Some good news from Idaho regarding prescribed burns

[44hunter45]

I'm a little exhausted by discussing Lt Governors, idiots, the left and right fringes, and Idaho politics today. But, as Samuel Clemens said, I repeat myself.

Then I saw this. I'm hoping this leads to increased public acceptance of prescribed burning.

Why Idaho Formed A Prescribed Fire Council

Idaho has joined more than 30 other states in bringing agencies together to coordinate and promote prescribed burns.

www.boisestatepublicradio.org

 

[Salmonchaser]

Kinda funny how so many people want us to follow the science but fight prescribed burns.
this is good news.

 

[Lucky_Lep]

Great news! Fire suppression strategies we're a terrible idea.

I am a California refugee, and have been saying ever since the left stream media started pushing the "Fire Watch" and climate change propaganda as the only reason for the increase in wildfires, that one of the biggest reasons for the raging wildfires was piss poor forest management. Here is a then and now in Yosemite.



Here is an older photo of the entrance to the Yosemite Valley


Here is a recent photo



You can't even see the valley floor.

A friend of mine on the FD in S. Cal. educated me on why raging wildfires are worse for the environment than any prescribed burn. This is because raging fires burn so much hotter that they burn all of the root systems in the soil, which then kills all the micronutrients the forest needs to regenerate the next year. With no living organisms after a raging wildfire, forests can't regenerate for years or over a decade. Habitat dies, animals relocate, and the regeneration cycle takes even longer.

I'm happy to hear ID and 30 other states are reversing course after so many years or poor forest management.

 

[bisblue]

I still do some wildland fire duties, mostly fire origin and cause investigation.

I think the big challenge is the money side. People building cabins (wildland urban interface) don't want fire near their places, then want fire folks to protect them when the fire is burning, logging companies make less money doing conservation focused logging, and would prefer to (log) nuke a huge zone as it's cheaper.

Prescribed fire is mostly limited by funding, staffing, and the longer hotter seasons. Money goes to fight fires first, staff are often worn out by the shoulder season (especially seasonals who time out in early October), and the longer hotter season leaves less time for these while staff is around and capable, not injured, etc....

The recent BHA podcast with the fire guy was awesome, really hoping folks realize the importance of prescribed fire. This panel seems like a great step forward though. Proactive management and public buy in is gonna be key to long term success.

I think folks realized that prescribed fire was the wave of the future about 20-30 years ago, but with shrinking budgets, and especially the old funding program, where you had to find money for giant fires locally, and rob all the other program funding, no one has had the resources to go after it in a big way.

The hardest part is the layers of gray with logging and prescribed fire, but often one side says "we have to log everything" one side says "no killing trees" and the scientists saying, "this drainage from here to there, this meadow, this ridge" just gets drowned out. It's all about the details.