For the pbs newshour, I am
Nicole Ellis.
Judy: Let's hear more about the
situation in California from
someone that has long lived in
the community there.
Reporter: The exclude -- the
explosive nature of the wildfire
suggest another difficult fire
season ahead.
The executive director of the
national wildlife center lives
in mid pines, California about
two miles from the western edge
of the fire.
Thank you for being with us.
I know you are under
pre-evacuation order.
What is the situation now as you
look across the horizon?
>> Frankly, as someone that has
been up here 25 years and has
been through 25 fires and had to
evacuate three times, this is
terrifying.
This is a monster fire spreading
in all directions.
The two mile distance does not
give me much comfort.
There is smoke everywhere.
I have helicopters and jets
going overhead all the time.
It is a little scary.
Reporter: The rapid spread -- it
went from 4000 acres Friday
night to more than 15,000 acres
on Sunday.
What is that like to have that
going on around you?
>> Again, this is your community
and watching the homes of your
friends destroyed and knowing
you could be next is really
heartbreaking.
I am actually kind of angry.
This is climate inaction.
This is what happens when we do
not address the climate change
problem.
We have die off of over a
million trees caused by beetle
infestation and climate change
and we have great leaders in
California.
Governor Gavin Newsom as a
leader on climate.
It also gets hard when people
are saying -- it is a California
problem.
No!
People in coal burning states
need to help me fight the fire
in my backyard.
These are not even wildfires.
These are monsters.
It is quite terrifying.
Especially knowing we could have
done something.
Reporter: This is the biggest
fire so far this year in
California but it is not the
first fire in this area.
You have had a number of fires
in the last three weeks or so.
>> I have even lost count.
We had two start yesterday.
This is not normal.
I have been here 25 years.
When I first moved here, you had
a big fire every 5-10 years.
We are having multiple pager
fires every year and smaller
fires.
This is cliaction in
action.
It is a way of life.
We know we have to coexist with
fire.
You are looking at my house in
the background.
I have metal siding on it and a
metal roof.
Those are things you have to do
if you are going to live up here
because fire will not go away.
Reporter: How else have you
adjusted to coexisting or living
with the threat of fire so much?
>> I will say I do all the
things I just outlined what it
is still scary.
I work in wildlife so I promote
coexisting with wildlife a lot
and that is easier than fire.
Fire is a big and scary animal.
I think you also have to have
plans.
I have an evacuation plan.
Even before the fire I have a
few options of wonderful friends
I can go to.
I have five dogs and two cats.
You have to have a plan and know
how to get out.
You have a go bag.
You do not wait.
You are on alert all summer.
You also do not travel.
These days I don't like to go
anywhere especially getting on a
plane in fire season because I
won't be able to get back in
time.
Reporter: What is the effect on
the wildlife in the area?
>> That troubles me as well.
As someone that works and
wildlife conservation, this is
just as impactful on wildlife
and in some respects even more
so.
I can evacuate to an
air-conditioned friends house
but they have no option.
As we see with climate change
making fires longer and hotter
burning more space, that is
introducing an element that
wildlife cannot adapt to.
Any plant or animal in
California has adapted to a
natural fire cycle.
They have strategies.
They are not adapted to
firestorms.
For instance, the habitat
itself, since it burns hotter
and longer, may not be suitable
when they go back.
It is really tough on the
wildlife.
And I have not mentioned the
smoke.
You can hear my raspy voice.
Especially in the last five
years, we are getting a lot of
smoke thrown at us.
I just bought a heavy-duty smoke
filter from my house but the
wildlife does not have that.
The impact of smoke has to be
substantial.
Reporter: The California
regional executive director of
the national wildlife federation
in mid pines, California being
threatened by the oak fire.
Thank you and good luck.
>> Thank you for having me.
♪♪