California fires used repeatedly to push "Healthy Forests"

[theivoryqueen]

Second article this week - in LATimes - that details the determination of this admin to use the fires in California to push their agenda.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lopez29oct29,1,4811717.column?coll=la-home-headlines

Using Fires to Blow Political Smoke

Biography:
Steve Lopez
Recent Columns:
Using Fires to Blow Political Smoke
October 29, 2003

For several days in the nation's capital, there's been lots of fiddling on fire-prevention policy while California burns. Actually the fiddling has gone on for years, which is one reason we can't see for all the smoke.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out how to prevent the kinds of roaring fires that are currently swallowing homes and taking lives. If we're going to be dumb enough to continue building in high-fire-danger areas, brush needs to be cleared to prevent the spread of killer blazes.

But we don't do it, because our attention spans are shorter than the time it takes to eat a bag of Cheetos. Someone can be burned out of house and home, only to move straight back to Tinder Box Boulevard as soon as possible and wait for history to repeat itself.

Finally, though, we've got Washington's attention. Not long after the first house went up in flames last week, various elected officials and Bush administration surrogates said it was time to cross the Ts on the president's Healthy Forests fire-prevention initiative. For my money, the most spirited cheerleader was Rep. Richard W. Pombo (R-Tracy), who sent out a press release with the title:

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

[Scaramouche]

1. The Irony is can you imagine the logging industry in Simi Valley...

going after Euchalyptas, Oak and Manzanita harvesting in the midst of milion dollars homes...

The clear cutting they want is pine, douglas fir, and old growth redwood over 500 miles to the North of these fires. Pisses me of that people who beleive this tripe are unaware of the flora of Southern California...

[NewYorkerfromMass]

6. so make them aware

the fallacy of real timber forests being compared to California chaparral needs to be made. Inform everyone. Maybe Moveon.org can get involved.

[chiburb]

2. And aren't the trees burning...

Because of some beetle or other insect infestation? The point being that the timber would've been useless to "industry" anyway?
Nice post btw, Ivory...

[theivoryqueen]

3. Thanks!

It is ironic that the fires that are burning now aren't in areas that are targeted for "thinning". Which as any visitor to the Northwest during the Reagan years knows is also called "clear-cutting".

And here is another article today that references "thinning"....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31358-2003Oct28.html

[Beaker]

7. Not only that- they've been denied FEDERAL money

To clear out the dead trees from the infestation over the past couple years.

[maggrwaggr]

4. republicans will lie about anything to get their way

and the media lets them.

[DealsGapRider]

5. Two cosponsors of the Senate Healthy Forests bill are Wyden and Feinstein

Both Democrats.

The Healthy Forests bill passed in the House by 256 to 170 with 42 Democrats supporting.

My folks like near a national forest, so this issue is near and dear to my heart. Our forests do need thinning.

[sandnsea]

8. That's not true

"Several alternative fire bills have been introduced in the Senate. The Community Forest Protection Act by Senators Wyden and Feinstein offers protection to old growth, roadless areas, and watershed, as well as prioritizing fuels reduction projects in the wildland-urban interface. The Forestry and Community Assistance Act by Senators Leahy and Boxer does all these things and also protects our rights to comment."

http://westbynorthwest.org/artman/publish/article_583.shtml

[DealsGapRider]

9. What's not true?

I didn't say that there aren't other forest health bills. Only that the one being debated in the Senate today is cosponsored by Feinstein and Wyden. It's a totally bipartisan bill.

[Clete]

10. Healthy Forests 101

Everyone needs to acquaint themselves with the Sierra Club's main page on how forests should be maintained and what is being done by the Bush administration instead.



http://www.sierraclub.org/forests/





There are links to articles and recommended reading.

[adriennel]

11. healthy forests is just a name

don't be fooled by "Healthy Forests". It's primary purpose IS NOT about thinning the forests for safety reasons--it is about allowing the timber industry access to our national forests!! quite different.
remember, Bush's "Clear Skies" program has actually increased emissions by nearly 50%.

[Beaker]

12. How would the 'healthy forests' initiative have helped with these fires?

Is there a lot of logging done, or even available in the chapperal(sp?). a lot of the pics I see are of vast swaths of scrub and bushes and the like...

[Kool Kitty]

13. You're right.

That horse's ass, Daryl Issa, is on "Crossfire" right now saying that the environmentalists kept them from burning brush and that is why this fire is so big.

[Nlighten1]

14. I heard this spin on NPR today.

The "news person" claimed that the fires were so bad in California because of all the "dead wood".

[slackmaster]

15. To have a healthy forest you have to have trees

:shrug:

At least the pine bark beetles are taking it on the chin in Cali.

[Superfly]

16. Let them burn!

Fire is a natural way that forests renew and rejuvenate themselves.