Cuts to the federal workforce will make wildfires more likely, ensure they’ll spread quicker, and make fighting them deadly. This solution isn’t perfect, but it is easy.
Interesting article. It is painful to give up one of the best aspects of camping but that is already becoming the reality in the Western US. Minor correction - the Gifford Pinchot NF is in WA, not OR.
Bravo, Wes. Such a well-reasoned, sensible request, and response to circumstances. I appreciate the lack of “finger pointing” and “blame gaming;” that gets to come later, after the rapid fire slashing of costs without any consideration of consequences results in an abject inability to respond effectively. Unfortunately, no number of wagging fingers and we told you so’s will rejuvenate scorched land or resurrect lost lives and livelihood. Oh how I wish this letter would be forwarded and someone have the courage to respond to it, and then some.
I hate to admit it, cause fires while camping are one of my favorite parts of the experience. But you're absolutely right. Until this is fixed this has to be the policy.
As a former lookout I have such a hard time with this statistic on starts unless things are just totally insane south of here. I’d watch 100 starts in one good lightening storm in one night. I’m not saying people don’t start fires but in Montana it sure seems like 90% are lightening. Happy to be proved wrong (I’m trying to get to this actual study now, because I’m always curious when I hear this stat).
Lightning is by far the most common single cause, but we're talking nationwide, and as is being driven home powerfully right now, there's a lot of stupid humans out there.
Much of the campfire enforcement we see in SoCal is mediated by camp hosts, not USFS personnel. I think that should change and we should have more enforcement personnel, not fewer. But, I don’t think their absence will change much here. Now, if they get rid of the hosts and move to a host-free approach, then there’s a risk of campfire-initiated wildfires. But before that, there will be pitched battles for campsites because the reservation system doesn’t work without hosts….
Jibbers Crabst…My point was that bans are only enforceable by personnel in the forest. And SoCal, where I camp and recreate most frequently, seems to have a low LEO:user ratio, but a reasonable host:camper ratio. That means that a ban (recall that we have bans all the time) would largely be enforced by campground staff, not the US Gov employees who are stupidly being let go. So yeah, I’m all for banning campfires, but “what good it will do w/o enforcement?” is answered by what I saw backpack hunting the Sierras where fires are banned over 10k: the idiots on the other side of the lake knew about the ban but had a roaring fire going until I spoke to them. In their “favor”, they at least put their fire and tent right next to the water…lol
Definitely. For all the forest raking that needs to be done there aren't going to be many people left to do the raking.
Excellent reference.
Interesting article. It is painful to give up one of the best aspects of camping but that is already becoming the reality in the Western US. Minor correction - the Gifford Pinchot NF is in WA, not OR.
Bravo, Wes. Such a well-reasoned, sensible request, and response to circumstances. I appreciate the lack of “finger pointing” and “blame gaming;” that gets to come later, after the rapid fire slashing of costs without any consideration of consequences results in an abject inability to respond effectively. Unfortunately, no number of wagging fingers and we told you so’s will rejuvenate scorched land or resurrect lost lives and livelihood. Oh how I wish this letter would be forwarded and someone have the courage to respond to it, and then some.
Great, well researched article. It's a crying shame that the premise actually makes sense.
Totally agree Wes! Thanks for your suggestion prior to the Spring-Summer.
Please forward to USDA-USFS & USDI-ALL BUREAUS!
Great call and well said
I hate to admit it, cause fires while camping are one of my favorite parts of the experience. But you're absolutely right. Until this is fixed this has to be the policy.
Totally agree. Thanks for saying it.
As a former lookout I have such a hard time with this statistic on starts unless things are just totally insane south of here. I’d watch 100 starts in one good lightening storm in one night. I’m not saying people don’t start fires but in Montana it sure seems like 90% are lightening. Happy to be proved wrong (I’m trying to get to this actual study now, because I’m always curious when I hear this stat).
Lightning is by far the most common single cause, but we're talking nationwide, and as is being driven home powerfully right now, there's a lot of stupid humans out there.
Much of the campfire enforcement we see in SoCal is mediated by camp hosts, not USFS personnel. I think that should change and we should have more enforcement personnel, not fewer. But, I don’t think their absence will change much here. Now, if they get rid of the hosts and move to a host-free approach, then there’s a risk of campfire-initiated wildfires. But before that, there will be pitched battles for campsites because the reservation system doesn’t work without hosts….
Here you go: https://www.outsideonline.com/adventure-travel/advice/never-camp-campground-again/
Remember that you can camp outside of campgrounds.
Jibbers Crabst…My point was that bans are only enforceable by personnel in the forest. And SoCal, where I camp and recreate most frequently, seems to have a low LEO:user ratio, but a reasonable host:camper ratio. That means that a ban (recall that we have bans all the time) would largely be enforced by campground staff, not the US Gov employees who are stupidly being let go. So yeah, I’m all for banning campfires, but “what good it will do w/o enforcement?” is answered by what I saw backpack hunting the Sierras where fires are banned over 10k: the idiots on the other side of the lake knew about the ban but had a roaring fire going until I spoke to them. In their “favor”, they at least put their fire and tent right next to the water…lol
You raise a good point: It's going to be up to all of us to help each other recreate responsibly going forward.