“Trump Has Set The West Up To Fail”

Wildfires took center stage during Wednesday’s Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing.  When questioning U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz, Oregon Senator Ron Wyden said a massive backlog of hazardous fuels has not been addressed as the west heads toward what could be a historic wildfire season.

“I believe that Donald Trump has set Western states up to fail this season and in the years ahead," Wyden said.  " And here's the math as we see it in Oregon and the West. Your agency is in charge of 193 million acres of public land.  Apparently, the President thinks if you treat 2% of that acreage annually, communities are going to be okay.  Oregonians who are choking on smoke each summer don't have to do the math to say, that isn't working.”

These Aren't Your Grandfather's Fires

Wyden also stressed the wildfires burning in the west, “aren’t your grandfather's fires”, noting they’re bigger, hotter, and more powerful.

Schultz said Wednesday that he, like the Senator, is an advocate for prescribed burns.

"It's the most effective means that we can use. It's the cheapest means by which we can treat acres," Schultz said.  "And we have increased. I mentioned previously that so far year to date, year over year, we've increased the number of acres that we've used prescribed fire on year over year significantly.  Other tools that we're looking at are firefighters. So in addition to the fields work that we do, it's also looking at our capacity that we have.”

Schultz noted his department has hired 1,000 additional firefighters compared to this time last year and added 500 non-fire personnel to help support when wildfires start.

Fire Borrowing Legislation Saved Billions

When asked Wednesday about savings resulting from Senator Wyden’s “fire borrowing fix” law, which ensured that the Forest Service no longer must raid fire prevention funds to pay for suppression of active fires, Schultz confirmed the law has saved $12.5 billion in funding, to be used on critical fuels reduction and other work.  That law is set to expire next year; Wyden said he is working to secure a permanent extension.

If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-9791, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsquaremedia.com