Opinion: When wildfire keeps coming back

Poor Butte County, California, again on fire, its smoke choking the air of states miles away.

Nestled in the Northern Sierras, Butte County is home to Chico State University, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., and portions of two national forests. Almost half its 220,000 residents live in metro Chico. Over the past four years, the county has now become known for the wildfires that keep coming back.

This summer, the Dixie Fire torched more than 559,000 acres of pine, cedar and fir, 1,000 homes and pushed deep into neighboring Plumas County.

Last year, the lightning-ignited Bear Fire merged with others...