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Noah Haggerty

@nohaggerty.bsky.social
2.6K followers 184 following 130 posts

Wildfire reporter at the Los Angeles Times. Retired rookie physicist

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Reposted by Noah Haggerty
Pam Kan-Rice @ucanrpam.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
“I think we all agree that something needs to be done,” Yana Valachovic @ucanrfirenetwork.bsky.social, said at California Board of Forestry meeting. “The fire issue is an existential crisis for California.” @hayleysmith.bsky.social @nohaggerty.bsky.social report www.latimes.com/environment/...
latimes.com
State approves 'Zone Zero' fire-safe landscaping rules, reshaping yards for millions of Californians
The California Board of Forestry approved 'Zone Zero' regulations outlining what residents in fire-prone areas can plant, build and store near their homes.
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Reposted by Noah Haggerty
Mack Baysinger, PhD @mack-baysinger.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
It’s my last week as an @aaasmassmedia.bsky.social science fellow for the @latimes.com ! It’s been eye-opening to explore a city through the eyes of a reporter, and I’m excited to take these lessons with me into my next adventure. 🧪
two people in button down shirts and khakis sit in an office, smiling at the camera
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Noah Haggerty @nohaggerty.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
A U.S. Forest Service plan to use glyphosate in a fire-ravaged forest spurred a reckoning in Tahoe: How much should people do to bring forests back? My latest: www.latimes.com/environment/...
latimes.com
'I'd rather my house burn down than get cancer': Two California communities fight to save their forests
A U.S. Forest Service plan to use glyphosate in a burned forest spurs a reckoning in Tahoe: How much should people do to bring forests back?
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Noah Haggerty @nohaggerty.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
VEGETATION: Under roof overhangs -- and within 1 foot of the home, 2 feet from windows, vents and doors and 5 feet of decks -- no vegetation is allowed. Elsewhere, spaced-out plants up to 18 inches tall, and ground covers like grasses under 3 inches are allowed.
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Noah Haggerty @nohaggerty.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
TREES: The proposal would require homeowners to trim trees to keep branches away from the house and far from the ground so that fires on the ground cannot climb into the canopy, and a fire in the tree cannot jump into the home. It generally does not require the removal of trees.
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Noah Haggerty @nohaggerty.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
NEW: Years into heated debates and discussion, California has released its latest "Zone Zero" proposal, outlining what kind of landscaping residents in high fire risk zones can do within the first five feet of their home. Let's unpack what it says: www.latimes.com/environment/...
latimes.com
What to plant (and what to remove) in California's new 'Zone Zero' fire-safety proposal
After years of debate between fire officials seeking total vegetation removal within the first 5 feet of homes and ecologists backing selective landscaping, California proposed a compromise.
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Reposted by Noah Haggerty
AAAS Mass Media Fellowship @aaasmassmedia.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
🎉 Welcome to the 2026 class of @aaas.org #MassMediaFellows! These 15 scientists will be sharpening their #SciComm skills with news outlets across the country this summer. We can’t wait to see the impact they’ll have! Learn more about 2026 class here: www.aaas.org/news/aaas-ma...
15 colorful headshots of the 2026 AAAS Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellowship class in a grid. Welcome to the New MMF Class!
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Noah Haggerty @nohaggerty.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
Malibu is arguing MRCA failed to do proper brush clearance — a claim many fire ecologists argue is not backed by science. Some studies have found brush clearance techniques like fuel breaks are not all that effective during high-wind fires in SoCal. www.latimes.com/environment/...
latimes.com
Man, machine and mutton: Inside the plan to prevent the next SoCal fire disaster
Local fire crews are launching a sweeping effort to prevent future wildfires in the Santa Monica Mountains. It entails using both animals and machines to create fire breaks — a controversial solution ...
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Noah Haggerty @nohaggerty.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
The city announced a lawsuit in February against the land manager, MRCA, and others over the damage the city sustained from the Palisades fire. This new lawsuit focused on the 2024 Broad and Franklin fires. www.latimes.com/california/s...
latimes.com
Malibu, 'emotionally and physically scarred,' is suing California, L.A., others over Palisades fire
Malibu is suing the state, the city of Los Angeles, L.A. County and additional public parties and agencies, seeking damages for financial losses sustained in the Palisades fire.
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Noah Haggerty @nohaggerty.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
BREAKING: Malibu filed a lawsuit against a conservation authority that oversees land where 3 fires in the past 2 years have started and went on to damage Malibu homes — including the Palisades fire: malibucity.org/DocumentCent...
malibucity.org
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Noah Haggerty @nohaggerty.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
Fire season is upon us … Bureau of Land Management says no more fires on BLM land in SoCal until the end of October: www.blm.gov/announcement...
blm.gov
BLM announces seasonal fire restrictions for southern California | Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management California Desert District will go into seasonal fire restrictions on public lands in Imperial, southern Inyo, eastern Kern, Los Angeles, eastern Mono, Orange, Riverside,...
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Reposted by Noah Haggerty
Edward Russell @byerussell.com · 07/03/2026
“Before the turnaround at Mile 22, you are not only actively running away from the finish line, but you are also watching a steady stream of runners on the other side of the street who are miles ahead and … better than you at running and presumably life.” via @nohaggerty.bsky.social #running
latimes.com
The L.A. marathon's final 8 miles are a blazing hot concrete hellscape. I learned to love them anyway
Your morning catch-up: The L.A. marathon; attacks on Iran; wine industry woes and more big stories.
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Reposted by Noah Haggerty
Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
The more things change...via @nohaggerty.bsky.social The owner of the 170-unit mobile home park destroyed in the Palisades fire is trying to sell it, characterizing the lot as a "blank canvas for redevelopment" vs. re-occupation by currently-displaced residents. www.latimes.com/environment/...
latimes.com
Owners of fire-destroyed Palisades mobile home park seek to displace residents for development deal
An offering memorandum described the destroyed mobile home park as a "blank canvas for redevelopment"; however, city officials reiterated they intend to let fire survivors return and rebuild.
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Noah Haggerty @nohaggerty.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
I’ve spent over a year talking with the people who survived the Palisades fire and the people who responded to it. Here’s why I think the discourse around how to prevent the next disaster is still stuck in January 2025. www.latimes.com/environment/...
latimes.com
The Palisades fire discourse is stuck in January 2025
Officials argue they had little agency to stop the fire. Residents point to a string of missteps that enabled it. There's little consensus on how to prevent the next one.
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Noah Haggerty @nohaggerty.bsky.social · 07/01/2026
One year after the fires. I’ve been so honored to cover these beautiful, resilient communities over the past year — starting with the terrifying Palisades evacuation on Jan. 7, 2025. I’m looking forward to spend another year by your side. www.latimes.com/california/s...
latimes.com
Survivors in Palisades and Altadena mark anniversary of deadly fires with anger and mourning
A year after two of the most destructive wildfires in California history erupted, survivors commemorated the day in Altadena and Pacific Palisades with anger and remembrance.
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Reposted by Noah Haggerty
Sammy Roth @sammyroth.bsky.social · 31/12/2025
Fire safety advocates are teaming with NIMBY homeowners to sue Los Angeles over new development: www.latimes.com/environment/... via @nohaggerty.bsky.social
latimes.com
L.A. City ignored fire safety as it permitted development in high risk areas, lawsuit alleges
A lawsuit filed Dec. 23 provides 75 examples of building plans seemingly in violation of fire safety regulations designed to improve evacuations and firefighter access.
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Noah Haggerty @nohaggerty.bsky.social · 31/12/2025
L.A. City ignored state fire safety regulations as it permitted development in high risk areas, a new lawsuit alleges: www.latimes.com/environment/...
latimes.com
L.A. City ignored fire safety as it permitted development in high risk areas, lawsuit alleges
A lawsuit filed Dec. 23 provides 75 examples of building plans seemingly in violation of fire safety regulations designed to improve evacuations and firefighter access.
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Noah Haggerty @nohaggerty.bsky.social · 10/12/2025
A new report shows California’s controversial Zone Zero requirements helped save homes in the Palisades and Eaton fires — but some experts warned the insurance-backed investigation doesn’t tell the full story: www.latimes.com/environment/...
latimes.com
Early adopters of 'zone zero' fared better in L.A. County fires, insurance-backed investigation finds
A new study found that in the Eaton and Palisades fires, homes that had already adopted proposed regulations on creating vegetation-free buffers were less likely to burn.
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Reposted by Noah Haggerty
Jared Dahl Aldern @jdaldern.bsky.social · 02/12/2025
Here’s a brief and welcome respite from the mantra of don’t-burn-in -SoCal-it’s-not-like-the-Sierra: “Emily Burgueno calls them ‘sovereign burns… grounded in our creation stories, our sacred beliefs and philosophy.’” @nohaggerty.bsky.social www.latimes.com/environment/...
latimes.com
Can California learn to let Native American fire practitioners burn freely?
Indigenous fire practices are slowly regaining wider acceptance in California, but the dream of burning freely based on the needs of the land is still a long way off.
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Noah Haggerty @nohaggerty.bsky.social · 27/11/2025
We talked to fire ecologists and fire service veterans about that Topanga State Park Wildfire Plan … Bottom line: 1) No, it doesn’t make sense to leave it “to burn.” 2) The restrictions for areas with sensitive plants & cultural sites are pretty standard: www.latimes.com/california/s...
latimes.com
Document raises new questions about restrictions on Jan. 1 Lachman fire mop-up
The Wildfire Management Plan for Topanga State Park sets out guidelines and restrictions. It's unclear if the document hampered mop-up of the Lachman fire.
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Noah Haggerty @nohaggerty.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
Thanks for sharing — so many of our evacuation conversations center around cars. Analyses of evacuation times often *only* include cars. Yet, a large fraction of deaths in wildfires are folks who could not drive due to age, injury or disability.
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Reposted by Noah Haggerty
Dr Grace S Peng @gspeng.bsky.social · 24/11/2025
I know an elderly couple with a cabin in Boulder County. They no longer drive at night & know they can't in a smoky firestorm. When Chinook/Santa Ana winds are forecast, they batten down their cabin and stay in central Boulder until the high risk passes.
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Noah Haggerty @nohaggerty.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
A court has ordered Cal Fire to amend one of its vegetation removal programs after ecology organizations argued the agency failed to address the risk of flammable grasses growing where vegetation was removed, inadvertently making the wildfire risk worse: www.latimes.com/environment/...
latimes.com
Cal Fire approach to SoCal's wildfire crisis could make things worse, court says
A statewide Cal Fire program risks making fires worse by removing native chaparral and allowing the spread of more flammable grasses, a court ruled.
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Reposted by Noah Haggerty
gchas.bsky.social @gchas.bsky.social · 24/11/2025
@nohaggerty.bsky.social's LA Times article about wildfire evacuation challenges reminded me how indispensable my e-bike was in the Palisades fire.
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Faith Kearns, Ph.D. @fkearns.bsky.social · 24/11/2025
We wrote a paper about wildfire shelter-in-place ideas in 2009 - headed by Scott Stephens with AUS colleagues - and they have always been largely and pretty vocally opposed by the fire service…until now? iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
iopscience.iop.org
Radware Bot Manager Captcha
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Reposted by Noah Haggerty
Sean Laverty @seanteachesmath.bsky.social · 24/11/2025
We’ve had what felt like bad fires here twice in the past few years. The highway was shut down, all of the semi traffic took to back roads and 4-way stops. For hours, with roads blocked, I had no exit. I had a snorkel by my back door and planned to hunker down in our wildlife pond if I had to.
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Noah Haggerty @nohaggerty.bsky.social · 24/11/2025
LA County Fire Dept is now telling residents in Topanga that if evacuation is not possible, they need to shelter in their homes. It’s a policy that, historically, has proven incredibly dangerous, but the department says it has no better options. My latest: www.latimes.com/environment/...
latimes.com
Can you survive a wildfire sheltering at home? For one community, L.A. County Fire says it may be the only option
L.A. County Fire plans to order Topanga residents to shelter-in-place if evacuating from fire isn't possible. It's raised concern from experts and residents, but the department says it has no other op...
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Reposted by Noah Haggerty
Los Angeles Times @latimes.com · 06/11/2025
Many of Altadena's standing homes are still contaminated with lead and asbestos even after cleanup
latimes.com
Many of Altadena's standing homes are still contaminated with lead and asbestos even after cleanup
A study led by a community group found that even after cleanups were supposedly complete, many standing homes in Altadena remain contaminated with lead and asbestos.
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Reposted by Noah Haggerty
Edith de Guzman @edithdeguzman.bsky.social · 03/11/2025
Great piece about why Zone Zero rulemaking is complicated for a state as big and diverse as CA. Thanks @nohaggerty.bsky.social for the clarity, and to the many (mostly) SoCal voices of reason including Max Moritz @ucanr.edu for improving the outcomes. www.latimes.com/environment/...
latimes.com
How Zone Zero, designed to protect California homes from wildfire, became plagued with controversy and delays
California needs new rules to help future wildfires from destroying homes and businesses. But Zone Zero regulations, a key tenet of the state's plans, have roiled homeowners.
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Reposted by Noah Haggerty
Sammy Roth @sammyroth.bsky.social · 16/10/2025
First edition of Boiling Point since I left the LA Times, and it's a good one. @nohaggerty.bsky.social wrote about the importance of different strategies to limit wildfire damage in NorCal and SoCal: www.latimes.com/environment/...
latimes.com
The state's wildfire policy long overlooked SoCal. Now it's course correcting
State leaders have long understood Northern California's wildfire crisis and are investing resources to solve it. But in Southern California, the problem is more confounding.
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Noah Haggerty @nohaggerty.bsky.social · 16/10/2025
Excited to share I’m joining a stellar team of @latimes.com environment reporters to write our Boiling Point newsletter. Every week, we’ll rotate, giving you the latest news on water, air, land, fire and critters. Today: Why SoCal’s fire problem is so vexing www.latimes.com/environment/...
latimes.com
The state's wildfire policy long overlooked SoCal. Now it's course correcting
State leaders have long understood Northern California's wildfire crisis and are investing resources to solve it. But in Southern California, the problem is more confounding.
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Reposted by Noah Haggerty
Los Angeles Times @latimes.com · 14/10/2025
Man, machine and mutton: Inside the plan to prevent the next SoCal fire disaster
latimes.com
Man, machine and mutton: Inside the plan to prevent the next SoCal fire disaster
Local fire crews are launching a sweeping effort to prevent future wildfires in the Santa Monica Mountains. It entails using both animals and machines to create fire breaks — a controversial solution in Southern California.
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Reposted by Noah Haggerty
Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 13/10/2025
The in-depth tale of 2 mobile home parks, post Palisades fire, by @nohaggerty.bsky.social www.latimes.com/environment/...
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Sammy Roth @sammyroth.bsky.social · 13/10/2025
Why won't the federal government help rebuild one of the few affordable communities in Pacific Palisades? @nohaggerty.bsky.social investigates: www.latimes.com/environment/...
latimes.com
Why an affordable slice of L.A. paradise might never recover from the Palisades fire
The Pacific Palisades Bowl mobile home park is still riddled with fire debris, months after the park next door was cleaned up. Residents are feeling frustrated and helpless.
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Reposted by Noah Haggerty
Los Angeles Times @latimes.com · 30/09/2025
California needs biomass energy to meet its wildfire goals. Its projects keep going South
latimes.com
California needs biomass energy to meet its wildfire goals. Its projects keep going South
California needs to burn vegetation both for wildfire mitigation and to generate power. So why do biomass energy projects keep leaving the state?
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Sammy Roth @sammyroth.bsky.social · 30/09/2025
Should we be frustrated or relieved that California biomass companies are flocking to build projects in the South instead of here? Super informative story by my colleague @nohaggerty.bsky.social: www.latimes.com/environment/...
latimes.com
California needs biomass energy to meet its wildfire goals. Its projects keep going South
California needs to burn vegetation both for wildfire mitigation and to generate power. So why do biomass energy projects keep leaving the state?
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Sandhya Kambhampati @sandhyak.bsky.social · 22/09/2025
The L.A. wildfire cleanup was fast. Residents eager to rebuild worry officials chose speed over safety. My latest w/ Tony & @nohaggerty.bsky.social @latimes.com: www.latimes.com/environment/...
latimes.com
The L.A. wildfire cleanup was fast. Residents eager to rebuild worry officials chose speed over safety
The federal cleanup of the Altadena and Pacific Palisades fires was in some ways a historic achievement. But many residents are worried that by moving fast, the results were compromised.
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Ian James @ianjames.bsky.social · 22/09/2025
The L.A. wildfire cleanup: Experts worry that the rapid pace of the cleanup resulted in sloppy work and lax oversight that may ultimately cost homeowners. www.latimes.com/environment/... @latimes.com
latimes.com
The L.A. wildfire cleanup was fast. Residents eager to rebuild worry officials chose speed over safety
The federal cleanup of the Altadena and Pacific Palisades fires was in some ways a historic achievement. But many residents are worried that by moving fast, the results were compromised.
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Reposted by Noah Haggerty
Los Angeles Times @latimes.com · 22/09/2025
The L.A. wildfire cleanup was fast. Residents eager to rebuild worry officials chose speed over safety
latimes.com
The L.A. wildfire cleanup was fast. Residents eager to rebuild worry officials chose speed over safety
The federal cleanup of the Altadena and Pacific Palisades fires was in some ways a historic achievement. But many residents are worried that by moving fast, the results were compromised.
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Water Hub @waterhub.bsky.social · 20/09/2025
After the Eaton & Palisades fires, LA County residents were worried about contamination in their soil, air, and water. But fewer than half could get testing, leaving many without answers and deepening mistrust. @nohaggerty.bsky.social in @latimes.com: www.latimes.com/environment/...
latimes.com
After the trauma of the fires, survivors faced worry over contamination, struggled to find testing
With limited resources and scarce information, L.A. fire survivors remain worried about contamination and unable to get environmental testing.
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Reposted by Noah Haggerty
Los Angeles Times @latimes.com · 19/09/2025
After the trauma of the fires, survivors faced worry over contamination, struggled to find testing
latimes.com
After the trauma of the fires, survivors faced worry over contamination, struggled to find testing
With limited resources and scarce information, L.A. fire survivors remain worried about contamination and unable to get environmental testing.
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Sammy Roth @sammyroth.bsky.social · 12/09/2025
Thanks @ianjames.bsky.social for filling in on Boiling Point this week. Wonderful conversation with an Indigenous writer, Yurok Tribe member Amy Bowers Cordalis, about the Klamath River coming back to life now that four dams are gone. I'll be back next Thursday! www.latimes.com/environment/...
latimes.com
One year after dams were torn down, an Indigenous writer sees a healing Klamath River
Dams were dismantled on the Klamath River last year. An Indigenous writer reflects on how the river is starting to recover.
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Noah Haggerty @nohaggerty.bsky.social · 13/09/2025
The misinformation around this whole thing has been so bad. IMO, it’s a symptom of the fact that social media platforms (and some of the MSM) are still failing to reconcile our immediate want for every detail with our inability to get them www.latimes.com/california/s...
latimes.com
'A cancer on our society' Toxic social media after Kirk shooting brings calls to log off, put down phones
As Charlie Kirk's graphic killing sparks online vitriol, elected officials warn of the psychological damage that social platforms pose, and experts say bad actors could exploit the situation.
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Los Angeles Times @latimes.com · 05/09/2025
A 'Roomba for the forest' could be SoCal's next wildfire weapon
latimes.com
A 'Roomba for the forest' could be SoCal's next wildfire weapon
The BurnBot is a a remote-controlled vehicular system that removes flammable brush alongside roads with unprecedented precision.
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Noah Haggerty @nohaggerty.bsky.social · 05/09/2025
The cool thing about ButnBot, IMO, is the precision it brings to prescribed burns. It scorches everything in its path, but operators have complete control over that path — they can specifically target areas with a lot of type conversion to invasive grasses and leave area with native species alone.
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Sammy Roth @sammyroth.bsky.social · 05/09/2025
A ‘Roomba for the forest’ could be SoCal’s next wildfire weapon www.latimes.com/environment/... via @nohaggerty.bsky.social
latimes.com
A 'Roomba for the forest' could be SoCal's next wildfire weapon
The BurnBot is a a remote-controlled vehicular system that removes flammable brush alongside roads with unprecedented precision.
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Noah Haggerty @nohaggerty.bsky.social · 29/08/2025
I appreciate the info! Not trying to play the blame game, just push the conversation forward among boiling point readers (largely environmental folks). Certainly not trying to claim most/all enviros buy into pristine wild thinking. More coverage on timber on the way (I wrote that timber story BTW!)
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Noah Haggerty @nohaggerty.bsky.social · 28/08/2025
Both are important issues — but are ones boiling point readers are already quite versed in ;)
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Noah Haggerty @nohaggerty.bsky.social · 28/08/2025
That vision is one of active stewardship and a recognition of the fundamental connection between our developed lands and our wildlands
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Noah Haggerty @nohaggerty.bsky.social · 28/08/2025
So, what does science say about how you *really* protect timber stocks? Acknowledge the wild on your timberlands (keep them ecologically healthy and therefore fire resistant) and acknowledge our responsibility in the wildlands (steward fire so mega-blazes from neighboring land don’t destroy stock)
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