Sterling

Bowers
English 2010
11/17/22
Living With Wildfires
- Wildfires are growing in frequency and intensity
- The financial and human costs of fires are increasing
- There are different beliefs about the cause of wildfires and the
best plan to fight against it

Swanson, David. The Guardian, 2022,

Personal Interest
- I love the mountains and have seen forests before and after a fire
- I am pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Range Land Management so
the health of forests is an integral part of that field of study
- I believe there is a middle ground where we can learn to live with
fires

McGonigal, Chris. “Before and after Images Show the Terrifying Force of California Wildfires.”
Use of Ethos
- Multiple sources that are from scientific journals or other reliable
studies
- Present the counter-argument, not avoiding it
- Avoid personal pronouns that give clear personal bias

Park, Roffey. “The 7 Best Books to Improve Influencing Skills.”

Use of Pathos
- Most readers have seen seen photos and videos of the
destruction wildfires create. Simple descriptions will bring up
emotions in the reader from their previous experience
- Wildfires are a very emotional topic so I want to focus more on
Ethos and Pathos

Jr., Cleve R. Wootson, et al. “'a Serious, Critical, Catastrophic Event': At Least 21 Dead as California Wildfires Spread.”
Use of Logos
- Use of historical data to present known facts
- Accurate numbers for climate change, fire frequencies and land
burned
- Let the numbers tell the story

Mann, Michael L., et al. “Incorporating Anthropogenic Influences into Fire Probability Models:
Effects of Human Activity and Climate Change on Fire Activity in California.”
Audience
- Intended for the average person living in the Western United
States
- Purpose is to inform readers who are not familiar with different
aspects of wildfires
- No background knowledge is needed from the reader. Relevant
information will be in the introduction

Nosyreu, Siarhei. “Crowd of People in the Auditorium, Silhouette Vector. Audience Cinema, Theater.
Research Questions
- What is the impact climate change has on wildfires?
- How much have wildfires increased in recent years?
- Where are wildfires increasing the most?
- What is the impact on people, animals and the forest?
- Who decides the policies relevant to wildfire management?

Facebook.com/creativelix.com. “Question Marks ⦿ the Origins...”

Working Thesis
- People need to switch the focus from eliminating all wildfires to
learning to live with them as a natural events
- Wildfires have always been a part of the life cycle of western
forests, people are the new variable
- Human interference in managing forests, which fires are allowed
to burn, where structures are built and non-natural ignition
sources are all just as relevant as climate change if not more
important
Research Plan
- Use multiple scientific papers and journals as sources
- Find data that backs up claims, not just opinions
- Investigate historical events and policies that have changed the
course of wildfires
- Examine where people choose to build compared to fire-prone
areas

“Man with Magnifying Glass - Free Transparent PNG Download

Works Cited
Facebook.com/creativelix.com. “Question Marks ⦿ the Origins...” Creativelix.com ⦿ Expressing Concerns, 10 Sept. 2022,
https://creativelix.com/question-marks-the-origins/.

Jr., Cleve R. Wootson, et al. “'a Serious, Critical, Catastrophic Event': At Least 21 Dead as California Wildfires Spread.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 26
Oct. 2021,
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2017/10/10/pure-devastation-at-least-15-dead-as-firefighters-struggle-to-weaken-california-fires/.

“Man with Magnifying Glass - Free Transparent PNG Download - Pngkey.” PNGkey.com,
https://www.pngkey.com/detail/u2e6a9t4e6u2i1t4_man-with-magnifying-glass/.

Mann, Michael L., et al. “Incorporating Anthropogenic Influences into Fire Probability Models: Effects of Human Activity and Climate Change on Fire Activity
in California.” PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0153589.

McGonigal, Chris. “Before and after Images Show the Terrifying Force of California Wildfires.” HuffPost, HuffPost, 16 Aug. 2018,
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/before-and-after-california-wildfire-destruction_n_5b71b885e4b0ae32af9a5d9b.

Nosyreu, Siarhei. “Crowd of People in the Auditorium, Silhouette Vector. Audience Cinema, Theater. Stock Vector - Illustration of Background, Presentation:
124026071.” Dreamstime, 18 Aug. 2018, https://www.dreamstime.com/crowd-people-auditorium-silhouette-vector-audience-cinema-theater-image124026071.

Park, Roffey. “The 7 Best Books to Improve Influencing Skills.” Roffey Park Institute, Roffey Park Institute, 16 Dec. 2021,
https://www.roffeypark.ac.uk/knowledge-and-learning-resources-hub/the-7-best-books-to-improve-influencing-skills/.

Swanson, David. The Guardian, 2022,

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/feb/23/climate-crisis-driving-increase-in-wildfires-across-globe-says-report-aoe. Accessed 2022 .