Episode Summary: "We Can’t Stop the Wildfires—But We Can Stop the Disaster" (#243)

Host: Lynn Thoman
Guest: Jack Cohn, Fire Expert, Firefighter, and U.S. Forest Service Fire Scientist
Release Date: April 1, 2025

In this enlightening episode of 3 Takeaways, host Lynn Thoman engages in a profound discussion with Jack Cohn, a seasoned fire expert who has significantly contributed to wildfire management and prevention strategies. The conversation delves into the escalating issue of wildfires, exploring their causes, evolution over time, and effective strategies to mitigate their devastating impact on communities.

1. Understanding the Major Causes of Wildfires

Jack Cohn begins by addressing the primary ignition sources of wildfires. He emphasizes the significant role humans play in igniting wildfires:

Jack Cohn [02:26]: "Most wildfires are ignited by humans, but that's nothing new. Wildland fires have mostly been started by humans in North America for thousands of years."

He highlights contemporary human activities responsible for ignitions, including power lines, railroads, burning debris, and fireworks. Despite natural causes like lightning, the predominant factor remains anthropogenic.

2. Evolution of Wildfires in the 20th and 21st Centuries

The discussion transitions to how wildfires have transformed over the past century. Cohn introduces the concept of the Wildfire Paradox, explaining how human efforts to control wildfires have inadvertently intensified them:

Jack Cohn [02:50]: "Wildfires have always been a part of the landscape, but what's changed over particularly the last hundred years is our increasing attempt to control wildfires."

Cohn outlines that while suppression efforts have been largely effective in reducing the number of wildfires, they have led to the accumulation of wildland vegetation. This buildup results in more severe and intense wildfires when they do occur, especially under strong winds and dry conditions.

3. Wildland vs. Urban Fire Management

Lynn Thoman probes into whether the devastation of recent fires, such as those in Los Angeles, stems from wildland fire management or urban fire management failures.

Jack Cohn [04:19]: "The urban and suburban wildfire problem is how fires ignite and spread within residential areas."

Cohn distinguishes between wildland fires and those that threaten urban communities. He asserts that while extreme wildfires may be inevitable, the catastrophic destruction of communities can be significantly reduced by focusing on how fires ignite and spread within residential zones.

4. Mechanisms of Fire Spread in Communities

Addressing a common misconception, Cohn clarifies that wildfires do not spread as "walls of flames" engulfing neighborhoods. Instead, the primary mode of fire propagation in urban areas is through burning embers carried by the wind:

Jack Cohn [05:12]: "Much of the fire spread in residential areas is from burning embers carried by the wind."

These embers can ignite homes directly or accumulate flammable materials around structures, leading to multiple simultaneous ignitions. Cohn emphasizes that the spread is driven by burning structures rather than the wildfire front itself.

5. Limitations of Firefighting Resources

The conversation shifts to the efficacy of traditional firefighting methods in combating widespread community fires during extreme wildfire conditions.

Jack Cohn [06:10]: "Firefighters, more firefighting resources can't prevent disastrous community destruction during the extreme wildfire conditions."

Cohn explains that even substantial firefighting resources are often overwhelmed when hundreds of homes ignite simultaneously. He notes that in high-density areas, preventing neighborhood fires typically requires significant manpower and equipment—resources that become untenable during large-scale wildfires.

6. Effective Home Ignition Risk Management Strategies

Turning to solutions, Cohn advocates for proactive measures to make communities more fire-resistant:

Jack Cohn [07:38]: "The key to preventing community destruction during extreme wildfires is to prevent homes from catching fire, not by attempting extreme wildfire control."

Key strategies include using ignition-resistant and non-combustible building materials for roofs and sidings and clearing away dead brush and vegetation around homes. These measures can significantly reduce the likelihood of homes igniting during wildfire events.

7. Challenges with Implementing Fire-Resistant Zoning

Lynn Thoman raises the potential benefits of zoning laws that mandate the use of fire-resistant materials in rebuilding efforts, especially in fire-prone areas like Los Angeles.

Jack Cohn [08:34]: "Zoning is an incredibly controversial kind of action and so there is a definite resistance to new zoning and new codes. So to my knowledge, no."

Cohn indicates that despite the clear advantages, there is considerable resistance to implementing such zoning changes, hindering progress toward more fire-resilient communities.

8. Final Insights and Three Takeaways

Before concluding, Cohn underscores the importance of community involvement in fire prevention:

Jack Cohn [09:08]: "Tell them we can't be effective without you."

He reiterates that while ignition-resistant homes are crucial, firefighting efforts remain essential for comprehensive community fire protection.

Cohn then presents his three key takeaways:

1. Current wildfire strategies are failing.

   • Evidence: Massive fires and destruction, particularly in Southern California.

2. Extreme wildfires are inevitable, but disastrous community destruction is not.

   • Mechanism: While wildfires initiate with burning embers, the subsequent community fires are driven by urban-specific factors.

3. The best defense is fire-resistant communities.

   • Strategy: Focus on making homes and their immediate surroundings fire-resistant rather than solely relying on wildfire suppression.

Jack Cohn [09:59]: "We can prevent catastrophic community destruction without controlling the uncontrollable wildfires. That's by focusing on fire resistant communities, not wildfire suppression."

Conclusion

In this episode, Jack Cohn provides a compelling analysis of the wildfire crisis, highlighting the limitations of traditional wildfire management and the imperative shift toward building fire-resistant communities. His insights stress that while we may not be able to halt wildfires entirely, strategic community planning and resilient infrastructure can significantly mitigate their destructive impact.

For listeners seeking to understand the complexities of wildfire management and to learn actionable strategies for community protection, this episode offers invaluable perspectives grounded in expertise and real-world experience.

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