Ranger Rick: Management of forests fuels West fires

Seeing the devastation of the wildfires in the West, it is no wonder the media whips the public into a frenzy and states these fires are the result of climate change.  What complete pile of horse droppings!

The facts are the public policy on forest policy on federal and state lands changed dramatically after the Reagan years.  The forests began to be managed for the “ecosystems,” placing ecological and recreational values above timber production.  The result was forest management dwindled or ceased, allowing nature to take its course.

Thousands of miles of forest roads were ripped out, roads built to harvest  timber and also used by firefighters to access wildfires in the forests before they spread.  The timber harvests plunged by 84%, from 12 billion board feet to less than 2 billion board feet per year.

The result: unnatural tree density and undergrowth.  Historically, ponderosa pines grew in stands of 20 to 55 trees per acre, but not in some areas now grow in densities of 300 to 900 trees per acre.  The result was infestations of insects killing large swaths of forests.  More dead trees in many forests than live ones.  Enormous amounts of tinder for massive fires which we are witnessing now.  The educated elected idiots have no idea how to manage forests.  Trees are to be thinned and harvested, not allowed to grow without management.

Also, the demographics of these areas have changed dramatically.  What were once uninhabited areas or small towns have become metropolitan areas with suburbs growing out to the wild forests.  More housing, buildings, structures in the way of fires gone wild.  With the “greenies” thinking letting Mother Nature rule the landscape and not trimming dead trees and underbrush away from homes and outbuildings, it is no wonder fires devour whole communities that practice being “green.”

In fact, if you look at the historical data, a 2012 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found wildfires in the western United States attained the lowest levels during the 20th century and the Little Ice Age (1400-1700).  Actually, prominent peaks in forest fires occurred during the Medieval Climate Anamoly (950-1250) and during the 1800s.

These fires are inevitable, no matter what the weather or climate, they will happen.  It is unfortunate, but when common sense is overtaken by feelings, this is what happens.  People get hurt and lose everything.

Michigan and Wisconsin had devastating fires in 1871.  In Michigan, more than 2.5 million acres were burned, wiping out towns and villages.  In Peshtigo, WI, a fire started in gale force winds and torched 1.4 million acres.  In both fires thousands were killed and many more left homeless.  It burned across Door County and up towards and into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  Please view stories from both of those fires to understand their severity and devastation on families in 1871.

There must be a comprehensive and commonsense approach to lowering the risk for forest fires in the country.  The West has been especially hit hard, but it wasn’t unpredictable.  Fire officials have been warning the western states of the problems and possible future fires  for years and unfortunately they weren’t heeded.

Maybe now they will be consulted for their wisdom…. but don’t count on it.  These states are run by Democrats, environmentalists, “greenies.”  They know better than anyone!

I bet if they asked someone that lost everything in these conflagrations, they might get an earful.  But they won’t face the public.  Democrats are more superior than those who voted for them.  Not only have they been brain dead for years, they don’t listen to the voters.  So much for representing the common people.

I use the familiar ending phrase every week because I believe it is so true, and becoming more true with each passing week, month, and year.  Is Civil War on the horizon?

I hope we come to our senses, but I fear for the worst and hope for the best.

And buy more ammunition.

The rotting of America from within continues…