Some good will come from the recent wildfire on the Kenai Peninsula. You might not see it right now, looking at 200,000 acres of dead, blackened snags, but the good is there.

Until their roots rot and the wind blows them over, many of these “burn poles” will stand there for years, so get used to them. And try not to think of them as dirty, ugly and useless. After they’ve shed their burnt bark and weathered for a few years, they take on a light-gray hue. Trees with a story to tell, ghost-like burn poles add variety and character to what otherwise might be a lackluster landscape.

In 1944, Smokey Bear started saying, “Only you can prevent forest fires.” Other than replacing “forest fires” with the more-inclusive “wildfires” in 2014, here we are, 70 years from when he started, and he’s still pointing a furry finger at us and telling us we can prevent wildfires.

The trouble with slogans is that they don’t use enough qualifiers. What bothers me most about Smokey’s is that he apparently believes that wildfires can be prevented. Sure, we can prevent some wildfires, but we’ll never be able to prevent all of them.

Author’s note: Part one of a series of two.

The vitality of the Kenai River is threatened. Power boat wakes and stream bank development have contributed to the erosion of the river’s banks and the degradation of its fish beds. Increased use on the river endangers fish and wildlife habitats. Competition among people who sport fish, professional fishing guides and others who use the river for recreation and transportation creates overcrowded, hazardous and unpleasant conditions.

I have a few questions, but one of them isn’t “What is life all about.” If you live on the Kenai Peninsula, you don’t have to ask that one. You know life is all about fishing.

Do fish ever sleep? If so, how do they get the job done in the Kenai River in July, with power-boats running up and down, day and night, and with people pulling them out of the water, measuring them and posing them for photos? Wouldn’t they be better off if they could rest when they’re tired? Come to think about it, we humans don’t get a lot of rest in July. Why should the fish be better off than us?