house Bill H.R. 2647
Does the Dept. of the Interior Need More Flexibility to Manage Wildfire Threats?
Argument in favor
Wildfires are a major economic and environmental threat to national forests. Giving forest management agencies more flexibility while getting help from community partners and businesses can only improve the status quo.
07/09/2015
Many of the most destructive wildfires in the Western U.S. would be easier to contain if there was more active management of forests.
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02/25/2016
As a wildland firefighter I have seen first hand many of the dangers of a wildfire and of working to suppress a wildfire. In the winter many fire fighters are laid off until it's time for a new set of fires to be fought. Meanwhile the fires across the country are getting larger and more complex due to an excess amount of unburned fuels. If the Bureau of Land Management and Dept. of the interior was allowed to mange the forests rather than just save them from destruction property damage, risk of injury and death, and high costs of suppression efforts could potentially be minimized or even avoided while still leaving room for the naturally occurring fire to positively impact the environment.
07/09/2015
I say yes because our forests are important for wildlife and also oxygen, they should be protected also for the sake of making paper and lumber. I do though think we should use hemp for paper as a trial to see how it works out. That's my story and I'm sticking to it, over and out.
Argument opposed
Trying to protect national forests from wildfires is a worthwhile goal, but it requires additional funding — which this bill doesn’t provide. It also makes it harder to bring a legal challenge delaying forest management projects from going forward.
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07/09/2015
The current policy of letting forest grow, respecting that fire is a natural event, and working to contain fires within wilderness is the best way to manage forests. If Congress wants to improve recovery time, appropriate more money for that purpose.
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03/14/2016
Maybe they should stop starting the fires and start managing the land like it's supposed to do.
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03/13/2016
Part of the problem is the government. California..protect the dormouse, so no one is allowed to have the fire trench. At times you create note problems than you solve.
Many of the most destructive wildfires in the Western U.S. would be easier to contain if there was more active management of forests.
I say yes because our forests are important for wildlife and also oxygen, they should be protected also for the sake of making paper and lumber. I do though think we should use hemp for paper as a trial to see how it works out. That's my story and I'm sticking to it, over and out.
The current policy of letting forest grow, respecting that fire is a natural event, and working to contain fires within wilderness is the best way to manage forests. If Congress wants to improve recovery time, appropriate more money for that purpose.
As a wildland firefighter I have seen first hand many of the dangers of a wildfire and of working to suppress a wildfire. In the winter many fire fighters are laid off until it's time for a new set of fires to be fought. Meanwhile the fires across the country are getting larger and more complex due to an excess amount of unburned fuels. If the Bureau of Land Management and Dept. of the interior was allowed to mange the forests rather than just save them from destruction property damage, risk of injury and death, and high costs of suppression efforts could potentially be minimized or even avoided while still leaving room for the naturally occurring fire to positively impact the environment.
Maybe they should stop starting the fires and start managing the land like it's supposed to do.
Wildfires are a necessary and vital part of the health of any forest. Human interference in the form of fire prevention has been detrimental to the important burn cycle of the forests.
If we don't fund protection for the forests, where are we going to live & what air will we breathe?
Clinton treehuggers banned logging and even logging roads in millions of new acres of forestland and the result was an inability to reach the worst outbreak of forest fires in a generation. Good thinking, Einstein.
I live in Alaska there were 321 wildfires I'm sure other organizations would love to help I have lived in other places also I believe there's a need for that power to distribute any sort of help they can muster up
What can I say? My Representative always votes against anything considered common sense. A political hack who follows the bosses dictates.
Most definitely. Right now they are really hamstrung by lobbiest led activism
More funding won't be used for its intended purpose, like everything under obama money will be wasted
The main reason why wildfires are such a problem is mismanagement of the forest. The best option is to manage the forests in a way to prevent wildfires in the first place. Forests are currently over grown and prone to hot fires.
We have to protect our forests and environment on the whole. This bill can help further those measures.
Give the forests back to the States. But until you do, take measures to protect them without spending more money. We are 18 TRILLION in debt...
too many Government regulations in force now that are not enforced. Enough!
Fires are necessary for most conifers to drop their seeds also fires help clear brush which fuels even larger fires if we allow forests to burn in will actually make them safer. And instead of spending so much money on fighting them we should spend money on replacing people's homes.
