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To reduce the growing risk of intense wildfires, California is cutting and burning the areas that fuel them – but these efforts may be moving too slowly
By James Dinneen
13 March 2025
Firefighters light a controlled burn to destroy vegetation between homes and a fire in Big Bar, California
ZUMA Press, Inc./Alamy
Firefighters light a controlled burn to destroy vegetation between homes and a fire in Big Bar, California
ZUMA Press, Inc./Alamy
California plans to thin out millions of acres of its forests to lessen the risk of destructive wildfires. But such efforts may not be moving fast enough to make up for the influence of climate change.
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There are two main reasons California’s wildfires are growing larger and more damaging: hotter and more volatile weather due to climate change, and the buildup of…
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