Playing with Fire Forest Management in America Megan West Topics in Political Theory Spring 2005

The Problem 2000 was 2 nd Worst Fire Season in History 2000 was 2 nd Worst Fire Season in History 17 Deaths 17 Deaths Cost over $2 Billion Cost over $2 Billion 8.4 Million Acres Burned 8.4 Million Acres Burned In just 4 years, 24 million tons of Carbon Dioxide and Nitrogen Oxides were emitted from wildfires In just 4 years, 24 million tons of Carbon Dioxide and Nitrogen Oxides were emitted from wildfires Minimal improvement over last ten fire seasons Minimal improvement over last ten fire seasons Mismanagement Mismanagement Hazardous Fuels Growing Wildland/Urban Interface Ineffective Legislation Ineffective Legislation Focus on the wrong type of Fuels Reduction Focus on Rehabilitation Lack of Funding

Definitions Wildland Fire: Any non-structure fire that occurs in the wildland Wildland Fire: Any non-structure fire that occurs in the wildland Wildfire: An unplanned, unwanted wildland fire Wildfire: An unplanned, unwanted wildland fire Prescribed Fire: Any fire ignited by management actions to meet specific objectives Prescribed Fire: Any fire ignited by management actions to meet specific objectives Wildland Fire Use: The application of the appropriate management response to naturally ignited wildland fires Wildland Fire Use: The application of the appropriate management response to naturally ignited wildland fires Wildland/Urban Interface: Wildland/Urban Interface: Area where there is one home per 40 acres Area where there is one home per 40 acres Less than 1.5 miles from wooded area exceeding 1,325 acres Less than 1.5 miles from wooded area exceeding 1,325 acres Excludes agriculture Excludes agriculture Wildland/Urban Intermix: Wildland/Urban Intermix: Area composed of at least 50% burnable vegetation Area composed of at least 50% burnable vegetation Excludes agriculture Excludes agriculture Source: National Fire and Aviation Executive Board

Wildland/Urban Interface in the Northwest California California 41.7% of land qualifies as wildland/urban interface 41.7% of land qualifies as wildland/urban interface Oregon Oregon 42.8% of land qualifies as wildland/urban interface 42.8% of land qualifies as wildland/urban interface Washington Washington 49.2% of land qualifies as wildland/urban interface 49.2% of land qualifies as wildland/urban interface Total WUI for region in 1990: 11,842,572 acres Total WUI for region in 1990: 11,842,572 acres Total WUI for region in 2000: 13,153,174 acres Total WUI for region in 2000: 13,153,174 acreshttp://silvis.forest.wisc.edu/info.asp

Brief History Proactive forest management has been very controversial Proactive forest management has been very controversial Thought to be bad for the environment Clearing thick areas is actually promoting health Clearing thick areas is actually promoting health Ecological rotation Time frame and scale Time frame and scale Sustainability depends on time frame Sustainability also depends on scale Source:

Federal Wildland Fire Policy Passed in 1995 in response to 1994 fire season Passed in 1995 in response to 1994 fire season Eight Points: Eight Points: Protection of human life is the first priority Protection of human life is the first priority Wildland fire must be reintroduced into the ecosystem Wildland fire must be reintroduced into the ecosystem Agencies will create an organizational climate that supports employees who implement a properly planned program to reintroduce wildland fire Agencies will create an organizational climate that supports employees who implement a properly planned program to reintroduce wildland fire Some for of pretreatment where wildland fire cannot be safely reintroduced Some for of pretreatment where wildland fire cannot be safely reintroduced All areas with burnable vegetation will have Fire Management Plan All areas with burnable vegetation will have Fire Management Plan Wildland fire management and resource management go hand in hand Wildland fire management and resource management go hand in hand Involvement of all partners Involvement of all partners Role of federal agencies is firefighting, fuels reduction, education, and technical assistance Role of federal agencies is firefighting, fuels reduction, education, and technical assistance Source:

National Fire Plan Passed in August of 2000 Passed in August of 2000 Objectives Objectives Assuring that necessary firefighting resources are available Assuring that necessary firefighting resources are available Conducting emergency stabilization and rehabilitaion Conducting emergency stabilization and rehabilitaion Reducing hazardous fuels Reducing hazardous fuels Providing assistance to communities affected by wildland fire Providing assistance to communities affected by wildland fire Committing to the Wildland Fire Leadership Council Committing to the Wildland Fire Leadership Council Source:

Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 Objectives Objectives Reduce dense undergrowth through thinning and prescribed burns Reduce dense undergrowth through thinning and prescribed burns Improve public involvement in review process Improve public involvement in review process Select projects on a collaborative basis Select projects on a collaborative basis Focus projects on Federal lands that meet strict criteria for risk of wildfire damage to communities Focus projects on Federal lands that meet strict criteria for risk of wildfire damage to communities Authorize the Healthy Forests Reserve Program for private lands Authorize the Healthy Forests Reserve Program for private lands Encourage biomass energy production Encourage biomass energy production Develop accelerated program to combat insect infestations Develop accelerated program to combat insect infestations Source:

Prescribed Fire Benefits Benefits Effectively reduces hazardous fuels Effectively reduces hazardous fuels Immulates natural process Immulates natural process Costs Costs Risk to firefighters and others in the area Risk to firefighters and others in the area Dependent on weather and fire danger rating Dependent on weather and fire danger rating Clears entire area Clears entire area Emissions of carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides Emissions of carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides Some soil nutrients lost Some soil nutrients lost

Prescribed Fire Gone Wrong In 2000, a prescribed fire got out of control in Cerro Grande, New Mexico In 2000, a prescribed fire got out of control in Cerro Grande, New Mexico Burn done by National Park Service Fire burned 20,000 acres Hundreds of homes were destroyed Source: Burning Questions: America’s Fight with Nature’s Fire, David Carle

Whole-Tree Harvesting Benefits Benefits Effectively clears hazardous fuels Effectively clears hazardous fuels Selectivity Selectivity Not weather dependent Not weather dependent Cost Cost Some soil nutrients lost in process Some soil nutrients lost in process

Struggling Timber Industry Suffered losses beginning in 1970s because of high interest rates Suffered losses beginning in 1970s because of high interest rates 1990: Northern Spotted Owl put on Endangered Species list 1990: Northern Spotted Owl put on Endangered Species list Typical habitat for Northern Spotted Owls is old-growth forests Typical habitat for Northern Spotted Owls is old-growth forests Moratorium put on old-growth harvesting Moratorium put on old-growth harvesting 2.3 million acres of old-growth forests in Northwest 2.3 million acres of old-growth forests in Northwest Source: More Tree Talk: The People, Politics, and Economics of Timber, Ray Rapael

Community Effects No property taxes paid on Federal wildland No property taxes paid on Federal wildland When U.S. Forest Service puts land up for bid, roughly 25% payment goes to local community to make up for loss When U.S. Forest Service puts land up for bid, roughly 25% payment goes to local community to make up for loss Projects have been in decline since 1970s Projects have been in decline since 1970s

Proposal Replace prescribed fire with whole-tree harvesting Replace prescribed fire with whole-tree harvesting Contract private companies to complete projects Contract private companies to complete projects Use fuels in cogeneration plants Use fuels in cogeneration plants Reallocate funds to build cogeneration plants in Northwest Reallocate funds to build cogeneration plants in Northwest Cogeneration plants create megawatts of power to run mills Cogeneration plants create megawatts of power to run mills Excess power sold to power companies Excess power sold to power companies Projects done in shorter time-frame Projects done in shorter time-frame Projects done on a larger scale Projects done on a larger scale

Conclusion Prevention is safer and more cost-effective than rehabilitation Prevention is safer and more cost-effective than rehabilitation Whole-tree harvesting is the best solution to hazardous fuels reduction Whole-tree harvesting is the best solution to hazardous fuels reduction Environmentally friendly solution Environmentally friendly solution Lowest risk to bystanders Lowest risk to bystanders Reduce preventable deaths resulting from wildfires Reduce preventable deaths resulting from wildfires Benefits struggling timber communities Benefits struggling timber communities