>> SOME FAMILIES LOST EVERYTHING IN THE COLORADO SPRING CREEK FIRE, ONE OF THE STATE'S LARGEST, SO WHAT ARE THE SCIENTISTS SAYING ABOUT FUTURE RISKS AS THE POPULATION CONTINUES TO GROW?

IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, WE'LL FIND OUT HOW CLIMATE CHANGES IS PLAYING A ROLL IN THE GOLDEN STATE'S LARGEST NATURAL DISASTER.

>> COUNCIL MEMBERING UP, WE'LL FIND OUT HOW THE FOREST SERVICE IS THINNING THE FOREST TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NO CATASTROPHIC FIRES IN THE FUTURE.

>> THIS HAS BEEN A VERY SLOW, STEADY PROCESS, AND THAT'S BECAUSE IT RELIES HEAVILY ON THE TIMBER INDUSTRY.

>> EARLY IN NOVEMBER , THE CONDITIONS WERE RIPE FOR EXPLOSION FIRE IN CALIFORNIA.

THE STRONG WIND, LOW HUMIDITY, AND DRY CONDITIONS HELPED FUEL A SERIES OF FIRES THAT WOULD DEVASTATE REGIONS AND ENTIRE COMMUNITIES.

WITHIN DAYS OF ERUPTING, THE CAMPFIRE IN CALIFORNIA GREW TO BECOME THE MOST DEADLY AND DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN CALIFORNIA HISTORY, DESTROYING ENTIRE COMMUNITIES.

RESIDENTS NEAR MALIBU WERE CHASED FROM THEIR HOMES AS THE WOOLSEY FIRE CHASED THROUGH THEIR COMMUNITY AND THE CAB I DON'T KNOWS OF VENTURA COUNTY.

>> FROM SO MANY AREAS, FROM DECKER TO MALIBU WEST TO MALIBU, TO THE POINT, WHICH HAS NEVER BURNED IN MY LIFE, TO THE POINT.

SO THIS IS A SHOCKER TO ME.

>> THE HILL FIRE, ALSO IN LOS ANGELES, BEGAN ON THE SAME DAY AS THE CAMPFIRE AND WOOLSEY FIRE.

CALIFORNIA'S LONG, DRY SUMMER IS GREAT FOR AGRICULTURE, AND THE MEDITERRANNEAN CLIMATE IS GREAT.

BUT THIS YEAR, THE RAIN DIDN'T COME, MAKING THE VEGETATION AS DRY AS IT IS IN THE HEIGHT OF THE SUMMER.

SANTA ANA ARE ALSO COMMON DURING THE FALL AND WINTER IN CALIFORNIA.

THIS YEAR, THEY CAME WITH A RADIO, REACHING 60 TO -- ROAR, REACHING 60 TO 70 MILES AN HOUR.

THE FIRE CAME TOO FAST FOR MANY PEOPLE.

>> I HAD ACTUALLY BEEN OUT OF TOWN, SO I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A CHANCE TO SAVE ANYTHING WHEN THE FIRE CAME THROUGH.

>> FIREFIGHTERS CONCENTRATED ON SAVING LIVES, LEAVING BEHIND ENTIRE COMMUNITIES TO BURN.

>> I'VE BEEN IN THE PARADISE AREA SINCE AGE FOUR, SO IT'S NOT JUST LOSING MY HOUSE, IT'S LOSING MY COMMUNITY.

>> FROM CALIFORNIA TO COLORADO TO ARIZONA, INCREASING FIRES ARE THREATENING LIFE AND PROPERTY.

>> I'M REPORTING FOR ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS IN COLORADO WHERE RECENT FIRES DEVASTATED HOMES SUCH AS THIS ONE, AND AS THE POPULATION CONTINUES TO GROW, SO DOES THE RISK.

>> IN YOUR MIND, YOU KNOW IT COULD HAPPEN, BUT YOU NEVER THINK IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO YOU.

>> CRUMBLED CONCRETE AND METAL DEBRIS MARK THE LOTS WHERE DOZENS OF HOMES ONCE STOOD IN COLORADO'S SERENE FORBES PARK NEIGHBORHOOD.

VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER BRENT POINDEXTER KNOWS THE DANGER OF BUILDING IN A DENSE FOREST SURROUNDED BY THICK PINES.

>> IT'S PROBABLY NOT MORE OF IF IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, IT'S WHEN.

>> NEIGHBORS GRIFF AND DEBRA PRITCHARD KNOW THE RISKS, TOO.

AND IN THE SUMMER OF 2018, SOMETHING DID HAPPEN.

FLAMES FROM A MAN MADE BLAZE GREW INTO THE STATE'S THIRD LARGEST WILDFIRE IN HISTORY.

IT RAVAGED MORE THAN 100,000 ACRES OF LANDS AND TURNED THIS HOME INTO ASH IN A MATTER OF HOURS.

>> THERE'S SOME SHINGLES.

THIS IS A PILE OF SHINGLES THAT WERE EXTRA.

>> 17 YEARS AGO, SHE AND HER HUSBAND COULDN'T RESIST THIS GET WAY IN COSTILLA COUNTY.

IT SEEMED LIKE THE PERFECT PLACE TO FIND PEACE AND BUILD A HOME.

SO MUCH SO, SHE CONVINCED HER PARENTS, THE PRITCHARDS, TO BUILD ONE, TOO.

THEIR HOME WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO GO.

HUNDREDS OF OTHERS WERE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.

>> WE JUST WENT PAST HOUSE AFTER HOUSE THAT WAS JUST IN RUBBLES, AND WE GOT TO OUR PROPERTY.

YOU KNOW, THERE WERE NO WORDS.

>> I'M MAD THAT IT HAPPENED TO ME, BUT I'M MORE MAD THAT IT HAPPENED TO THEM, AND I CAN'T FIX IT.

YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO MAKE IT -- I THINK THEY WANT TO FIX IT FOR US.

WE WANT TO FIX IT FOR THEM, AND YOU CAN'T.

>> IT IS WHAT IT IS, YOU KNOW?

AND YOU CAN'T CHANGE IT, SO RATHER THAN BE DEPRESSED ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, MOVE ON.

MOVE ON.

THAT'S ALL.

>> THE FORBES PARK NEIGHBORHOOD SITS IN THE MIDDLE OF WHAT STATE FOREST OFFICIALS SAY IS A HIGH RISK AREA FOR FIRE.

>> YOU SEE ALL THESE AREAS OF RED IN HERE.

RED MEANS AT THE AS THE MOST INTENSE RISK.

>> STATE FORESTERS SAY THIS IS WHERE HOMES SIT NEXT TO FLAMMABLE VEGETATION OR FUEL, MAKING THE DANGER EVEN GREATER.

>> THERE ARE A LOT OF PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO MOVE.

NOW WHETHER THEY SHOULD, THAT'S ANOTHER MATTER ALTOGETHER.

BUT THEY NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE FUELS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE MATERIALS THEY USED TO BUILD THEIR HOMES.

>> IN COLORADO, STATE DATA SHOWS HALF THE POPULATION NOW LIVES HERE, UP ABOUT 12 PERCENTAGE POINTS FROM SIX YEARS AGO.

THERE ARE NATURAL CONTRIBUTORS THAT AFFECT FIRE BEHAVIOR, TOO.

IN COLORADO, FOR EXAMPLE, BEETLES HAVE KILLED THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF TREES, LEAVING BEHIND BRITTLE TREES AND BRUSH.

IMPROVING THE FOREST'S HEALTH CAN PREVENT FUTURE PROBLEMS.

>> I WOULD SAY WHEN YOU HAVE A FOREST CROWDED WITH FUELS, I WOULD SAY YOUR SAFEST BET IS TO USE LOGGING EQUIPMENT TO REMOVE THAT FUEL.

>> BRENT POINDEXTER TOOK US ON A TOUR TO SHOW US HOW FAST FIRES CAN SPREAD DESPITE PEOPLE'S BESTS TO SAVE THEIR HOME.

>> SO THIS IS WHERE THE FIRE CAME AND WENT ACROSS, AND THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE IS WHERE MY HOUSE IS.

>> HE SAYS THE STRATEGY FOR STOPPING A BURN HAS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS, ESPECIALLY WITH MORE HUMAN AND SEE STRUCTURES IN VULNERABLE AREAS.

>> IF THERE WASN'T -- THESE HOUSES WEREN'T HERE, WE WOULD OBVIOUSLY JUST LET IT BURN AND LET MOTHER NATURE DO ITS THING.

BUT NOW THAT THESE GUYS PUT THEIR -- I'M JUST A ROOKIE, BEEN ON ONE FIRE NOW, BUT THEY'VE PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE TO SAVE PEOPLE'S STRUCTURES.

>> EVEN AS FIREFIGHTERS TAKE INCREASED RISKS.

>> JUST LOOKS SMALL PRETTY MUCH.

>> -- SOMETIMES IT'S NOT ENOUGH.

>> THAT'S THE STOVE FROM UPSTAIRS.

THAT'S BASICALLY RIGHT BEFORE WHERE THAT STOVE WAS THE KITCHEN.

>> LOST HIS OWN HOME.

>> WHAT PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND IS THE FIRE'S HERE, BUT IT'S FOUGHT -- THE WIND'S BLOWING EMBERS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE VALLEY, SO A MILE AWAY, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER FIRE POPS UP OVER THERE.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S -- THERE'S REALLY NOTHING YOU CAN DO.

>> WHEN YOU TRY TO THINK WHAT COULD I HAVE DONE DIFFERENT TO HAVE PROTECTED MY HOME, I THINK FOR SOME OF THEM, IT WAS -- THERE WAS ENOUGH TIME FOR THE TYPE II FIRE TEAM TO GET IN AND PROTECT HOMES.

>> FOR TRACEY WECHSLER AND HER FAMILY, THE FIRE RISKS DO NOT OUTWEIGH THE BEAUTY AND TRANQUILTY OF THE FOREST PARK NEIGHBORHOOD.

NOW TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A BLANK SLATE AND ENDLESS NEW POSSIBILITIES.

>> HERE IN FLAGSTAFF, MORE TREES DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN A BETTER FOREST.

THE U.S.

FOREST SERVICE IT WORKING WITH MULTIPLE PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THE FOREST IS THINNED TO PREVENT MORE INTENSE AND FREQUENT WILD FIRES.

>> HERE IN FLAGSTAFF, HOMES COMMUNITIES ARE GOING UP NEXT TO GOVERNMENT NATIONAL LAND.

THE LAND NEEDS TO BE MANAGED, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE LAND IS AS CRITICAL AS WATER AND AIR.

>> WE JUST WANT FIRE THAT BEHAVE THE WAY IT NORMALLY WOULD.

>> THIS IS A SPOKES WOMAN FOR THE FOUR FORESTS RESTORATION AGENCY.

IT'S A MULTIAGENCY PARTNERSHIP SPANNING FOUR NATIONAL FORESTS THROUGH THE GRAND CANYON THROUGH THE EASTERN ARIZONA BORDER.

IT GOT ITS FUNDING IN 200 #, AFTER LARGE FIRES IN ARIZONA.

THE FIRES WERE HOTTER AND MORE DENSE BECAUSE THE DENSE PONDEROSA PINE FORESTS ARE NOT NATURAL.

>> IMAGINE, IF YOU WILL, A FIRE MOVING THROUGH THIS ECO SYSTEM RIGHT NOW.

>> WHAT FOUR FRY DOES IS MANUALLY TAKE OUT THE YOUNGER PONDEROSA TREES TO CREATE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT THAN WHAT PEOPLE ARE USED TO.

COMBINED WITH MODERN DAY EFFORTS TO EXTINGUISH FIRES AS SOON AS THEY START ALLOWS MORE TREES TO GO, IT CREATES A MONO CULTURE, WITH ONE TREE DOMINATING THE SPECIES.

YOU CAN SEE THIS CLEARLY SOUTH OF FLAGSTAFF.

ON ONE SIDE OF A FENCE IS PRIVATELY OWNED LAND THAT HAS NOT BEEN THINNED.

ON THE OTHER SIDE, A FOUR FRY SEPARATE AREA.

>> HERE, WITH THE GRASSY OPENINGS, YOU CAN SEE THE FIRE WOULD ACTUALLY GET ON THE GROUND AND BURN AS A SUR FAA FIRE.

>> SURFACE FIRE BURNS HOT AND LOW, WHILE A FIRE IN THE TREES BURDEN OF PROOF HIGH -- BURN HIGH AND DESTRUCTIVE.

NOT ONLY WOULD A WILDFIRE BURN TREES, IT BURNS SOIL, WHICH MAKES FOR CATASTROPHIC FIRES.

TWO OF ARIZONA'S BIGGEST FIRES, THE RODEO-CHEDISKI FIRE, AND BIG FIRES, THE FIRES BURNED ON THE FOREST WATERSHED.

>> WHEN THE FOREST BURNS, THE WATER PRODUCED IS OF TERRIBLE QUALITY.

IT'S FULL OF SILT, HAS HARMFUL CHEMICALS IN IT.

IT'S JUST A BAD SITUATION ALL THE WAY AROUND.

>> CHARLIE ESTER MANAGES ALL THE WATER THAT FEEDS INTO ARIZONA RESERVOIR SYSTEM.

THOSE RESERVOIRS STILL HAVE POLLUTANTS IN THEIR SYSTEMS.

>> THIS IS JUST A HUGE TASK.

YOU CAN'T JUST PAY FOR IT TO GET DONE.

GOVERNMENT DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY FOR IT.

WE NEED TO GET INDUSTRY IN HERE TO MAKE A PRODUCT, SELL THAT PRODUCT, MAKE A PROFIT, AND ACTUALLY WANT TO THIN THE FOREST BECAUSE IT'S GOOD BUSINESS.

>> VOTERS IN THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF PASSED A $10 MILLION BOND FIVE YEARS AGO TO HELP, BUT EVEN THAT ALONE IS NOT GOING TO BE ENOUGH TO TREAT THE FOREST COVERING THE SHE'S WATERSHED.

ARIZONA GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT COORDINATOR SAYS THE BALLOT INITIATIVE IS JUST ONE WAY TO MOVE THE BALLOT RESTORE ATIVE FORWARD.

THIS YEAR WAS A RECORD YEAR FOR SNOW AND WATER RUNOFF WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN A RECIPE FOR A VERY BAD WILDFIRE SEASON.

WITH MORE EDUCATION AND A WELL-TIMED RAINY SEASON, NORTHERN ARIZONA GOT AWAY WITH MINIMAL FIRE THIS YEAR.

>> THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH WE CAN DO.

MOTHER NATURE ULTIMATELY HAS THE CONTROL OVER THINGS.

SHE HOLDS THE BIG LEVERS, BUT WE'RE DOING ALL WE CAN TO GET THESE SYSTEMS BACK INTO BALANCE SO THAT THEY'LL BE MORE CAPABLE OF WEATHERING THOSE DROUGHTS WHEN THEY DO OCCUR.

>> THE FOREST WILL KEEP CHANGING WITH HUMAN'S HELP, BUT THE PROCESS IS SLOW, WHICH HAS A LOT OF FOLKS SAYING, IT'S ONLY A QUESTION OF WHEN, NOT IF APPROXIMATE, THE NEXT MAJOR FOREST WILDFIRE COULD HAPPEN IN ARIZONA.

>> I'M DAVID LOZAR WITH PBS SOCAL IN LOS ANGELES.

HERE, THE WORRY IS WILDFIRE INTERACTING WITH WILDLIFE AND DENSE URBAN SPRAWL.

COULD CLIMATE CHANGE BE ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THE THOMAS FIRE RAGED ON FOR WEEKS.

>> DECEMBER 2017.

SEVERAL MASSIVE WILDFIRES ATTACKED THE REGION, FROM SOUTHERN SAN DIEGO COUNTY TO VENTURA COUNTY.

THE COMBINATION OF THESE FIRES SCORCHED HUNDREDS OF SQUARE MILES AND DESTROYED OR DAMAGES HUNDREDS OF HOMES, FORCING BOTH MANDATORY AND VOLUNTARY EVACUATIONS THROUGH SEVERAL SOUTHLAND COUNTIES.

MANY SCIENTISTS BELIEVE CLIMATE CHANGE IS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR OF WILDFIRES IN CALIFORNIA AND ACROSS THE NATION, PARTICULARLY IN WESTERN STATES LIKE COLORADO, ARIZONA, NEVADA, AND UTAH.

>> WILDFIRE IS A REALLY INTERESTING SUSTAINABILITY ISSUE.

>> ALEX HALL IS A CLIMATE SCIENTIST WITH THE INSTITUTE OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY AT UCLA.

HALL DIRECTS THE CENTER FOR CLIMATE SCIENCE AND IS WITH THE UNIVERSITY'S ATMOSPHERIC AND ON OR ABOUT SHUNNIC SCIENCE DEPARTMENT.

>> FOR THE LAST 100 YARZ WE'VE BEEN BURNING FOSSIL FUELS THAT HAVE LED TO GREENHOUSE GASES IN THE ATMOSPHERE.

GREENHOUSE GASES TRAP HEAT, AND THAT HAS LED TO A STEADY WARMING OF THE PLANET THAT'S BEEN ACCELERATING IN RECENT DECADES.

FIRES ARE DRIVEN BY DRY AND HOT WINDS, AND WHEN WINDS BECOME HOTTER AND DRYER, THAT LEADS TO GREATER FIRE RISK.

CLIMATE CHANGE ALSO AFFECTS VEGETATION.

IT TENDS TO DRY OUT VEGETATION DURING OUR HOT SUMMERS, AND IT DRIES IT OUT MORE AS THE CLIMATE WARMS MORE, AND SO THAT CAN CREATE A GREATER RISK FOR FIRE, AS WELL.

>> IRONICALLY, WE ARE INTERVIEWING ALEX ON THE ROOF OF ONE OF THE UCLA BUILDINGS, JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM WHERE THE BEL AIR FIRE SURROUNDED UCLA.

UCLA WAS A STAGING AREA FOR FIREFIGHTERS AND EMERGENCY RESPONDERS TRYING TO FIGHT THE BLAZES WHERE THESE HILLSIDE WILD LANDS AND L.A.

DENSEFIED URBAN SPRAWL INCREASES THE EFFECT.

>> IT ALSO INCREASES THE SWING BETWEEN VERY WET AND DRY YEARS, SO WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE FIRES LAST SEASON WERE A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT'S TO COME WITH FIRE.

WE HAVE A REALLY, REALLY BIG WET SEASON IN 2016-2017, AND THAT LED TO A BUILDUP OF VEGETATION.

THAT VEGETATION DRIED OUT OVER THE COURSE OF A VERY HOT SUMMER IN 2017.

AND THEN, THE RAINY SEASON DID NOT ARRIVE AS IT SHOULD HAVE, AND SO BY THE TIME WE GOT TO DECEMBER, WE HAD THESE VERY HOT AND DRY SANTA ANA EVENTS THAT OCCURRED, AND THAT WAS THE PERFECT CONDITIONS FOR A VERY LARGE FIRE.

CLIMATE CHANGE WILL INCREASE THE FREQUENCY OF THOSE TYPES OF EVENTS.

>> AND BASED UPON ALL YOUR SCIENTIFIC DATA, YOU DON'T BELIEVE THIS IS JUST PAR FOR THE COURSE, NORMAL SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WEATHER, YOU BELIEVE THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS PLAYING A MAJOR ROLE IN THIS.

>> WE'RE BEGINNING TO SEE THE CLIMATE CHANGE ROLE EMERGE CERTAINLY IN THE CLIMATE RECORDS, AND THEN, AT THE SAME TIME, THE FIRES ARE ALSO BECOMING UNPRECEDENTED.

WE'RE SEEING FIRES THAT ARE SETTING RECORDS IN TERMS OF THEIR SIZE AND INTENSITY.

>> ANY WILDFIRE COULD HAVE DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES.

THE LOSS OF LIFE, THE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE, THE TREMENDOUS FINANCIAL TOLL, AND THEN, THERE'S THE ENVIRONMENTAL TOLL.

THESE DISASTERS CAN INDUSTRY FORESTS AREAS, DESTROY THE HABITAT OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS, DEPLETE NATURAL RESOURCES AND DAMAGE THE ATMOSPHERE BECAUSE OF THE HEAVY AMOUNTS OF CARBON DIOXIDE.

DESPITE THIS, SCIENTISTS EXPLAIN FOREST FIRES CAN BENEFIT THE ENVIRONMENT.

THEY CAN RID FORESTS WITH DEAD AND DE-KAYING MATTER.

-- DECAYING MATTER.

THEY CAN HELP THE ECO SYSTEM BALANCE BECAUSE THEY DESTROY DISEASE PLANTS AND DANGEROUS INSECTS, AND THE FIRES EVEN REGENERATE SEEDS FOR TREES THAT REQUIRE INTENSE HEAT EVERY FEW YEARS TO SPROUT.

>> WILDFIRE IS A NATURAL PART OF OUR LANDSCAPES, AND OUR NATURAL LANDSCAPES NEED WILDFIRES TO REGENERATE, AND WE HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO COEXIST SUSTAINABLY GOING FORWARD WITH WILDFIRE.

THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVEN'T DONE A GREAT JOB WITH IN CALIFORNIA.

>> WE DO TAKE A VERY PERSONAL FEELING TO WHAT'S GOING ON HERE, SO I HATE TO SEE THIS, THIS CAN CONTINUE TO BE A VERY EXPLOSIVE AND EX-PANSIVE EVENT.

>> AS A SCIENTIST, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT OUR SUSTAINABILITY RELATIONSHIP WITH FIRE.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE CAN DO TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS TO STOP BURNING FOSSIL FUELS.

WE NEED TO REPLACE THOSE ENERGY SOURCES WITH RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES.

EXAMPLE OF THOSE ARE SOLAR POWER, WIND POWER, HYDROPOWER.

THOSE ARE THINGS WE NEED TO RELY ON IN THE FUTURE.

WE WILL SEE LESS WARMING IN CALIFORNIA, AND THAT WILL LEAD TO LESS OF -- OF AN IMPACT ON FIRE.

THAT WILL LEAD TO LESS OF AN INCREASE IN FIRE RISK.

>> I'M JORDAN DAVNIS FOR CRONKITE NEWS, AND I'M HERE IN FLAGSTAFF AS A RESTORATION SITE.

THE U.S.

FOREST SERVICE, ALONG WITH MANY STAKEHOLDERS, ARE WORKING TO REMOVE THEMMENT THINNING TREES IN THE WOODS MAY NOT BE THE MOST GLAMOUROUS JOB.

>> I WOULD PLAY CARS WITH MY FRIEND AND WE'D PRETEND WE HAD A LOGGING COMPANY.

>> LAST YEAR, A FIRE PREVENTION AND RESTORATION EFFORT HIRED HIM TO HELP THEM THIN THE FOREST IN NORTHERN ARIZONA.

>> WITHOUT WELL INFORMED LOGGERS IMPLEMENTING THIS WORK, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET TO THE DESIRED CONDITION WE WANT ON THE GROUND.

>> SUAREZ LEFT A LAW DEGREE BEHIND.

IT HASN'T BEEN EASY TO START THE JOB, EVEN WITH THE INITIATIVE.

SUAREZ SAYS HIS EQUIPMENT WOULD COST ALMOST $500,000, SO HE RENTS IT.

>> RENT IS EXPENSIVE, SO THAT KIND OF EATS INTO YOUR PROFITS A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE HAD TO DO WHAT WE HAD TO DO.

>> AND TREE HARVESTING SEASON RELIES ON THE WEATHER.

WHEN IT SNOWS OR RAINS, IT'S TOO DAMP FOR SUAREZ TO OPERATE EQUIPMENT.

THEN IT'S THE WINTER.

>> MIDDLE TO LATE DECEMBER WHEN IT STARTS SNOWING, AND THE GROUND GETS TOO MUDDY, SO YOU LOOK AT ABOUT JANUARY AND FEBRUARY AS THE DOWN SEASON.

>> AND THEN, THERE'S FIRE SEASON.

>> THE WHOLE MONTH OF JUNE AND SOME OF JULY, WE COULDN'T OPERATE IN FEAR OF HAVING TO START A -- A FIRE.

>> SUAREZ'S GOAL?

HELP PREVENT WILDFIRES BY THINNING THE FOREST.

THIS HELPS KEEP WILDFIRES FROM BURNING FAST AND HOT AND FROM GETTING CLOSE TO COMMUNITIES.

THERE'S A LOT OF FOREST THAT'S THIN, BUT IT'S HARD -- FOREST TO THIN, BUT IT'S HARD FOR COMPANIES LIKE SUAREZ TO MAKE A PROFIT.

>> THE SMALL AND MEDIUM TREES THAT WE'RE REMOVING ARE JUST SUCH LOW VALUE THAT IT REQUIRES A WHOLE LOT OF CERTAINTY AND TIME TO RECOVER THE INVESTMENT THAT IT TAKES TO BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE SAWMILLS AND LOGGING EQUIPMENT.

>> SMALL PAY LOADS MAKE IT HARD TO FIND SOMEPLACE TO PROCESS THE WOOD.

THE CLOSEST LUMBER MIL IS MORE THAN 150 MILES AWAY IN PHOENIX.

>> SO THAT GETS PRETTY EXPENSIVE ON THE SHIPPING COST WHEN WE HAVE TO DELIVER THAT FAR.

>> THE FOUR FOREST RESTORATION INITIATIVE HIRED SUAREZ AND OTHER DEFORESTERS AS PART OF A PLAN TO RESTORE 2.4 MILLION ACRES OF TREES IN THE NEXT SEVERAL DECADES.

MORE THAN 185,000 ACRES HAVE BEEN THINNED SO FAR, AND CHAPMAN SAYS NEW IPAD TECHNOLOGY FOR TREE HARVEST OPERATORS WILL HOPEFULLY CREATE OPPORTUNITIES AND TIME.

>> WE HAVE MAPS THAT SHOW THE OPERATORS VERY SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS AS THEY GO THROUGH THE WOODS, AND THEN, THE OPERATORS ARE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THAT INFORMATION BY HAVING A COMPUTER IN THE CAB WITH THEM.

>> WITH THIS TECHNOLOGY, SUAREZ SKB HIS TEAM OF FOUR ARE ABLE TO REMOVE THOUSANDS OF TREES.

>> WE CAN TYPICALLY CUT ABOUT 4,000 TREES, I WOULD SAY ON AVERAGE, MAYBE 5,000 ON THE HIGHER END.

>> BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT THE INITIATIVE BELIEVES WILL PROTECT COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE WEST.

>> I THINK IT'S A GOOD CAUSE, AND IT'S A VERY GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO REDUCE FIRE RISK WHERE WE CAN MAINTAIN THE FOREST FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.