Simple solution to a complex problem

Fire up the chain saws.


President Bush on Thur proposed sweeping changes in federal laws and regulations intended to get more money and loggers into the national forests.


Hee haw!

I laughed also when I saw that but it wasn't the happy kind of laugh.


The big reason fire is becoming such a "problem" is that more and more people are building homes in the forest. The irony of the policy is that logging ain't gonna happen where rich people are building forest cabins. Not that logging ever reduced fire danger anyways. sigh.

I thought it was kind of odd that Bush felt anyone actually cared about forest policy to the extent he made it seem that they did. Maybe I should be more concerned, but I ain't.

Its a big issue a lot of places.

Excuse my ignorance - I live on the right coast where large forest fires aren't a big danger. But, if the current situation out west is due to an overabundance of fuel (trees) wouldn't cutting down some of them in a judicious manner help?


BR

The current situation was caused by a combination of record drought and decades of fire suppresion which allowed a fuels buildup. I want the scientists to propose the remedy, not politicians nor the logging industry. Sacrificing environmental law and removing public input seems like a poor first step..


I also wonder what the taxpayer liability should be. If you choose to build in the forest or in a flood plain or an unstable hillside why shouldn't you just accept the consequences? This year the firefighting cost is expected to hit 1.5 billion.

its a real big issue as most of our national forests are devoid of big trees. and whats left is scared clearcuts and trees that have been replanted for cutting, that arent giving a balanced forest just a monoculture.