KPBS Midday Edition

'Land On Fire' Author Discusses New Reality Of California Wildfires

By Maureen Cavanaugh / KPBS Midday Edition Co-Host, Marissa Cabrera / News Producer, KPBS Midday Edition

Published July 25, 2017 at 7:51 AM PDT

This story was published more than 7 years ago.

Fire crews battle the Gate fire in Jamul in San Diego's East County, May 21, 2017

'Land On Fire' Author Discusses New Reality Of California Wildfires

'Land On Fire' Author Discusses New Reality Of Wildfires GUEST: Gary Ferguson, author, "Land on Fire: The New Reality of Wildfire in the West"

Fire crews are gaining ground on a California wildfire burning outside of Yosemite.

The Detwiler fire, in Mariposa County, has burned more than 118 square miles, 60 homes and has sent plumes of smoke as far away as Idaho.

Book cover of "Land on Fire" next to an undated photo of author Gary Ferguson.

This is just one of a dozen fires that have ravaged the state in recent weeks. A new book makes the case that these types of fires are the new normal.

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In, "Land on Fire: The New Reality of Wildfire in the West," author and nature writer Gary Ferguson writes heavy fuels, climate change and housing development are mostly to blame for mega-fires. A mega-fire is defined as a single incident that burns more than 100,000 acres.

"They (mega-fires) used to be quiet rare. Since 2000, we've had 10 years with more than a dozen mega-fires across the west. Fires are hotter. They are burning faster and it's really sort of a perfect storm," Ferguson said.

Ferguson discusses Tuesday on Midday Edition what communities across the West can do to be more "fire-wise."

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KPBS Midday Edition San Diego Wildfires

Maureen Cavanaugh

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Maureen Cavanaugh has been a familiar voice for KPBS listeners for more than 15 years, serving in a variety of capacities including announcer, host, and producer. As host of KPBS Midday Edition, Maureen has interviewed a wide range of notables, such as comedienne Sandra Bernhardt, actor John Lequizamo, author Chuck Palahniuk, composer Marvin Hamlisch, artist Robert Irwin, and designer Zandra Rhodes. But of all the interviews Maureen has conducted, her most special was with His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. Before joining KPBS in 1997, she worked as a news anchor for KSDO and KOGO News Radio in San Diego. While working for commercial radio stations in San Diego and in Salt Lake City, Utah, Maureen reported on both hard news and lifestyle features. Maureen has received three "Golden Mike" awards from the Radio and TV News Association of Southern California for economic reporting and breaking news. She has also received a "Best of Show" and “Best Radio Newscast” awards from the San Diego Press Club and the "Flo" Award from Public Radio Program Directors Association for Best Public Radio Announcer in a large market. Maureen is a native of Queens, New York, but after more than 20 years in San Diego she feels she qualifies as a real Southern Californian.

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Marissa Cabrera

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Marissa Cabrera worked as a producer for KPBS Midday Edition and had previously served as a Newscast Producer for KPBS' Morning Edition. Before joining KPBS she reported on Vatican affairs, social, and cultural issues in Rome, Italy. She also contributed to a documentary on sex abuse in the Catholic Church. Marissa has worked as a multimedia journalist at various news stations in San Diego and Monterey as well as Columbia, Missouri. Marissa graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism.

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