When the air in the San Joaquin Valley was thick with smoke during Butte County’s Camp Fire late last year, UC Davis closed its doors to protect students, staff and faculty. Rather than ask us to traverse campus for classes and meetings, the administration told us to steer clear of the bad air by working remotely. My colleagues and I felt lucky working for an institution that cared about our health, and I was grateful to have a well-filtered retreat at home.
There’s nothing like a disaster to suddenly reveal how deeply connected we are to our environment and other living things in it. The 2018 wildfire season in California has been the most destructive and deadly ever in our state’s history. This year, some 7,500 fires have burned 1.6 million acres across California, affecting humans and animals alike.
