Governor newsom cares about spotted owl but every year he gets a chance to do better on forest management the next year and every year he fails. He took care of putting up prohibited signs on park benches during Covid but he cannot put a plan together to save the forest and communities endangered by lack of preparing.
Janis, thank you for sharing your thoughts! It is frustrating to see the challenges in forest management, especially when it seems like more could be done to protect our forests and communities. Governor Newsom has deservedly faced criticism, but it's worth noting that there are ongoing efforts, like the California Wildfire & Forest Resilience Task Force, aimed at improving long-term forest health and resilience. It's a complex issue, and while progress may seem slow, these initiatives are steps in the right direction. Hopefully, with continued focus and collaboration, we'll see more effective strategies implemented to safeguard our forests and communities. Your passion for this issue is important, and it's voices like yours that can help drive change!
Important article Ed. The paragraph that hit home to me was the fact that firefighters will actually set fires for numerous reasons.
June 2002, Terry Barton, a forest service employee, intentionally started one of my state’s, Colorado, worst fire, the Hayman fire…22 miles SW of Denver. 136,000 acres resulting in 6 fatalities, 5 of who were firefighters from Oregon trying to get to the fire.
She spent several years in prison….not long enough in my opinion…just 10 years and now pays $150 monthly in restitution….$142,000,000 in damages.
Her excuse was she burned a goodbye letter from her estranged husband and the fire exploded in just a few minutes.
I spent one week at the Douglas County fairgrounds tending to animals with many volunteers. There was a steady and seemingly unending stream of livestock, family pets, wildlife found injured by locals or firefighters or sheriff deputies, birds, birds of prey. It was one of the saddest and most enraging weeks of my life.
This woman RUINED peoples lives, livelihoods and caused injury and death and all she got was 10 years!
Your whole article was extremely substantive and drove hime to me the ABSOLUTE need for better management of the west’s forests.
My mother in law lives in the Sierra Nevada mountains about 40 miles straight N of Truckee, CA.
When her home insurance came due, she was denied by many carriers because of the extreme likelihood of catastrophic wildland fires. We did manage to find a carrier but came at a hefty increase.
We must get better about management of our forests! Clearly what we have been doing has not been working!
As far as arsonists are concerned, the punishment is not near enough!
Thank you, Elizabeth, for sharing your thoughts. The story of Terry Barton and the Hayman Fire is a powerful example of how devastating the consequences of arson can be. It's heartbreaking to hear about the impact it had on your community and the wildlife. Your experience volunteering to help animals affected by the fire is commendable. It's a stark reminder of the importance of better forest management and stricter penalties for those who start fires. The challenges your mother-in-law faced with home insurance highlight the broader implications of living in fire-prone areas. I appreciate you sharing your perspective, and I hope it encourages others to advocate for improved policies and practices.
Some incredible statistics in this article that I was unaware of. While a tough subject, I appreciate the information.
I'm learning a lot too, Yvonne, especially about how preventable forest fires ought to be for a thinking, compassionate society...
Those stats are so sobering!
Governor newsom cares about spotted owl but every year he gets a chance to do better on forest management the next year and every year he fails. He took care of putting up prohibited signs on park benches during Covid but he cannot put a plan together to save the forest and communities endangered by lack of preparing.
Janis, thank you for sharing your thoughts! It is frustrating to see the challenges in forest management, especially when it seems like more could be done to protect our forests and communities. Governor Newsom has deservedly faced criticism, but it's worth noting that there are ongoing efforts, like the California Wildfire & Forest Resilience Task Force, aimed at improving long-term forest health and resilience. It's a complex issue, and while progress may seem slow, these initiatives are steps in the right direction. Hopefully, with continued focus and collaboration, we'll see more effective strategies implemented to safeguard our forests and communities. Your passion for this issue is important, and it's voices like yours that can help drive change!
Important article Ed. The paragraph that hit home to me was the fact that firefighters will actually set fires for numerous reasons.
June 2002, Terry Barton, a forest service employee, intentionally started one of my state’s, Colorado, worst fire, the Hayman fire…22 miles SW of Denver. 136,000 acres resulting in 6 fatalities, 5 of who were firefighters from Oregon trying to get to the fire.
She spent several years in prison….not long enough in my opinion…just 10 years and now pays $150 monthly in restitution….$142,000,000 in damages.
Her excuse was she burned a goodbye letter from her estranged husband and the fire exploded in just a few minutes.
I spent one week at the Douglas County fairgrounds tending to animals with many volunteers. There was a steady and seemingly unending stream of livestock, family pets, wildlife found injured by locals or firefighters or sheriff deputies, birds, birds of prey. It was one of the saddest and most enraging weeks of my life.
This woman RUINED peoples lives, livelihoods and caused injury and death and all she got was 10 years!
Your whole article was extremely substantive and drove hime to me the ABSOLUTE need for better management of the west’s forests.
My mother in law lives in the Sierra Nevada mountains about 40 miles straight N of Truckee, CA.
When her home insurance came due, she was denied by many carriers because of the extreme likelihood of catastrophic wildland fires. We did manage to find a carrier but came at a hefty increase.
We must get better about management of our forests! Clearly what we have been doing has not been working!
As far as arsonists are concerned, the punishment is not near enough!
Thank you, Elizabeth, for sharing your thoughts. The story of Terry Barton and the Hayman Fire is a powerful example of how devastating the consequences of arson can be. It's heartbreaking to hear about the impact it had on your community and the wildlife. Your experience volunteering to help animals affected by the fire is commendable. It's a stark reminder of the importance of better forest management and stricter penalties for those who start fires. The challenges your mother-in-law faced with home insurance highlight the broader implications of living in fire-prone areas. I appreciate you sharing your perspective, and I hope it encourages others to advocate for improved policies and practices.