Get rid of “Let it Burn” Policies USFS

First: we need a category for ENVIRONMENT. Yeah. Tree hugger here. My heritage is logging. Back in the day there were no conflagration fires. It is NOT due to climate change (no such thing and even if there were we should mitigate forest management to adjust). The USFS would sell the timber for wood production in its various forms and each Ranger District would receive monies from that timber sale and thereby fund their District for equipment, salaries and such. Then one day the USFS discovered that much more money could be made from a large fire. The rest is history and NOW the narrative is that forest fires are natural and good for the forest. Has anyone ever actually thought about this LIE?? Since when is burning it all down GOOD? Let alone the amount of time for reforestation which is usually 100 years give or take. We are committing slow environmental suicide. Uses to be that fires were put out within 24hrs of discovery. It was the law. Used to be that cattle and sheep were allowed to graze the forests thereby keeping the underbrush under control and fertilize the forest floor (great for huckleberries). Used to be that logging companies would thin out the forests by cutting timber, taking out the dead standing timber and burning the slash. Used to be Highschool kids would gather the slash into piles and burn them. It was a great summer job. Used to be our forests were healthy, vibrant and great places to recreate and spend time on vacation. But now our forests and mountains look like Afghanistan … nothing but dirt. the USFS can make more $$$ by burning it all down. They don’t replant either. We have a new industry … Forest Fires. The amount of pollutants pumped into the air surpasses all the pollutants created by chy na and we are being told we need to drive EV cars. See the problem? I have good solutions based upon what has actually worked in the past. We need to stop killing our forests and rejuvenate that land and make our forests Great Again.

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Thank you for the details! I thought I was the only one thinking controlled burns don’t add up.

Living in a forest area, this “Let it burn” till it endangers people is nuts. I’ve been evacuated about 4 times over the years. The last time, our whole town was evacuated. They could either hire loggers and sell timber or let the loggers bid for timber leases and still control which trees meet the specs to cut down. The other problem is that our state government is far left and I guess, endorses these crazy policies. I also think the top USFS personnel need to be reviewed. The guys on the ground seem to be good, but have to follow the stupid orders that come down the chain. I’m also more a fan of state and local gov’t being in charge of their forests and other resources rather then the Fed Gov’t.