While Western blazes are common, wildfires in California this year have been especially devastating. Meanwhile, New Hampshire has been battling a persistent forest fire this fall, on the Dilly Cliffs near the Lost River Gorge area of Woodstock. We examine how often we see forest fires in New Hampshire, and the effects of drought and future climate change. We also discuss how local, state and federal agencies approach fire-fighting and forest ecosystems.
- Will Abbott - Society for the Protection of NH Forests Vice President for Policy & Reservation Stewardship, . The Dilly Cliffs fire is on SPNHF land.
- Heidi Asbjornsen - associate professor of ecosystem ecology at the University of New Hampshire.
- Joe Koloski - Acting Deputy Forest Supervisor, White Mountain National Forest.
- John MacKay - Woodstock Fire Chief.
- Brad Simpkins - State Forester and Director of the NH Division of Forests and Lands.
Listen to NHPR's Sean Hurley's reporting on the more than 80 firefighters battling the Dilly Cliffs fire, including Crew One, pictured below.
Watch video from Oct. 4, 2017, when WMUR-TV reported on the Dilly Cliffs fire and the challenges faced by firefighters:
The New York Times investigated why the California wildfires have been so destructive.
Researchers at the University of New Hampshire have launched a multi-year research project to investigate how droughts may impact forests in the Northeast:
