Crisis on our National Forests: Reducing the Threat of Catastrophic Wildfire [San Bernardino Fires]

The Congressional Record ^ | August 25, 2003 | DR. THOMAS M. BONNICKSEN

[Carry_Okie]

If I didn't know what I was talking about, that is almost exactly what I would have said.

It's a disastrous policy: nice sounding words designed to turn any fire into a destructive conflagration. To understand how it works in practice, consider the Winter Fire.

[editor-surveyor]

"Hundreds of them, where there were none."

We had a similar experience last spring on our property in Toulumne County, where we have spent the last three winters removing and burning brush that had acumulated over the last 80 years or so. - The place was covered with millions of wild flowers, where there had been ugly dense brush, and the ponds were full of hundreds of different species of aquatic insects, amphibians, worms, and even turtles.

The place looked like the city dump with trees when we bought it. It's hard to imagine how much progress can be made in a short time.

[Carry_Okie]

This is what we are losing by not thinning forests.

Iris macrosiphon. We have thousands now, where there were none.

This is a globe lilly, hundreds, and more every year.

This is Franciscan Coyote Mint. It's deer resistant. I hope to propagate it.

A mountain lilac blossom, thousands on bushes ten feet across.

Many of the plants that would normally come back after a fire would be overwhelmed by weeds. Here is Blue Curls (also called vinegarweed), nearly gone from large parts of the state due to government protection.

All of these species are being displaced by weeds. Weeds dry the ground and destroy the soil. Consider that there is 22 million acres of starthistle in this State, much of it thanks to CalTrans. Can you imagine any landowner or industry having that kind of impact?

[Askel5]

Hey ... I just realized you might be a font of knowledge re: some of the species I saw in Spain.

Those are beautiful, Carry_Okie. Far preferable to strangulation by weeds.

What is CalTrans?

[Carry_Okie]

What is CalTrans?

CalTrans is the he California State Department of Transportation. They spread the starthistle seed in required straw mulching of all roadwork, on roadside mowing equipment (because they wouldn't spray), ditch-cleaning equipment (because their drainage designs suck), and on construction equipment (they don't clean it like they should). A lot of this could have been avoided by having local people do much of the mitigation, maintenance, and restoration. If it doesn't move, it doesn't spread the seed. The total cost would probably have been cheaper.

[TASMANIANRED]

I have a question? Surely there are some legal eagles on this site that would have an opinion.

What is the problem with returning fire and holding these enviro nuts accountable. If fuel load = hotter , bigger fires then, Why not sue the Sierra Club and many of these other groups for the cost of these wild fires.
They are the ones advocating, and litigating the policies that increase fuel load.

[D_Okie]

See http://www.waterforthewest.org for a billboard with
your message.

We may not be able to hold them legally responsible, but
we can do quite a lot to get out the truth about what is really happening.

Also, for a list of Resources, see
http://www.calcof.org/Resource_Links.php

http://www.calcof.org/forums/index.php for a forum on
Healhy Forests.

[Carry_Okie]

What is the problem with returning fire and holding these enviro nuts accountable. If fuel load = hotter , bigger fires then, Why not sue the Sierra Club and many of these other groups for the cost of these wild fires. They are the ones advocating, and litigating the policies that increase fuel load.

President Clinton indemnified any NGO belonging to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) in EO-12986. It's unconstitutional as hell, but Bush has not rescinded it.

[Carry_Okie]

See #28.

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks for reposting this reality re Club Sierra.

I wonder how many Freepers will now leap up to defend the Club Sierra thugs?

[Grampa Dave]

A superb post and incredible re the timing.

[Carry_Okie]

I know. It's sad that so few will really read it.

[Grampa Dave]

Wouldn't you like to take our new governor on a walk in the terrible forests created by Club Sierra and then your little forest and other good forest in America before he becomes our governor?

[Carry_Okie]

I'd be delighted.

[B Knotts]

Hopefully, this will make your Gov.-elect realize that the enviro-wackos are out of control. He seemed to me to be a bit scared of them. Maybe this will wake him up.

I reckon they can smell the smoke in Hollywood, so maybe something positive can come out of such a tragic situation.

[Grampa Dave]

I doubt if he is scares of them.

Like so many of us, he has been lied to and mis lead by the enviralists for decades.

The reality of their false message has cost at least 13 lives in So California and a massive amount of money.

Just look at the freepers who defend Club Sierra and other enviral groups and even ELF/ALF. They have bought the warm fuzzy green lies for decades. Waking up to the reality of the Watermelon enviralists is like finding out there is no Santa Claus nor Easter Bunny at the same time for most believers of the Greens.

[Ladypixel]

Interesting report ping. Talk 'bout it later?

[Carry_Okie]

Waking up to the reality of the Watermelon enviralists is like finding out there is no Santa Claus nor Easter Bunny at the same time for most believers of the Greens.

As you can personally attest, my friend.

Chances are, as you know, that the thugs who precipitated this fire will argue that it was caused by the fact that people were living there.

With as much as I know about these creeps, I still have trouble comprehending the depth of this kind of evil. That they would allow not only the suffering of people, but every creature they would pretend to defend, that they would then deny the consequences even when faced with them is simply beyond imagination. I have seen it too many times to have much hope for the worst of them. I can only pray we can convince their supporters that something fundamental has to change.

[Grampa Dave]

You posted what will be in the LA Slimes and on S California tv after these fires are out. They will blame the victims of the fires for the fires instead of the enviralists.

You posted, "Chances are, as you know, that the thugs who precipitated this fire will argue that it was caused by the fact that people were living there.?

[bjcintennessee]

ping