Federal Lands Burn Unabated by Choice

By Jan Jackson –

In the summer of 1980 in Glacier National Park, a ranger from the United States Forest Service boarded my motorcoach tour bus to explain what goes on in national forests. I was stunned when he proudly told us how the US Forest Service did not allow fires to be extinguished on federal forestland.

Born and raised in western Oregon, I view trees as a valuable renewable product and the forest as a safe place for wild plants, birds and animals. I see the forest as a place where hikers can hike, campers can camp and hunters can hunt.

Today, six million acres of forestland in six western states are currently on fire.

Eighty-eight percent of those fires are burning on federal lands, according to the American Forest Resource Council, as of August 28.

When all the fires are out, the timber, wildlife and wildlife habitat will be gone. I believe there is cause to reflect on whether or not the US Forest Service decisions are prudent.

The Capital Press (http://www.capitalpress.com/Timber/20180823/wildfires-burn-6-million-acres-across-west)), listed the following fires burning in six Western states as of August 21, 2018:

Oregon

187 Gilman, 12 miles northeast of Monument, 400 acres at last report, percentage contained zero or not listed.
Columbus, 15 miles east of Tiller, 10,518 acres, 35 percent contained.
Jennie’s Peak, 14 miles south of Fossil, 36,000 acres, 10 percent contained.
Kinzuna Complex, 12 miles east of Fossil, 619 acres at last report, percentage contained zero or not listed.
Klondike, nine miles southwest of Selma, 72,074 acres, 32 percent contained.
Lonerock, seven miles northwest of Condon, 5,000 acres, 30 percent contained.
Milepost 6, six miles south of Madras, 1,500 acres, 75 percent contained.
Miles, five miles northeast of Trail, 35,455 acres, 39 percent contained.
Natchez, 15 miles southeast of Cave Junction, 20,275 acres, 70 percent contained.
Seal, 14 miles west of Condon, 15,500 acres, 20 percent contained.
Skyline, 15 miles south of Ironside, 300 acres, 20 percent contained.
Stubblefield, seven miles northeast of Condon, 18,000 acres, 50 percent contained.
Taylor Creek, 10 miles west of Grants Pass, 52,588 acres, 95 percent contained.
Terwilliger, five miles southeast of Blue River, 125 acres at last report, containment percentage zero or not listed.
Watson Creek, 13 miles west of Paisley, 25,800 acres, 5 percent contained.
Coyote Creek, 15 miles south of Jordan Valley, 598 acres, fully contained.

Washington

Arctic Jim, two miles southwest of White Swan, 340 acres at last report, containment percentage zero or not listed.
Bannock Lakes, 14 miles southwest of Stehekin, 470 acres at last report, containment percentage zero or not listed.
Boyds, three miles west of Kettle Falls, 3,278 acres, 49 percent contained.
Cougar Creek, eight miles northwest of Manson, 38,924 acres, 40 percent contained Aug. 21.
Crescent Mountain, 18 miles west of Winthrop, 26,181 acres, 34 percent contained.
Horns Mountain, 19 miles north of Evans, 2,467 acres, 20 percent contained.
Maple, 10 miles north of Hoordsport, 1,879 acres, 41 percent contained.
McLeod, eight miles north of Mazama, 15,313 acres, 5 percent contained.
Meninick Pass, five miles south of White Swan, 5,537 acres, 90 percent contained.
Miriam, 15 miles east of Packwood, 3,448 acres, 30 percent contained. Idaho
Copper Mountain, four miles east of Eastport, 229 acres, 25 percent contained.
Cougar, five miles east of East Hope, 5,524 acres, 26 percent contained.
Kiwah, 49 miles northwest of Challis, 15,437 acres, 1 percent contained.
Mesa, four miles south of Council, 34,700 acres, 89 percent contained.
Rabbit Foot, 14 miles southwest of Salmon, 34,518 acres, 5 percent contained.
Rampike, 23 miles northeast of Kellogg, 2,000 acres, percentage contained zero or not listed.
Rattlesnake Creek, five miles southwest of Riggins, 8,135 acres, 28 percent contained.
Sharps, six miles east of Bellevue, 64,853 acres at last report, incident no longer active.
Smith Creek, 19 miles west of Bonners Ferry, 870 acres, 5 percent contained.
Surprise Creek, 18 miles east of Athol, 2,300 acres, 19 percent contained.
Artesian, four miles north of Roberts, 1,980 acres at last report, fully contained. California
Call, 22 miles northeast of Bakersfield, 370 acres, 50 percent contained.
Carr, four miles south of French Gulch, 229,651 acres, 88 percent contained.
Donnell, five miles west of Dardenville, 35,000 acres, 51 percent contained Aug. 21.
Front, 30 miles northeast of Santa Maria, 900 acres, 29 percent contained.
Hirz, 11 miles east of Lakehead, 17,467 acres, 17 percent contained.
Holy, seven miles northeast of Rancho Santa Margarita, 22,885 acres, 91 percent contained.
Lions, seven miles southwest of Mammoth Lakes, 11,606 acres, 75 percent contained.
Mendocino Complex, five miles south of Potter Valley, 404,532 acres, 74 percent contained.
Mill Creek 1, four miles southeast of Weitchpec, 1,500 acres, 26 percent contained.
Stone, 14 miles northwest of Adin, 23,221 acres, 12 percent contained. Nevada
Broad, three miles northwest of Carvers, 543 acres, 83 percent contained.
Sheep Creek, 15 miles north of Battle Mountain, 57,417 acres, 50 percent contained Aug. 21. Montana
Bacon Rind, 17 miles north of West Yellowstone, 2,045 acres, containment percentage zero or not listed.
Beaver Creek, 32 miles southwest of Anaconda, 2067 acres, 8 percent contained Aug. 21.
Brownstone, 25 miles east of Condon, 2,214 acres, containment percentage zero or not listed.
Coal Ridge, 28 miles north of Kalispell, 280 acres, 2 percent contained Aug. 21.
Davis, 10 miles northwest of Yaak, 6,205 acres, 8 percent contained.
Garden Creek, two miles north of Ronan, 2,052 acres and 60 percent contained.
Gold Hill, 13 miles north of Libby, 930 acres Aug. 21, containment percentage zero or not listed.
Goldstone, 12 miles south of Jackson, 9,191 acres, containment percentage zero or not listed.
Howe Ridge, 10 miles north of West Glacier, 11,172 acres, containment percentage zero or not listed.
Monument, 42 miles southwest of Ennis, 6,613 acres, 13 percent contained.
Pauola Ridge, three miles northwest of Essex, 364 acres, containment percentage zero or not listed.
Shellrock, 25 miles north of Helena, 500 acres, 65 percent contained.
Sterling Complex, 18 miles south of Eureka, 1,216 acres, 23 percent contained.
Tenmile, 19 miles south of Eureka, 681 acres, 91 percent contained.
Whale Butte, 45 miles north of Kalispell, 338 acres, containment percentage zero or not listed.
Wigwam, 15 miles southwest of Ennis, 4,191 acres, 66 percent contained.