Drones help scorched forests

Regenerating millions of western forested acres scorched by wildfires is a Herculean task costing hundreds of billions. However, healthy growing woodlands are essential to reducing atmospheric CO2 and providing abundant clean air and fresh water for people, crops, fish and wildlife.

According to the National Interagency Fire Center, nearly 3 million acres have already burned this year in the U.S. mostly in Arizona, New Mexico and Alaska. By year’s end, that total may exceed 2019, when over 5 million acres of forest lands were charred in California, Oregon and Washington.

Wildfires emitted 1.76...