In addition to asking the interim Chief of the Forest Service, Vicki Christiansen, why the agency cut the number of large air tankers on exclusive use contracts by 35 percent, we also asked her what changes the agency is making now that they say longer “fire seasons” have become “fire years” due to climate change.
Question: Since the Forest Service is now using the term “Fire Year” rather than “Fire Season”, will a large number of seasonal firefighters be converted to work year round?
“An effective response to the more severe fire seasons we have experienced for the past few years requires strong cooperation between federal agencies, states and tribal organizations. No one organization can do it alone. With these strong partnerships, we are prepared for what we expect to be another active fire season. The Forest Service, along with assistance and cooperation with our federal, tribal, state, and local partners and volunteers, is well prepared to respond to wildfires in 2018. This year, the agency has more than 10,000 firefighters, 900 engines, and hundreds of aircraft available to manage wildfires in cooperation with federal, tribal, state, local, and volunteer partners. At this time, there is no national direction to change seasonal tours.”
Question: How will the Forest Service change to deal with the “Fire Year” — the longer fire season?
“Early indicators are predicting that 2018 will be another active fire year. The USDA Forest Service is committed to ensuring adequate assets are available for a safe and effective wildfire response. In preparation for the existing and potential wildfire activity, preparations continue to ensure a robust workforce of firefighters, engines and aviators will be available for nationwide wildfire response throughout the fire year. Assets will continue to be moved around the nation as activity shifts from one geographical area to another throughout the fire year. We continue to do what we have for each and every season, and that is to prepare, plan for, and respond to wildfires throughout the fire year, while supporting our federal, state, local and tribal partners and cooperators.”
Question: On another topic, what are your thoughts about salvage logging after a fire vs. allowing nature to take its course in a burned area? Will we be seeing more salvage logging?
“Salvage logging of dead and dying timber after a fire or other disaster is one way to capture the value of the damaged timber. This timber provides much needed products to the American public. Salvaging the timber can also reduce the fuel loading after harvest creates “slash.” Otherwise, over time, these trees could potentially fuel future fires. The value of the trees harvested can be used to treat the burned area. This treatment may include various restoration projects, including planting trees, shrubs and grasses for wildlife and domestic grazing, and watershed restoration projects such as brush dams to reduce sediment flow. In many instances, there is not a seed source left after an intensive burn to allow an area to return to desired vegetation state naturally. Planting allows an area to return to this desired vegetation state in a much shorter time. Typically only about 20-30 % of the burned area is salvage logged, depending on the intensity of the burn. The rest of the area may not be logged because of nearness to perennial streams, soil stability concerns, or that very few of the trees were damaged in the fire. When evaluating the total burn area, the concern over a lack of snags becomes less problematic. Unless forests are treated to reduce the number of stems and the resultant fuels, future fires will continue to create problems.
“In many of our market areas there is a need to maintain at least a portion of the green timber sale program as the mills are designed for certain tree species or certain products. These mills cannot afford to reconfigure the mill for some of the products that come from salvage material. In addition some defects like blue stain in pines does effect the structural integrity of the product. However, many Americans do not like the looks of this defect. Fortunately, some of this lumber can be used in Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) where this feature is covered up.”
I agree with all of the comments previously published. Her answers sound like she is reading from the “talking points” propaganda the WO publishes every year. So sad that everything is so politically driven anymore….
Same old rehtoric. No real substance from the Chief. Head in the sand USFS fire policy. Anyone kind enough to ask the state forestry and local government fire agencies how they feel about having less exclusive use air tankers and copters. The states and local government respond and suppress thousands of more wildfires nation wide compared to the USFS. Just the facts mam withsubstance please
I’m afraid to say it appears that Vickie has “drank the cool aid.” The U.S. Forest Service is her USDA Forest Service as Secretary Sonny wishes, and there’s lots of platitudes muttered about partnerships, etc without facing the issues head on as needed. Wish JWT was Chief again. A real true, no BS straight shooter.
Agreed