<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/socialcoldstreams.files.wordpress.com\/2017\/09\/figure16-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n- As of September 15th, 2 of the last 10 years burned more acres, and 4 of the last 10 years had more total fires – to date per the National Interagency Fire Center\u00a0<\/a>(screen snapshot taken on September 15th, 2017).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/socialcoldstreams.files.wordpress.com\/2017\/09\/firesburned.png\")
\nIt has been a bad fire year, but 2 of the past 10 years were worse – to date – and 4 of the past 10 years had more total fires – to date. And in the context of the last 100 years, it is not unusual and not even close to being “one of the nation’s worst fire seasons”.<\/p>\n
Reporting<\/h2>\n
Many news reports correctly note questions on how the nation has funded (or not funded) wildfire suppression and management. My state’s US Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) has been pushing since 2013 for more funding and pro-active management of forests, saying fuels have grown precipitously during a time that fires (a natural process in the west) have been aggressively suppressed.
\nOregon Public Broadcasting has a good and lengthy explanation of the issues related to western wildland fires<\/a>. If you would like to learn more, read it!
\nIt is not fake news to say this is a bad wildland fire year, but the stories slide in that direction when marking it as one of the nation’s worst fire years. That claim is false, based on the data, above, from official government sources.
\nIt is unfortunate that news reporters were unable to spend a few moments with Google in order to add context to their reporting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It has been a bad fire year but some mainstream reporting is getting ahead of itself and seems more intent on providing a propaganda message. In fact, its the worst fire season since … 2015! Propaganda: Note the reference to “in one of the nation’s worst fire seasons”. And: “worst fire seasons we’ve ever seen”? Some news writers confused record spending with record wildfires. While there is a linkage, it is not an accurate 1:1 correlation nor is the spending…<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
- \n
- As of September 15th, 2 of the last 10 years burned more acres, and 4 of the last 10 years had more total fires – to date per the National Interagency Fire Center\u00a0<\/a>(screen snapshot taken on September 15th, 2017).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\nIt has been a bad fire year, but 2 of the past 10 years were worse – to date – and 4 of the past 10 years had more total fires – to date. And in the context of the last 100 years, it is not unusual and not even close to being “one of the nation’s worst fire seasons”.<\/p>\nReporting<\/h2>\n
Many news reports correctly note questions on how the nation has funded (or not funded) wildfire suppression and management. My state’s US Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) has been pushing since 2013 for more funding and pro-active management of forests, saying fuels have grown precipitously during a time that fires (a natural process in the west) have been aggressively suppressed.
\nOregon Public Broadcasting has a good and lengthy explanation of the issues related to western wildland fires<\/a>. If you would like to learn more, read it!
\nIt is not fake news to say this is a bad wildland fire year, but the stories slide in that direction when marking it as one of the nation’s worst fire years. That claim is false, based on the data, above, from official government sources.
\nIt is unfortunate that news reporters were unable to spend a few moments with Google in order to add context to their reporting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It has been a bad fire year but some mainstream reporting is getting ahead of itself and seems more intent on providing a propaganda message. In fact, its the worst fire season since … 2015! Propaganda: Note the reference to “in one of the nation’s worst fire seasons”. And: “worst fire seasons we’ve ever seen”? Some news writers confused record spending with record wildfires. While there is a linkage, it is not an accurate 1:1 correlation nor is the spending…<\/p>\n