To: President Donald Trump, The United States House of Representatives, and The United States Senate
Wildfires on public land: Causes, Costs and Prevention
Please mandate that Forest Service and Department of Interior agencies designate our tax money for emergency measures to prevent wildfires now. The drought in the West makes the situation urgent. According to the National Interagency Coordination Center, there are 7 uncontained and 3 new wildfires on public lands on May 31, 2014.
The Government must act now to accomplish:
1) Stopping any industrial activities in the forests that contribute to wildfire danger.
2) Clearing of excess fuel: underbrush and ladder brush
3) Creating fire lines with environmentally friendly mechanical mulches
4) Instituting fire safety education and inspections in communities located in potential wildfire areas.
See http://www.g-a-l.info/ForestFireReport.htm for detailed information.
Why is this important?
Wildfire season has arrived! We are in a serious drought in the Southwest. According to the National Interagency Coordination Center there are 7 uncontained and 3 new wildfires on public lands on May 31, 2014.
[http://www.nifc.gov/fireInfo/fireInfo_statistics.html]. Yet the Forest Service and Department of Interior agencies (including BLM and Park Service) have not gone into emergency mode to clear underbrush fuels and make fire lines—before the fires start!
Wildfire prevention needs to start today!