wildfires around Prescott (and Heber, AZ)
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Posted on 02/15/2003 2:16:09 PM PST by madfly
The U.S. Forest Service wants to thin about 34,000 acres of forested land beginning this summer to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires. The thinning is expected to reduce fuel, improve tree diversity and general forest health on about 28,850 acres of national forest land and 5,179 acres of private land over the next 10 years. "They have to do something to keep the town from burning down," resident Ray DeCosta said. DeCosta said he realizes removing vegetation may result in reduced property values, loss of scenic beauty and increased smoke and noise, but he knows it may be the only option to protect the drought-stricken area. "It's a necessary evil," DeCosta said. Forest Service officials are trying to avoid another blaze like the 1,300-acre Indian Fire, which destroyed six homes here last May. Another blaze in eastern Arizona, the Rodeo-Chediski fire, charred 469,000 acres and destroyed hundreds of homes last summer. Forest officials also want to prevent further bark beetle infestations. In 2002, the insects killed about 2.5 million ponderosa pines and at least 4 million piñon pines throughout Arizona. "It's a situation of almost an emergency status," said U.S. Rep. Rick Renzi, who represents a sprawling rural district taking in a large section of the northern part of the state. The Republican congressman is trying to get money by this summer for the thinning project, which is expected to cost $4 million to $7 million. The cost depends on whether the Forest Service will be able to sell the trees. Renzi is also trying to get legislation passed to enable the Forest Service to bypass environmental laws. "When you have a dead forest because of fires and beetle infestation then reasonable people should agree that timber needs to be salvaged," Renzi said. President Bush has been promoting a Healthy Forests Initiative, which would speed up environmental reviews and allow more cutting on federal lands to save woodlands and wildlife from the ravages of fire. The wildfire season typically starts here in June. But Forest officials say the season could start in April or even earlier unless there is significant snow or rain. Congress refused to enact the initiative this fall, but the Bush administration is taking steps to implement it anyway. Many environmentalists agree preventative measures need to be taken to protect this hilly terrain in northern Arizona, which is swiftly becoming a tinderbox. But they fear Republicans are using the threat of wildfires as a scare tactic to undermine environmental protections. The Sierra Club's Grand Canyon chapter, as well as the Center for Biological Diversity and the Southwest Forest Alliance are concerned the Forest Service's project won't save old growth and large-diameter trees. "These projects aren't an immediate panacea," said Sharon Galbreath, a Sierra Club volunteer. "That's the scariest thing to me." The Prescott project's creator, Roy Fluhart, said people questioning the plans are only looking at the short-term effects. "They look at what is in front of them," said Fluhart, a Forest Service employee. "What they don't envision is what is going to happen in five to 10 years when all of the trees are going to be down on the ground." The Forest Service is reviewing comments from the Sierra Club and others on the environmental assessment of the thinning initiative. A decision will be made on the assessment by the end of February, followed by a 45-day appeals period. If no one appeals the decision, the thinning can begin. The Forest Service plans to use money it already has to start thinning high-risk areas, such as land surrounding homes, but it is largely dependent on money from Congress to do more. DeCosta said by the time the Forest Service starts thinning this summer, it may be too late to save some homes. "It's going to be a long, hot summer," DeCosta said. "I think we are in deep trouble."
Bark beetles reduced thousands of the trees to brown skeletons; wildfires blackened others. And some of the remaining healthy ponderosa pines in and around Prescott may soon be gone, too.
A decision will be made
on the assessment
by the end of February, followed by a 45-day appeals period.
If no one appeals the decision,
the thinning can begin.
sorry, don't have their address)
Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my Arizona ping list!. . .don't be shy.
I’m a real hardcore lurker, but I like to keep informed.
These wording changes if implemented would give the State the power to force the Federal Government to either thin, and clean up the forests, or allow the State to do it, or arrange for private entities to thin, and clean. It would in effect give Arizona an improved version of New Mexico Senate Bill 1.
It may get pushed aside by the budget mess, hopefully since there is no expense involved they will consider it. Even if it gets passed by the legislature, we don't anticipate that "Butch" will sign it.
Haven't been over to Heber in quite some time. But, as I remember it, all the forest along 260 could use some thinning, IMHO.
Governor brings relief to victims of Rodeo-Chediski fire
(Excerpts)
Napolitano handed over a $413,000 grant to help pay for planting Ponderosa pines and other plants on private lands burned by the Rodeo-Chediski fire in June and July. The fire charred 469,000 acres and destroyed some 450 homes in the areas around Show Low and Heber-Overgaard. "Simply put, this region needs trees," Napolitano said. After the presentation, she voiced support for residents concerned about a lawsuit filed recently by environmentalists reacting to federal government plans for thinning Arizona forests. Thinning is used partly to remove trees that could feed a wildfire.. .
. . .The money for the state grant came from a water quality program administered by the Department of Environmental Quality. DEQ director Steve Owens said the reforestation will help prevent erosion that would jeopardize water supplies.
After Napolitano presented the grant, she greeted numerous local officials and residents. Among them was Show Low City Councilman Rick Fernau, who told Napolitano that he and other area residents were troubled by the environmentalists' lawsuit.
"They're trying to file lawsuits and keep us from harvesting dead timber in the affected burned areas," Fernau said. "I'm inviting those individuals. We will give them a personal tour of the burned area to show them what we're trying to do as far as harvesting the timber." "Now that it's burned, allow us to harvest that burned timber and at least recover economically some of what's been done by the fire," he said.
Napolitano expressed sympathy and offered assurances. She said she met recently with Arizona environmentalists and that they did not object to reasonable thinning to protect forest communities.
"What you're facing is a radical group out of Santa Fe. They don't care," Napolitano said of the lawsuit plaintiffs. "What we need to do is keep moving forward."
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