Opportunism burns at both ends

For years, land use advocates have urged a halt to development in potential fire zones, along with regular small burns to lower the fuel load.

Developers and others have ardently opposed these measures. Until now. Suddenly, the pro-development crowd is braying that better land use is the key to stopping the fires – anything rather than allow a role to climate change.

For a judicious statement of the issue, see this posting at Andrew Revkin's DotEarth, over at the New York Times.