Wake Up And Smell The Smoke: Forests burn in Southern California [Archive]

landusepbb

10-25-2003, 06:31 AM

News from the Committee on Resources

For Immediate Release

October 24, 2003

Wake Up And Smell The Smoke

Forests burn in Southern California

Washington, D.C. - Wildfires burn in Southern California, threatening homes, air and water quality, and local wildlife as the Senate considers taking up legislation aimed at improving the health of our nation's forests. The Healthy Forests legislation, passed on a bipartisan vote in the House, specifically addresses forest health concerns by allowing fuel reduction projects on wildfire prone lands. Giving local forest managers increased flexibility and 21st century technology, the bill implements a balanced approach to combating wildfire prone forests.

Wildfires erupted across Southern California's San Bernardino National Forests Tuesday morning, scorching more than 3,800 acres of forest. The House Committee on Resources, chaired by Rep. Richard W. Pombo (R-CA), held a field hearing in Lake Arrowhead, CA on September 22. Testimony was heard from a number of local witnesses on the current forest health crisis in the San Bernardino National Forest.

"Historically, this forest was fairly open, with mostly larger trees. Today, a very different forest, one choked with mostly smaller trees-often hundreds per acre-all competing for limited moisture and nutrients," said Jack Blackwell, Regional Forester, U.S. Forest Service. "If a large fire occurs, it is likely to threaten the lives of many residents and forest visitors. The mountain communities have nearly 100,000 structures, ...the increased risk of catastrophic wildfires would likely threaten life and property, and could damage public utilities and other infrastructure."

With wildfires burning out of control, several thousand homes have been evacuated across the area. Flames and smoke can been seen from miles away polluting Southern California's already degraded air and water quality.

Joseph Grindstaff, General Manager of the Santa Ana Watershed Authority, testified before the committee in September concerning the effects wildfire in the San Bernardino National Forest would have on local communities and wildlife.

"Sediment loads carried downstream would be increased by 30 to 50 times more than normal, taking an estimated 1.7 billion cubic yards of rock, sand and debris into control structures and dams," said Mr. Grindstaff. "The quantity of this material could take months or years to remove."

Grindstaff also noted the negative affect water pollution would have on the San Bernardino kangaroo rat, the Santa Ana sucker fish, and the Santa Ana wooly star, all federally-protected species.

"The effects of the wildfire in this area are likely to be severe for five or more years," said Mr. Grindstaff.

"The warning area residents and forest managers gave us has come true," said Chairman Pombo. "It's time to act, move the legislation and allow local forest managers to actively treat forest conditions across the country. Given the devastating effects, it would be irresponsible not to act on this bill."

For more information, please contact Brian Kennedy at (202) 226-9019.

Lil Uzi

10-25-2003, 07:23 AM

Thats all good and factual, but the fire in question is really a brush fire. National "Forest" in Name only. Anyone who looks at these brush bombs can see an inferno waiting to happen. The origon of the fire was arson. Burn management has been an accepted tool of nature stewardship for over 50 fifty years in the US. It is generally espoused and accepted that before the arrival of Europeans, "native americans", Indians, set frequest brush fires to flush game and clear land for hunting. The fire ecosystem developed around this semi-natural method of fuel load removal. Since the oldest human evidence in the Americas only dates back to 12,000 or arguably 24,000 years before present, I wonder what the fires were like before then. The brush and fuel load would build up for decades, then poof, a freak thunderstorm would come along and a fire from hell would surely sweep the land, with nothing to stop it but the rainy season months away, or the total exhaustion of flamable acreage.


Pirate4x4.Com > Miscellaneous > General Chit-Chat > Wake Up And Smell The Smoke: Forests burn in Southern California PDA : Wake Up And Smell The Smoke: Forests burn in Southern California landusepbb 10-25-2003, 06:31 AM News from the Committee on Resources For Immediate Release October 24, 2003 Wake Up And Smell The Smoke Forests burn in Southern California Washington, D.C. - Wildfires burn in Southern California, threatening homes, air and water quality, and local wildlife as the Senate considers taking up legislation aimed at improving the health of our nation's forests. The Healthy Forests legislation, passed on a bipartisan vote in the House, specifically addresses forest health concerns by allowing fuel reduction projects on wildfire prone lands. Giving local forest managers increased flexibility and 21st century technology, the bill implements a balanced approach to combating wildfire prone forests. Wildfires erupted across Southern California's San Bernardino National Forests Tuesday morning, scorching more than 3,800 acres of forest. The House Committee on Resources, chaired by Rep. Richard W. Pombo (R-CA), held a field hearing in Lake Arrowhead, CA on September 22. Testimony was heard from a number of local witnesses on the current forest health crisis in the San Bernardino National Forest. "Historically, this forest was fairly open, with mostly larger trees. Today, a very different forest, one choked with mostly smaller trees-often hundreds per acre-all competing for limited moisture and nutrients," said Jack Blackwell, Regional Forester, U.S. Forest Service. "If a large fire occurs, it is likely to threaten the lives of many residents and forest visitors. The mountain communities have nearly 100,000 structures, ...the increased risk of catastrophic wildfires would likely threaten life and property, and could damage public utilities and other infrastructure." With wildfires burning out of control, several thousand homes have been evacuated across the area. Flames and smoke can been seen from miles away polluting Southern California's already degraded air and water quality. Joseph Grindstaff, General Manager of the Santa Ana Watershed Authority, testified before the committee in September concerning the effects wildfire in the San Bernardino National Forest would have on local communities and wildlife. "Sediment loads carried downstream would be increased by 30 to 50 times more than normal, taking an estimated 1.7 billion cubic yards of rock, sand and debris into control structures and dams," said Mr. Grindstaff. "The quantity of this material could take months or years to remove." Grindstaff also noted the negative affect water pollution would have on the San Bernardino kangaroo rat, the Santa Ana sucker fish, and the Santa Ana wooly star, all federally-protected species. "The effects of the wildfire in this area are likely to be severe for five or more years," said Mr. Grindstaff. "The warning area residents and forest managers gave us has come true," said Chairman Pombo. "It's time to act, move the legislation and allow local forest managers to actively treat forest conditions across the country. Given the devastating effects, it would be irresponsible not to act on this bill." For more information, please contact Brian Kennedy at (202) 226-9019. Lil Uzi 10-25-2003, 07:23 AM Thats all good and factual, but the fire in question is really a brush fire. National "Forest" in Name only. Anyone who looks at these brush bombs can see an inferno waiting to happen. The origon of the fire was arson. Burn management has been an accepted tool of nature stewardship for over 50 fifty years in the US. It is generally espoused and accepted that before the arrival of Europeans, "native americans", Indians, set frequest brush fires to flush game and clear land for hunting. The fire ecosystem developed around this semi-natural method of fuel load removal. Since the oldest human evidence in the Americas only dates back to 12,000 or arguably 24,000 years before present, I wonder what the fires were like before then. The brush and fuel load would build up for decades, then poof, a freak thunderstorm would come along and a fire from hell would surely sweep the land, with nothing to stop it but the rainy season months away, or the total exhaustion of flamable acreage.