Maggie's Farm

Re: Wildfires in the west.

The media is trying to re-write this story also. Fact: up until the era of Bill Clinton for many years the US Forest service did have a policy to put out every fire almost immediately-- within 24 hours. This policy allowed the timber to grow large. Also during this time the USFS believed in clear cutting--a terrible system that was disgusting to both the timber community and the people who understood snow fall management, water run off, etc. In comes Billy boy the wonder and supported by the Greenpeace and other extreme environmentalists at that time he was able to put in place a policy that required the USFS to allow the timber to burn free--to destroy those trees which could have/ should have been logged in a way that was not clear cutting. Other countries have been selectively managing their forests without the extreme clear cutting measures that were in place prior to Bill Clinton. HOWEVER, and this is the key piece. The policy of allowing the fires to run wild was supported by someone thinking that "the Indians used to do it". More recently it has been acknowledged that the Indians were not in the least concerned about sustainable forest management. Rather, they were setting small fires to burn the animals out from the cover of the forest so they could hunt! We do not know if they posted guards around the expected perimeter of these burns in order to control them--anyway our enlightened president mandated free burning wildfires to this day. Let us also examine the roll that Chicago unions played in organizing wild land firefighters into an organized union group. How many times I have watched as large numbers of guys in pick up trucks drive in to pre-determined grassy areas where the union is setting up tents, showers, mess hall, etc. It will be at least three days before they even start to fight the fire!
Now the important question will be this: will the USFS again be wildly out of control of their logging practices, or will they design logging practices and undergrowth burn outs (controlled burns) well. Have they learned anything in the past 25 years?
For more info on the policy in place click here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwest_Forest_Plan

Actually it depends on the variables--which side of the mountain, how deep in the gully, how much sun, how steep the terrain. All of these things contribute to an informed and well planned effort to log and preserve. What is a good system in CA may not be appropriate in WY or MT, etc. Clear cutting just reduces the cost of timber. I do not understand the argument that "selective harvesting prevents reforestation. You can replant in an area that has been selectively harvested. While I agree with you the media only shows the ugliness of the day after a clear cutting, neither side wants the public to see that it is still a great barren scar on the landscape 20 years later. Nor is there a discussion of snow pack in this conversation, which in some areas should be a critical part of the conversation!

Thank you for your thoughts, but I would like us to pursue more science for each area before laying down a convenient blanket strategy for all terrain.