Topping, lower-limb removal and widespread tree loss can weaken an entire coastal neighborhood Cutting a mature tree back to an arbitrary height of 16 feet or 24 feet may make it look smaller, but smaller does not necessarily mean safer. … Continue reading Cutting Coastal Trees to 16 Feet Can Create the Hazard It Is Supposed to Prevent
Trees affected by disease require more than simply cutting, hauling, and chipping. Modern arboriculture recognizes that diseased trees can serve as reservoirs for fungi, insects, nematodes, and other plant pathogens. As a result, commercial arborists and wood waste facilities are … Continue reading Are Best Management Practices Being Followed at Surfside’s Chipper Site?
The colors on the U.S. Drought Monitor can make drought conditions appear uniform. If Pacific County and Spokane County are both classified as D2 Severe Drought—or D4 Exceptional Drought—it is easy to assume both places are experiencing the same temperature, … Continue reading A Drought Rating Is Relative: Why the Same Drought Category in Pacific county Does Not Mean the Same in Pacific County
Whether you’re traveling to the Washington coast, the Oregon Cascades, Mount Rainier, the Olympic Peninsula, or anywhere else in the Pacific Northwest, checking wildfire maps before leaving home should be part of every travel plan. Wildfires can quickly affect road … Continue reading Planning a Trip? Check Northwest Wildfire Maps Before You Go
Wildfire smoke continues to impact air quality across Washington and Oregon as numerous large fires burn throughout the Pacific Northwest. Air quality alerts have been issued for much of Eastern and Central Washington, with smoke also spreading into Western Washington, … Continue reading Wildfire Smoke Reduces Air Quality Across Washington and Oregon: Which Face Mask Should You Wear?
Across Europe and the American West, a troubling pattern is emerging. Record ocean temperatures, prolonged heat waves, drought, and explosive wildfires are no longer isolated disasters—they are increasingly occurring together. Scientists have warned for decades that climate change would amplify … Continue reading The Wildfire Tipping Point: When Nature Stops Waiting for Us
A wave of dry thunderstorms has unleashed thousands of lightning strikes across Oregon, igniting dozens of wildfires and stretching firefighting resources across the Pacific Northwest. While firefighters race to contain new fires, emerging technologies—including artificial intelligence (AI) and drones—are becoming … Continue reading Oregon’s Wildfire Surge Highlights AI and Drone Technology in the Fight Against Remote Fires
For many people, living on the coast has long been associated with fresh ocean air and a healthier environment. However, in recent years, massive wildfires burning hundreds or even thousands of miles away have demonstrated that no community is immune … Continue reading Wildfire Smoke Knows No Boundaries: Why Coastal Communities Need Healthy Trees More Than Ever
For more than a century, America’s forests have been challenged by invasive insects, destructive diseases, prolonged drought, and increasingly severe wildfires. Together, these threats have killed hundreds of millions of trees, reducing tree canopy that protects communities from heat, flooding, … Continue reading America’s Forest Recovery: How Planting Trees Is Helping Restore Forests Devastated by Disease, Insects, and Climate Change
Personally, I’ve been studying the tree canopy and environmental changes in Surfside for years. While climate change is certainly affecting the Washington coast, its impacts remain far less dramatic than those experienced inland. One reason I own property in Surfside … Continue reading Mount Hood’s Vanishing Snow: When Oregon’s Most Beautiful View Turns Ugly
