Today the U.S. Forest Service released this 18-second video of Interim Chief Vicki Christiansen talking about wildland fire.
The @USDA Forest Service Interim Chief Vicki Christiansen talks about the vision for the agency. pic.twitter.com/498vs4wsT9
— U.S. Forest Service (@forestservice) May 17, 2018
And, below are some written words attributed to the Chief:
The @USDA Forest Service Interim Chief Vicki Christiansen took part in the Western Forestry Leadership Coalition in Denver, Colorado this week. pic.twitter.com/B3nSyajaQt
— U.S. Forest Service (@forestservice) May 17, 2018
Wildfire Today:
When you pull up the USFS Chief’s Office Staff, out of 8 people listed there, only one is male. The USFS has changed considerably since I was a Hot Shot in the 70’s. I wonder if there is any correlation with this shift and the ineptitude of its Wildfire efforts? Seems pretty discriminatory to me to have a 7 to 1 ratio.
Forest Service “Interim” Chief, (this is not intended as a negative comment about Ms. Christiansen in any way, shape or form). It seems that now agencies heads selected are temporary appointments of some kind or another appointment. The current one for the NPS is acting and has some perhaps shady dealings in his past. The prior one was a pretty good career person. But as in most acting positions long-term planning and implementing meaningful programs and policies is often limited. And there is no consistent leadership. That takes time to show it and earn the respect of employees and if it is constantly changing it’s just not going to happen. Here today, gone tomorrow. Yes the day to day stuff gets sort of done but not much beyond that. In my eyes that means there is some very weird and crazy stuff going on at the WASO level a year and a half into a new administration.