The Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics intends to file a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Commerce, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, and Santa Barbara County Fire Department. The FSEEE filed a “notice to sue” with the three agencies on Wednesday, which is required by the Endangered Species Act at least 60-days prior to filing a lawsuit.
The group charges that during the suppression of the Jesusita fire near Santa Barbara, California last May, about 50 steelhead trout were killed by fire retardant. FSEEE said in the notice that the agencies violated the Endangered Species Act.
The group has been campaigning against the use of fire retardant since at least 2004.