On Wildfire...

Wildfire has a peculiar way of calling us to reconsider our locations, lives, livelihoods, communities, governments... the list goes on.

In June of 2020, I moved to the mountains above Santa Cruz to study Science Communication for my Master's degree. I shared a lovely house on two acres of redwood forest just north of town.

Two months later, on August 16, an unusual "dry lightning" storm rolled across the region. I slept through the storm's 2500 lightning strikes, and awoke to more than 650 wildfires in its wake.

One of them sparked just a few miles from my home, and spread out over 86,000 acres, including the hillside I photographed above. My place was spared.

I ended up writing a personal essay about the ensuing events for one of my graduate classes, titled "How three hundred cats saved me from a raging wildfire." It was a weird time.

Fueled by a desire to learn more and keep others informed, I also wrote several articles and wildfire preparedness guides for the local Santa Cruz newspapers.

I've spent a lot of time thinking about wildfire; interviewing experts, researching our state's history, connecting the ecological dots, and teasing apart science and politics. It's a never-ending lesson in keeping an open mind.

In response to the recent fires in Los Angeles and San Diego, I've been thinking about wildfire again, diving back into the research, and learning what makes wildfire in SoCal a whole different beast.

If you're interested in learning more about wildfire in Southern California's landscapes, consider joining one of my upcoming Wildfire 101 Walks. I hope they offer clarity and community in this time of uncertainty and tension.