Judge Rules Against Obstuctionists

[MarvB]

Buzzh-

Let me tell you, if there is any forest type that burns hotter and more intensely than a nice thick lodgepole forest...I havent found it.

Granted, doghair lodgepole is a lot more prevalent but try a nice thick patch of knobcone pine if you want to see some extreme heat!

I wasn't saying that sterilization is either common ( I do however think that 5% is a bit on the light side on the districts I was on) nor is somehting that lasts forever. Point is, it does happen but indeed, as you stated, depends on the factors mentioned (soil type, depth, parent materials, litter depth, duff depth, aspect, fire intensity, duration, etc.)

I also heartily agree that most wildfires should be (again depending upon the variables previously mentioned) allowed to burn in many areas. However, I don't think that "soil sterilization" really has ever been a key factor into departmental or agency decison regarding supression (I belive you called it a reason to promote an agenda) any where I have worked, maybe its different in your region?

My whole point gets back to the individual stand/prescription writing perspective- I would rarely call for fire as a vegatative management tool on marginal soils on our district...more so due to erodibility factors than sterilization problems. Fact of the matter is that most of these units themselves (I am speaking of) were marginal in productivity at best and shouldn't have been harvested in the first place!

 

[ELKCHSR]

It still all comes down to economics and the amount of money that is allocated to the areas that have the problems. If they get to many lawsuits to prevent logging and they don't get the funds to do the clean up, then "Let it burn" works very well, no matter what the outcome...
It gets some of the areas that really need it cleaned up for a very nominal fee, they get to bring in extra resources to help keep it semi contained and the ecosystems are then able to be brought back to a more natural state given time.
Personally I like the fires running thru the systems, and it isn't just for personal gain. There is some thing that is very alluring to be by a wild beast of this nature.
Any one that fights or has fought fires for much if any time will agree to this. That is what keeps us out there.
It's no different than the adrenalin rush that is derived from bow hunting, or competing/partaking in dangerous stunts.
And what the heck, if some one is willing to pay you for some thing you love...
All the better.

 

[BigHornRam]

Buzz,

Both lookouts in this area were manned. What's the point? If we are going to let the fires burn naturally, we don't need someone monitoring them. Resources would be better spent spraying knapweed along the roadsides in that area IMO.