Jim Posted October 31, 2003 Posted October 31, 2003 I hope this get used to thin forests on the urban/wildland interface - and not used as an "end around" current forest regulations to cut in areas away from towns. If so then the restrictions on court cases is problematic. Obviously the bill went through because of the fires in CA - but most of that is due to the chapparel and coastal scrub - not bark beetle/overgrown forests. One person in our San Diego office lost their house, school is still out of session, and the air quality was grim earlier this week. Here's some background, it's not that no noticed the potential: "The Davis administration released an April 16 letter sent to Bush warning that the bark beetle infestation was threatening severe fires in three counties: Riverside, San Diego and San Bernardino. Davis warned that 75,000 residents of mountain communities were threatened. He requested $300 million from the U.S. Forest Service and $130 million from a FEMA account of unused money set aside from previous disasters. "This situation is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the state,'' Davis said in April, a month after he declared three counties in a state of emergency because of the infestation and the potential for major wildfires fueled by Santa Ana winds. Eight days later, a bipartisan group of California lawmakers pleaded with federal authorities to approve Davis' request, saying "this infestation has created a tinder box of such magnitude that loss of life and resources would be incomprehensible should fire break out." The letter was signed by Boxer, and Republican Reps. Mary Bono of Palm Springs, Jerry Lewis of Redlands (San Bernardino County), Darrell Issa of Vista (San Diego County), David Dreier of San Dimas (Los Angeles County) and Duncan Hunter of Alpine (San Diego County), among others. Hunter's home was destroyed in the recent fire. " Quote
catbirdseat Posted October 31, 2003 Posted October 31, 2003 The task is so huge that if they don't concentrate on the Forest-Urban interface no improvement in number of homes lost to fire will result. Even then, it will take 10-15 years. Quote
Jim Posted October 31, 2003 Author Posted October 31, 2003 Does seem like a lot of arm waving. Bill also includes some pork - like a new FS research center in Prineville, OR. Quote
allthumbs Posted October 31, 2003 Posted October 31, 2003 Montana threatens to thin it's forests - a formidable task to say the least. Quote
catbirdseat Posted October 31, 2003 Posted October 31, 2003 There is a book, Northwest disaster; avalanche and fire, that was published in 1960 about the firestorms that occurred in Wyoming and Montana in 1910. Part of the book was about the avalanche at Wellington. The author's name was Ruby El Hult and the book is still available in the King County Library System. It is a good read. Quote
Ratboy Posted November 1, 2003 Posted November 1, 2003 The mudslides next spring in California are going to be worse than the fires. All that uncovered slope... Quote
murraysovereign Posted November 1, 2003 Posted November 1, 2003 Ratboy said: The mudslides next spring in California are going to be worse than the fires. All that uncovered slope... They're already seeing it in Kelowna - just a few weeks after the fire that destroyed 250(?) homes, the same rains that caused flooding here in Squamish triggered localized flash-floods in Kelowna. People who escaped the flames with homes intact saw their houses fill with ash/mud/goop that flushed down off the now-barren hillsides behind their homes. If it ain't one thing, it's another... Quote
marylou Posted November 2, 2003 Posted November 2, 2003 The Bark Beetle infestation is being blamed on global warming. Anyone know where the text of the bill can be read? I want to see if it looks likely that they will be able to use the bill to thin in Wilderness areas. Quote
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