What Utahns owe each other during wildfire season, in this week’s Inside Voices

Happy Saturday, and welcome to Inside Voices, a weekly newsletter that features a collection of ideas, perspectives and solutions from across Utah — without any of the vitriol or yelling that’s become all too common on other platforms. Subscribe here.

Wildfire season is in full force in Utah and, for one Utahn, it’s a reminder of our shared responsibility.

“As devastating as wildfire can be, wildland fires were once, and remain today, a natural part of Utah,” writes J. Bradley Washa, an assistant professor of wildland fire at Utah State University in an op-ed published this week. “We live in what are called fire dependent ecosystems. One of the earliest maps of the Utah Territory from 1878 shows extensive ‘area of timber destroyed by fire.’ We have altered this natural cycle by suppressing most wildfires and removing Indigenous burning by First Americans. Those who live in the wildland/urban interface have a shared responsibility to learn how to safely live within wildland fire zones and take action.”

When I called him to ask if he’d be willing to share his advice, he eagerly agreed:

Read more about how you can implement his advice.

Beyond what we should ask of each other during fire season, former BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning wrote this week that the federal government also has a responsibility — and the current administration isn’t holding up its end.

“It just doesn’t make sense that the Trump administration is gutting the agencies responsible for managing fire risk when we need these experienced and dedicated people most,” she wrote in an op-ed for Writers on the Range published this week. “Our public lands deliver clean water, clean air and wildlife habitat. Cutting conservation programs and abandoning fire-smart management will leave forests overgrown and ready to burn — with wildfires too big and too hot. Worse still, future generations are going to inherit the choices made today. When the administration guts our parks and public lands to pay for tax cuts for billionaires, they saddle the future with parks and trails that are closed, crumbling roads and buildings, forests prone to even worse fire, smoky skies and ‘No Trespassing’ signs.”

Read her call to action.

And tell me what you think: Are you worried about wildfire impacting your home? What steps have you taken to protect yourself?

Utah Voices

The following excerpts come from op-eds recently published in The Tribune.

How BYU’s Honor Code keeps students safe

“Interestingly, BYU’s Honor Code — long viewed as a challenge in recruiting athletes — is now being pitched by coaches like Kevin Young as a benefit,” writes BYU professor Jeff Dyer. “The message? BYU offers an environment free from distractions like sex and alcohol, helping students focus on what matters most. The Honor Code, when lived, is a protective framework for navigating some of life’s biggest choices.” Read more.

Homelessness in Utah needs collaborative solutions — not politics

“Nearly one in five Utahns spends more than half their income on rent. That’s not sustainable,” writes Michelle Flynn, CEO of The Road Home. “Prevention strategies are more effective and less expensive than emergency responses. And increasing affordable and deeply affordable housing is essential to long-term solutions. Homeless service providers are rightly held accountable for our results. We ask that the same accountability extend to every stakeholder, especially the federal government, to invest in upstream solutions.” Read more.

Adults need to step up against a ‘new kind of bullying’ impacting kids

“Preventing bullying isn’t just about punishment,” writes psychotherapist Lyna Tévenaz. “It’s about changing the culture. Teaching young people that it’s courageous to stand up to the pack, that it’s noble to be an active witness, that it’s possible to make amends and repair hurts, to ask for forgiveness, to grow their sense of self in ways other than by crushing others. It’s time to break out of denial.” Read more.

From Bagley’s Desk

I’m always looking for unique perspectives, ideas and solutions that move our state forward. Learn more about our guidelines for an op-ed, guest essay, letter to the editor and more here, and drop me a note at voices@sltrib.com.