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Increasing Wildland Fires - What Do We Do About It
I don't know how many of you are wildland fire responders, but would be interested in your opinions.
You might have heard that Congress has passed legislation the help fund the Forest Service in firefighting. The USFS budget is one amount for firefighting AND funding the National Parks. As fires get worse, they have had to take money from the parks budget to pay for firefighting. I have NO OPINION about USFS management, but would say, in their defense, that they get a lot of flack from the American public who worry about what’s happening to the national parks.
So, now (hopefully, at some point) there will be more $. So, lets say another 100 engines and 1,000 USFS firefighters are on the ground. (From my mouth to God’s ears, as they say), Does that solve our fire problems? NO
I live in Malibu. Each year the fires in CA are coming earlier, getting worse, and lasting longer. Soon we will have a full 12 month fire season. Each year we hear, "unusually dry season, low rainfall, etc." That's the norm! The fire services are doing all they can, but there is still a terrible loss of property. There are several basic issues interrelated with the problem of global warming-
> Accumulated brush which hasn't burned in 20+ years
> Increased development on the urban-wildland interface
> Power poles over weighted with fiber-optic cable
> Everyone everywhere expecting full fire protection at no cost
> Lunatics who think it would be fun to set something on fire.
So, – what do we do about our fire problem in the US. It’s just gonna get worse. Add 1,000 more firefighters? Add 2,000?
Kurt Kamm
kurt@OneFootInTheBlack.com
You might have heard that Congress has passed legislation the help fund the Forest Service in firefighting. The USFS budget is one amount for firefighting AND funding the National Parks. As fires get worse, they have had to take money from the parks budget to pay for firefighting. I have NO OPINION about USFS management, but would say, in their defense, that they get a lot of flack from the American public who worry about what’s happening to the national parks.
So, now (hopefully, at some point) there will be more $. So, lets say another 100 engines and 1,000 USFS firefighters are on the ground. (From my mouth to God’s ears, as they say), Does that solve our fire problems? NO
I live in Malibu. Each year the fires in CA are coming earlier, getting worse, and lasting longer. Soon we will have a full 12 month fire season. Each year we hear, "unusually dry season, low rainfall, etc." That's the norm! The fire services are doing all they can, but there is still a terrible loss of property. There are several basic issues interrelated with the problem of global warming-
> Accumulated brush which hasn't burned in 20+ years
> Increased development on the urban-wildland interface
> Power poles over weighted with fiber-optic cable
> Everyone everywhere expecting full fire protection at no cost
> Lunatics who think it would be fun to set something on fire.
So, – what do we do about our fire problem in the US. It’s just gonna get worse. Add 1,000 more firefighters? Add 2,000?
Kurt Kamm
kurt@OneFootInTheBlack.com
Add a Comment
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Comment by Kurt Kamm on July 14, 2008 at 2:16pm
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I guess we're lucky in LA County, because our fire funding is pretty good. Where I come out is forcing people to take responsibility for fire clearance. It won't save everyone's home, but a lot of wildland losses come from poor clearance. We had a (arson) fire last year in Malibu which took out about 50 homes, at a loss of $400 million (!) It was one canyon away from where I live. When I went to see what happened, I couldn't believe it. The homes that were left were surrounded by brush, overhanging trees, etc. No wonder it burned.
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Comment by Robin Inman on July 14, 2008 at 12:49pm
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Hey Kurt.....good blog. Adequate funding seems to be the ever increasing problem everywhere. With Municipal, State and Federal budgets becoming tigther it seems on of the first place they want to cut it with Fire Departments and Police Departments, then they fund other programs that have nothing to do with helping and saving human lives. These other programs are important and during times when money is more readily available should be funded....but when the country is in fiscal crisis and we need to tighten our belts then we must make some hard decisions and choose basic fundamentals to be funded. Saving lives, fighting fires, education, etc. So many people complain when they feel that Fire personnel, EMS or Police are quick enough when there is an emergency....yet many times these are the same people who vote for fru fru projects to be funded when there isn't enough money to go around or they say that Emergecy Service Personal (Fire Fighters, EMS, Police, etc.) make too much money. They seem to forget that like our Military personnel we are the groups that put our lives on the line for people.
It's a very frustrating situation and one that can only be changed it we contact our elected representatives and vote, vote, vote.
Take care and stay safe.
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