Ricardo Aguilar

National geographic Online article

Title: Devastating wildfires have ravaged Napa Valley will California's wine industry Survive?
Author:Esther Mobley

Esther Mobleys Article on California wildfires is concerning for a variety of reasons. It touches
on the issue of climate change and the negative it has on the people. It speaks on the impacts that
it has on local culture ,working conditions, and the economy. As soon as the article begins it
immediately touches on the issue of climate change. Mobley compares the fires which are raging
in California to the record of past fires. Noting that the one that is destroying the wine valleys
has decimated California in a way this state has never seen before. As the article continues she
not only points out that the fires are ruining the winery's harvest and land but it is also destroying
decades worth of history as precious family memorabilia had to be abandoned to burn in the fires
as the residents fled the fire. The destruction of the wine valleys has a negative impact on the
local economy which affects the local workers. This destruction has put an immediate halt on the
tourism industry and The loss of the grape fields means that dozens maybe even hundreds of
grape pickers have been left without jobs. What few workers remain have to work not only with
the risk that they might become infected with Covid-19 but also in hazardous unhealthy air. Now
how exactly does this article relate to land management? I chose this article because I think it
shows to beginners in the subject of land management one of the most obvious problems facing
California's public lands today: wildfires. This goes for both private and public land. As I began
to read the articles through the eyes of a novice in land management I had the expectation of fires
only affecting only the residents and fire fighters. However As I finished the article I had become
aware of the multiple things that wildfires affect negatively and how people react to these
situations. Although It is hard for me to truly know the extent of damage of the fires without
seeing and experiencing myself this article serves as the basis for just how badly we need to
protect our lands. Once these things had become clear to me I thought: how can fires like these
be prevented? Unfortunately the article provided little answers. The only thing that the article
included in the question of wildfires and their cause is that they can no longer be approached as a
matter of if but when. This statement in my eyes was seen as rather depressing. However it was
also inspiring to see that these people are aware of the changing climate and ,through these
experiences, will now have an even bigger understanding of the world around them and how to
prepare for the next big fire.