Forest Restoration: Problems and Opportunities Revisited
Dr. Bob Zybach: Western forests are facing severe decline from overcrowding, wildfire, invasive conifers, and long-term neglect, but landscape-scale forest restoration offers a practical path forward. This article argues that active management rooted in historical forest conditions can reduce catastrophic fire risk, support wildlife, revive rural economies, and return people as responsible stewards of the land.
Logging, planting could thwart powerline fires
In this coauthored opinion piece, Russ Sapp and Bob Zybach argue that catastrophic powerline fires are driven less by ignition sources than by accumulated fuels near transmission corridors. Drawing on personal experience in logging, forestry, and rural power governance, they propose a practical solution: remove tall trees within striking distance of powerlines and replace them with lower-growing, productive vegetation to reduce wildfire risk, protect communities, and support local economies.
The 2022 Cedar Creek Burn & The 1897 Organic Act
Bob Zybach, The 2022 Cedar Creek Fire didn't have to burn 127,311 acres. It started at two acres, was deemed too risky for early attack, and spent a month growing unchecked before exploding on east winds in early September — blanketing Oakridge and Westfir in hazardous smoke for six weeks and costing taxpayers $132 million to fight. Two billion feet of standing timber now rot behind a locked gate, primed to burn hotter next time. The 1897 Organic Act charged the Forest Service to protect these forests for the people. What happened to that mission?
When Controlled Burns Go Bad
“When Controlled Burns Go Bad, The Deadly Lessons of California’s 2020 North Complex Fire”. This article by Dr Bob Zybach and Frank Carrol examines the 2020 North Complex Fire in northern California, exploring how a lightning-sparked wildfire that was initially left unstaffed eventually grew into a catastrophic event. It highlights the risks of wildfire management decisions and controlled burn strategies when conditions allow fires to rapidly expand and threaten nearby communities.
Burned Out: Deadly National Forest Fires Now Entering Towns
Dr. Bob Zybach examines recent National Forest wildfires that have burned into Western communities, comparing recent losses with historical trends and arguing that current forest conditions and management practices have increased wildfire risk to towns and rural landscapes.
A GROWING SEA OF SNAGS
North Umpqua River Wildfires, 2002–2022: Risks and Recommendations by Dr. Bob Zybach examines the causes and impacts of catastrophic wildfire in the North Umpqua basin following the 2020 Labor Day Fires. The report analyzes fuel conditions, prior fire effects, and landscape management factors contributing to fire behavior, and offers recommendations aimed at reducing future wildfire risk to communities, infrastructure, and forest ecosystems.