The second lecture in the Mendocino College Symposium series is scheduled for Tuesday, December 1 at 6 pm. In his lecture, titled Understanding our New Wildfire Crisis: Can We Tame the Blazing Beast?, Mendocino College faculty member Chris Ineich will discuss the increase in catastrophic wildfires in our region.  

Since 2015, our region has endured an unprecedented string of conflagrations that have shattered local and state fire records, disrupted lives, and transformed entire landscapes. In his talk, Ineich will explore the contours of this new fiery world, try to explain why wildfire behavior got so bad so fast, what the long-term ramifications might be, and what we might do to get some control over the beast. 

In addition to teaching at Mendocino College, Ineich is also a faculty member Sonoma State University where he teaches ecology, field biology, soil science and environmental science. His interests include the ecology and management of local forest and woodland communities, fire ecology, climate change, pollinator ecology and conservation, and gardening for food, beauty, and wildlife. He has given numerous public talks on these topics in the local community, and has been working with Potter Valley School to develop an outdoor environmental education program.   

At Mendocino College, part of our mission is to be an intellectual, economic and cultural anchor for the region, and it is our responsibility and honor to act as a leading public role in the district. Many Americans today are standing up demanding change throughout the US and in our own communities. This is not an easy time, but it is an important one. Change, and open, honest discussions are needed. To better serve our community, Mendocino College has begun this public lecture series focused on our social and community challenges. The lectures take place via Zoom webinars on the first Tuesday of each month from 6-7. There will be no lecture in January.  

For direct links to the lectures and for ongoing updates about the series, please visit: /symposium.