Newly appointed U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Chief Randy Moore sent a letter to Regional Foresters stating that several factors have led the agency to be in “‘triage mode’ where our primary focus must be on fires that threaten communities and infrastructure.”
Moore cited that, due to drought conditions, the number of fires and the reduction of firefighters resulting from the rise in COVID infections, has led the agency to declare it is “in a national crisis” and “we must anchor to our core values, particularly safety.”
As a result, fire resources will be deployed to fires where the agency has the greatest success and “managing fires for resource benefit is a strategy we will not use.” Moore stated the agency would not return to the “10 a.m. Policy,” which dictated that fires should be controlled by 10 a.m. the next morning of the initial report.
“This is the prudent course of action now in a situation that is dynamic and fluid,” Moore wrote. “When Western fire activity abates, we will resume using all the tools in our toolbox, including wildfire and prescribed fire in the right places and at the right time.”
Moore noted that the National Multi-Agency Coordination Group raised the national preparedness level to the highest level of 5 on July 14, the third earliest ever. Controlled burns will be limited to areas at or below preparedness level 2 and with approval of the Regional Forester after consulting with the Chief’s Office.
Vilsack visit
Two days after writing the letter, Moore, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) held a press conference after touring the burn-scarred area left by the 2020 August Fire Complex.
Vilsack acknowledged the federal government needs to do more and pledged more funding for forest management to prevent fires and restore areas after they have burnt.
“We have tried to do this job on the cheap,” Vilsack said at the news conference. “We have tried to get by with a little forest management here, a little fire suppression here, but the reality is this has caught up to us.”
Vilsack pointed out the bipartisan infrastructure package has funding that would provide a “down payment” on forest management and further funding from the budget reconciliation package “will also dedicate resources to greater resiliency in this national treasure that we have in our forest system.”
Vilsack stated with the start of the next fiscal year in October, the Senate and House Agriculture Committees have allocated additional funding for forest management.
Vilsack noted while on a similar visit to Colorado touring the Cameron Peak burn area, he was told that it costs $1,400 per acre for forest management and over $50,000 an acre for firefighting efforts. “I wasn’t great at math,” Vilsack joked, “but I was good enough to know that’s not a great ratio. So, the more $1,400 we spend, the less $50,000 we have to spend.”
Newsom at the conference stressed climate change had contributed to lower precipitation and prolonged drought, resulting in forests in the West becoming a tinderbox.
“In California, as in other Western states, we continue to experience extreme heat, heat domes and droughts that make for very perilous wildfire conditions,” Newsom said.
Newsom thanked Vilsack for visiting the burn area just days after holding a virtual conference to discuss wildfires with President Joe Biden. Newsom stated the administration is “not only identifying the issue; they’re actively addressing it with specific proposals and plans.” Newsom has been a vocal critic of forest management plans from the previous administration after the 2018 Camp Fire but offered a conciliatory tone last year after a memorandum of understanding was signed with the USFS.
At the virtual conference with Biden, Newsom criticized USFS’ policy of letting fires burn, citing the Tamarack Fire, which smoldered for several days until winds whipped the fire to the current 68,000 acres. Newsom called for additional aerial resources, stating at the news conference they haven’t been “shy or sheepish” in replacing older equipment and the state is looking forward to identifying additional resources with other Western states as there are “only a few contracted DC-10s nationwide.”
Vilsack stated that Newsom’s comments “came to my desk,” and the challenge is identifying which aircraft are available from the Defense Department and whether the personnel are available and trained to operate the aircraft.
Vilsack reinforced the strategy by USFS, stating they are going to focus on areas with the highest risk to life and property “and at the end of the day that’s the driving point.” Vilsack told reporters to look at the people in uniform and report on these people who are “willing to risk their lives who protect them and their homes and do the best job they can possibly do to make sure as many people, businesses and homes are saved.” — Charles Wallace, WLJ editor
