What it’s like living near the Oak Fire outside Yosemite

Judy Woodruff:

And let's hear more about the situation in California from someone who has long lived in the community there.

John Yang has that.

John Yang:

Judy, the explosive spread of the Oak Fire suggests another bad wildfire season ahead in California.

Beth Pratt is the California regional executive director of the National Wildlife Federation. And she lives in Midpines, California, which is only about two miles from the western edge of the fire.

Beth, thanks for being with us.

I know you're under sort of pre-evacuation orders. What is the situation now? As you look across the horizon, what do you see? What's it like?

Beth Pratt, National Wildlife Federation:

You know, frankly, as somebody who's been up here 25 years and been through probably over 20 fires, had to evacuate three times, it's terrifying.

This is the most scary fire I have ever seen. It is a monster. It's spreading in all directions. It's spotting two miles ahead. So that two-mile distance doesn't give me much comfort. There's smoke everywhere. I have helicopters and jets going overhead all the time. I feel like I'm under LAX.

So it's just a little scary. It's a little scary.

John Yang:

That rapid spread, it went from 4,000 acres Friday night to more than 15,000 acres Sunday. We — I can read the numbers, but I — what's that like to be — to have that going on around you?

Beth Pratt:

You know, again, when this is your community and watching your friends' homes destroyed in an instant, knowing you could be next, it's really heartbreaking.

But I think I'm actually kind of angry. This is climate in action. This is what happens when we don't address the climate change problem. We're in a 1,500-year drought here in California. We have die-off of over a million trees caused by beetle infestation, caused by drought, caused by climate change.

And we have great leaders here in California. Governor Gavin Newsom is a leader on climate. And it also gets hard when people are saying, oh, it's a California problem. No, this is — people in coal burning states need to come help fight the fire in my backyard.

So, these monsters, these aren't even wildfires. These are human-caused firestorms because of climate. And it's quite terrifying to be a part of that, especially knowing that we could have done something.

John Yang:

This is the biggest fire so far this year in California, but it's not the first fire in this area. You have had a number of fires in the past three weeks or so.

Beth Pratt:

Yes, I'm — I have even lost count. We had two start yesterday. I think it's six in three weeks.

Again, this isn't normal. I have been up here 25 years. When I first moved here, you would have a big fire every five to 10 years. And that was about it. I mean, we're just having multiple major fires a year and smaller fires. Again, this is climate inaction in action.

I mean, this is what happens. It's a new way of life. Those of us who live up here, we know we're going to have to coexist with fire. There's no way around it. If you're looking at my house in the background, I put metal siding on it. I have metal roofs. I do a lot of thinning and brushing.

So those are things you need to do if you're going to — if you're going to live up here, because, fire, it's not going to go away.

John Yang:

How else do you do adjust to coexisting or living with the threat of fire so much?

Beth Pratt:

You know, it's — I will say I do all the things I just outlined. It's still scary.

I work in wildlife, so I promote coexisting with wildlife a lot. That seems a little easier than fire. There's no doubt. Fire is a big, scary animal. I think you also have to have plans, right? I mean, I have an evacuation plan right now.

I have — even before this fire have a few options of wonderful friends that I can go to. When you have animals, like me — I have five dogs and two cats — you have to have a plan. You have to know how to get out. So you have a go bag. I mean, I — you don't wait. You are kind of on alert all summer.

You also don't travel. These days, I don't like to go anywhere, especially getting on a plane, during fire season, because I wouldn't be able to get back here in time.

John Yang:

You talked about your pets. What's — what's the effect on the wildlife in the area?

Beth Pratt:

Yes, that troubles me as well, again, as somebody who does work in wildlife conservation.

I mean, this is just as impactful on wildlife, in some respects, more so. I can evacuate to an air-conditioned friend's house. They have got no options. and, as we see with climate change making these fires longer, hotter, burning more space, that's introducing an element that wildlife can't adapt to.

Any plant or animal in California is adapted to a natural fire cycle, right? They have strategies. They are not adapted to these firestorms, so, for instance, can't escape them as easily. Or the habitat itself, since it burns hotter and longer, may not even be suitable when they go back.

So it's really tough on the wildlife. I haven't even mentioned the smoke. You can hear my raspy voice. Especially in the last five years, we're getting a lot of smoke thrown at us. I just bought a really heavy-duty smoke filter for my house, but the wildlife don't have that.

So the impact of the smoke, both on people and wildlife, has to be substantial.

John Yang:

Beth Pratt, the California regional executive director of the National Wildlife Federation in Midpines, California, now being threatened by the Oak Fire.

Thank you very much, and good luck.

Beth Pratt:

Thanks for having me.