Change Quote by William Bryant Logan
““Compare the air to a forest. When forest fires occur regularly, there is less fuel for any one fire, so the burns don't become conflagrations. If you prevent forest fires and build up a huge mass of living and dead wood in the forest, when a burn at last occurs, it is likely to be serious and large. When increased atmospheric carbon warms the air and when more vapor is available, conflagrational storms become more likely. [...] Will the pattern of storms be seen in the future as an anomaly? Or with so much more water vapor in the air, is it now normal? 'Everyone talks about global warming,' said Gavin Schmidt, head of the NASA climate models at the Goddard Institute for Space Studies, 'but changes in rainfall often have a bigger impact. We're forcing the climate into a state we have not seen for millions of years””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Climate discussion, William Bryant Logan, 2023
Frequent small fires prevent massive catastrophes; climate change may make extreme events the new norm.
In simple terms: Small fires stop big ones; climate change may normalize extremes.
Key Takeaway
Manage ecosystems and address climate drivers.
Themes
climate change
ecosystem management
risk
environmental policy
Mood
analytical
concerned
Type
scientific
policy‑oriented
When to use this quote
- forest management
- urban planning
- disaster preparedness
- policy making
Key Concepts
ecology
climatology
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance fire prevention with ecosystem health?
- What policies reduce extreme weather risk?
A Different Perspective
May oversimplify complex climate dynamics.
