Video: Why Wildfires Have Gotten Worse — And What We Can Do About It

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Megafires, individual fires that burn more than 100,000 acres, are on the rise in the western United States — the direct result of unintentional yet massive changes we’ve brought to the forests through a century of misguided management. What steps can we take to avoid further destruction? Forest ecologist Paul Hessburg confronts some tough truths about wildfires and details how we can help restore the natural balance of the landscape.

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Paul Hessburg has spent most of his adult life in his dream job. He works for the USDA, Forest Service, at the Pacific Northwest Research Station, where he’s stationed at a field laboratory in Wenatchee, WA, US. That’s located about five blocks just east of heaven, he says. He has a doctorate in Forest Pathology from Oregon State University, and he has been working in forestry for 40 years. He’s also an Affiliate Professor at the University of Washington, Seattle, USA.

Running time: 14:08

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In November, 2018, the Camp Fire completely destroyed the town of Paradise before spreading to neighboring communities.