"Palm Trees Act as 'Fuel Ladders,' Spreading Flames"
Tall Height of Palm Trees Made Firefighting Difficult During LA Wildfire
In Los Angeles (LA), the largest city in the western United States recently ravaged by a massive wildfire, calls to remove palm trees are growing louder. It is argued that cultivating palm trees, which are vulnerable to fire, is inappropriate in a situation where large wildfires can occur at any time.
According to the Washington Post (WP) on the 30th (local time), Nick Jensen, head of the conservation program at the California Native Plant Society, warned, "Palm trees act as a 'fuel ladder,' causing flames to rise to the tops of trees and allowing embers to spread over a wider area."
For a long time, palm trees have been considered a symbol of LA. Currently, there are about 100,000 palm trees managed by the city of LA.
However, there have been consistent criticisms that palm trees are functionally inferior to other trees. Compared to broadleaf trees with abundant branches and leaves, palm trees provide less shade for pedestrians and are much more vulnerable to fire. In fact, during the recent wildfire suppression efforts, palm trees reportedly became a significant obstacle to firefighting.
A luxury home in Pacific Palisades burned down, leaving only the swimming pool intact. Photo by AP Yonhap News
Additionally, contrary to their common image, palm trees are not native plants of LA, which adds momentum to the calls for their removal. Originally, LA was an area where large trees did not grow, mostly covered with shrubs and grasslands, but in the late 1800s, real estate developers began using palm trees while developing California. This was a marketing strategy to highlight the warm climate to people living in the colder eastern regions.
The beautification campaign conducted ahead of the 1932 LA Olympics also contributed to the spread of palm trees. The city of LA planted thousands of palm trees as part of urban beautification efforts.
Experts argue that native California oaks are more resistant to wildfires and provide more food and habitat for wildlife.
However, there is also criticism cautioning against blaming palm trees alone for wildfire damage. The wildfire spread due to strong winds and densely packed buildings, not solely because of palm trees. Stephanie Pincetl, a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), said that LA’s palm trees have been dying in large numbers recently due to invasive pests and diseases, adding, "It is problematic to plant palm trees indiscriminately, but removing all palm trees would be regrettable."
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