Fix America’s Forests: Reforms to Restore National Forests and Tackle the Wildfire Crisis. by Holly Fretwell , Jonathan Wood. April 12, 2021 @HollyFretwell @Jon_C_Wood
Jan 18, 2022, 12:09 AM
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Fix America’s Forests: Reforms to Restore National Forests and Tackle the Wildfire Crisis. by Holly Fretwell , Jonathan Wood. April 12, 2021 @HollyFretwell @Jon_C_Wood
https://www.perc.org/2021/04/12/fix-americas-forests-reforms-to-restore-national-forests-and-tackle-the-wildfire-crisis/
In 2020, the largest wildfire in California history scorched six counties in the northern part of the state. The August Complex Fire burned more than one million acres across three national forests and destroyed hundreds of structures. But devastating fires are not limited to California. Across the West, more than 10 million acres burned in 2020—a record in modern history. These fires consumed more than 17,500 structures and more than $3.5 billion in firefighting costs. Tragically, dozens of lives were lost, and many more people were displaced by evacuation orders. Fires released smoke that degraded air quality nearby and hundreds of miles away. They also destroyed wildlife habitat, including for imperiled species, and the fires’ aftereffects will soon lead to erosion that harms water quality in local watersheds.
In 2020, the largest wildfire in California history scorched six counties in the northern part of the state. The August Complex Fire burned more than one million acres across three national forests and destroyed hundreds of structures. But devastating fires are not limited to California. Across the West, more than 10 million acres burned in 2020—a record in modern history. These fires consumed more than 17,500 structures and more than $3.5 billion in firefighting costs. Tragically, dozens of lives were lost, and many more people were displaced by evacuation orders. Fires released smoke that degraded air quality nearby and hundreds of miles away. They also destroyed wildlife habitat, including for imperiled species, and the fires’ aftereffects will soon lead to erosion that harms water quality in local watersheds.
Unfortunately, large and destructive wildfires are becoming more common across the West, with new records set almost every year. Although several factors contribute to this trend, a significant one is the declining health of the nation’s forests. The U.S. Forest Service, which manages 193 million acres of land, reports a backlog of 80 million acres in need of restoration and 63 million acres facing high or very high risk of wildfire.
Given the toll on neighboring communities, public health, and the environment, today’s extreme wildfire risks could readily be described as a nuisance. Yet the owner of the land posing this risk—the federal government—has not responded to these nuisance conditions the way any other landowner would be required to. From 2009 to 2018, the Forest Service implemented forest restoration projects to reduce fire risks and improve forest health on less than 4 million acres per year, including fuel reduction projects on only . . .