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Wednesday, July 11, 2007Fire on the Mountain
John Valentine
Utah State Senate President My colleagues (see their notes, below) and I just returned from Milford Flat – the largest fire in our state’s history. 20 miles wide and 80 miles long. The fire problem in Utah right now is so large it is hard to wrap your mind around it. Currently there are 42 uncontained large fires are burning in America. Several of them are in Utah, including the following:
The next question is what course we take after the fires are out to reclaim an area larger than Davis County. The danger is that cheatgrass will rush in and take over. Again. Some of the fast burning areas of this fire were burnt in 2003. Invasive cheatgrass replaced native flora and created the repeat hazard. We probably need to reseed with native grasses. Here is current information for those who may be interested: Map: Milford Flat Incident – July 11, 2007 (PDF)Fire danger in Utah remains extremely high. Please be careful out there. Keep your families safe. Darin Peterson Utah State Senator, District 24 Where are the environmentalists that knew so much about how we should manage our land? These fires are perfect examples of failed land policies that have largely been forced on us due to pressure from well-funded environmental groups. They have little idea how our complicated high- desert ecosystem functions. They make dangerous assumptions. They base decision on emotion, not science, and not local experience. In this case, urban environmentalists have created problems, but do not live with the consequences that have engulfed our communities. They speak of dangers to the earth but when a real life-threatening danger strikes, their silence is deafening. Their absence is striking. Others do their clean up work, and locals pick up the pieces. Land management decisions need to be made by the people who know the land, who live on the land, and who will enjoy or suffer the direct consequences of those decisions. From a farming and ranching perspective, it’s unthinkable that the people who use public lands would purposefully abuse them. Their livelihood depends on the health and sustainability of those natural resources. Margaret Dayton Utah State Senator, District It was absolutely sobering to witness the acres and acres and acres and acres of parched and smoking earth. I echo what my colleagues have already written. Several of the men on the fire line expressed their dismay and frustration over the damage. They reminded us that this did not need to happen. We should guard the right to manage our own lands more jealously. I was very impressed with the efficiency of the well-organized, well-disciplined tent city of fire fighters in Milford. Home to several hundred people, they bring in their own supplies, and do not use food, water or even electricity of the local community. Our hearts and prayers are with them as they continue their work to contain these fires. Dennis Stowell Utah State Senator, District 28 What a disaster! I am afraid this could break some of our ranchers in Beaver and Millard Counties. The problem is that there is no feed for the cattle. Some will use their winter feed now and have to buy hay this winter. Hay is in short supply this year and many will not be able to afford to buy it. Any of the ranchers who signed up for NAP insurance need to contact the FSA office now to report their losses as there are deadlines. The other problem is some ranchers have had substantial losses of cattle to the fire. What makes me feel bad is that this disaster is the result of failed environmental policy in this country. The environmental movement has pushed to reduce cattle numbers and eliminate livestock from the ranges. As a result there is a large residual of fuel built up on our public lands. If livestock and wildlife do not remove it, fire will, and the fires are becoming increasingly intense and expensive. Who pays for the failed environmental policy? We do. Last year the Natural Resources Appropriations Committee which I co-chair appropriated over $8 million in supplemental money to pay for last year's fires. The bill will be higher this year. Where are the environmentalists today? I didn't see any down in Kanosh trying to keep the fire from spreading or offering to help raise money to keep our ranchers in business or repair the damage the fire has done. Environmentalists want clean air. Look at what this event has done for Utah's air quality. This will impact people's lives for a long time.
posted by The Senate Site at 10:45 PM | Link
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22 Comments:
All right! I was starting to worry that this tragedy wouldn't be politicized. I'm disappointed, though, that everyone above tiptoed around the real issue: It's Bill Clinton's fault!
V Of U, The main politicizing I see here is in your comment. And no, I am not a brain washed republican foot soldier. I tend towards the green side of things environmentally. That said, I think the senators brought up valid points that deserve answers. We should protect and preserve our natural beauty and resources. It is our responsibility to look at whether or not any plan really protects our environment. In a disaster like this we need to find out what if anything could have been done to prevent this damage. Regardless of which side the blame falls on.
http://www.sltrib.com/News/ci_6350799
http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,685192984,00.html
I know - let's blame environmentalists. Hmmm - we're one of the driest states in the Union. Must be the environmentalist's fault.
To Mr. Stowell's point that there just aren't enough cows: just how many cows does it take to eat 100 millions of acres of cheatgrass? And would they behave themselves and not eat anything else?
Looks like the Left has come up with some better than average sarcasm today. Good job.
But, as usual, sarcasm doesn't address the issue at hand.
Besides, liberals blamed Reagan for everything a lot longer than conservatives have been blaming Bill Clinton. In fact, the only people I hear bringing up Bill Clinton these days are sarcastic liberals like JMBell and VOU.
I might be a little more sympathetic to Senator Peterson's anti-environmentalism rant if he had provided a single specific example of what the environmentalists had done to cause this natural disaster. I thought this fire was the result of drought and lightning? What exactly would the ranchers have done with our public lands that would have prevented this fire? A little less political rhetoric and a little more objectivity would sure help right about now.
Remember the crazy California wildfires a few years ago? Most park rangers and wildlife professionals agreed that they got that bad because they weren't allowed, by environmental fiat, to clear dead trees, grasses and other vegetation that ended up burning. A significant part of wildfire management is plant management, ensuring that we don't end up with excessive growth that provides significant fuel. Things like grazing and selective harvest help keep fires under control. Leaving the land untouched does not.
We introduced cheat grass for the cows and cows don't even like cheat grass all that much. They eat native vegetation thus enabling cheat grass to spread even faster than it would otherwise. This is a tragedy, but lets stop blaming the environmentalists. They didn't introduce cheat grass and they certainly didn't start this fire.
This is really a stupid post.
Extreme environmental groups do have a hand in this, as I detail in my much-anticipated, third-annual cheat grass installment at http://steveu.com/blog/2007/07/western-fires-and-extreme.html.
However, those groups do their thing and cannot be counted on to contribute to real solutions to the destruction of western lands by invasive species. That is up to the rest of us. We need to craft a solution for Congress and the states to implement.
Best of luck, Darin and Dennis, to you and your constituents in dealing with this. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. I trust you'll let us know how we can help.
We do have some pumps out in the desert, if they can be of any use.
I'm curious...what grounds did the "extreme environmental groups" use to obviously block the Utah BLM from carrying out reseeding under its Fire Rehabilitation Program in the past?
I'm curious too. Thank you for taht link, POTP. I *really* appreciate hearing from legislators who represent the districts on fire. It's helpful having firsthand, heat-of-the-moment perspective, rather than just being surprised by legislation.
Enviros see red when chaining activities are proposed (dragging an anchor chain between two dozers to disturb the soil surface). But, chaining is the most effective way to reseed (three times faster and cheaper than drilling).
One example that comes to mind is a fire in 1997 or so that burned around Filmore (possibly the same area that is burning now; I haven't gone north to see). I remember how mad the range land botanists were that a SUWA lawsuit had stopped their effective reseeding efforts.
The Republican blame game. Too bad it works so well here in Utah.
Dennis and Margaret should be ashamed of themselves.
Sen. Peterson claims the wildfires are "perfect examples of failed land policies that have largely been force on us by well funded environmental groups". Would you please back up that statement with exactly which land policy failed that covered BLM land in the Milford Flat fire? What, none comes to mind? I thought so.
So cows don't like cheat grass. No duh. In fact cattle would probably much prefer climates other than Utah. You know, someplace where plenty of grass grows naturally, without irrigation, and plenty of water. Cow belong just about anywhere between Texas and the Dakotas and between western Nebrasak and Ohio
No one in their right mind would ever try to raise cattle in Utah anyway. If you seriously want to raise cattle, go to Texas or Missouri.
Besides, liberals blamed Reagan for everything a lot longer than conservatives have been blaming Bill Clinton. In fact, the only people I hear bringing up Bill Clinton these days are sarcastic liberals like JMBell and VOU.
WTF? I haven't even said anything in here, yet. Why are you posting as Anon Mark?
I do have a couple of questions:
1. What did we Dems blame Reagan for? Other than the simple facts that "Just Say No" didn't work, Iran/Contra was against the law, Reganomics didn't work, throwing tens of thousands of crazy people out on the street was a bad idea, and ... never mind, I seem to have answered this on my own.
2. Which Democrat is it that is standing in the way of the Fire Rehabilitation Program? I must have missed that.
3. Sen. Peterson claims the wildfires are "perfect examples of failed land policies that have largely been force on us by well funded environmental groups"
I heard it was lightning. I had no idea that environmental policies could start fires. Were the policies lit on fie by the lightning? It's kind make sense, then.
4. So, if you accept the premise that this is the fault of environmentalists: what, exactly, is the Republican plan to stop lightning started brush fires? Can you legislate an Act Of God against the law? (if any legislature could, this would be the one to try).
This is the sort of statement of blame that I just love:
However, those groups do their thing and cannot be counted on to contribute to real solutions to the destruction of western lands by invasive species. That is up to the rest of us. We need to craft a solution for Congress and the states to implement.
Outstanding, Rep. Steve, what is the bill number for your solution? If you have one that doesn't open the way for Chris Cannon to strip mine 3/8ths of our state, I'll happily jump in in support.
so, yeah, Anon I'm sarcastic because sometimes, sarcasm is easier to read than people swearing. I agree with VOU that it's sad to politicize this fire. And I agree with Rep. Steve that if there is a better solution, someone needs to write it down.
Me? I don't know a thing about how to prevent a wildfire, other than to get out there and light it on fire first, but, it seems that can get out of control pretty fast, too.
Let's just quit blaming everyone and their dog for this fire and realize that the combination of drought, lightning, not enough controlled burns and too much of the wrong vegetation were at fault! We need to focus our efforts on doing what we can for our comunities to rebuild a better environment! Sheri from Milford, Utah
Let's just stop blaming everyone and their dog for this fire and realize that the combination of drought, lightning, not enough controlled burns, and the wrong vegetation started it. We need to focus our efforts on helping our communities rebuild a better environment! Sheri Gale Milford, Utah
http://kvnuforthepeople.com/?p=640
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