Major opps from the Forest Service.

[montanadogs]

Either way I think it needed to happen. It sure makes some pretty sunsets. FS will get the blame no matter what they do. And to think that I'm working on my fire science technology degree so when I retire I can go work for them. I must like the verbal abuse.

 

[BuzzH]

montanadogs,

No question...and like Oak stated, green trucks dont excuse stupid.

I just wish more people realized what it really takes to reduce fuel loading in spruce budworm and pine beetle epidemic areas.

Its not easy...and you cant "wait til the snow flies" to light fires that reduce 1000 hour fuels.

Should be a course within all Natural Resource related fields..."taking flack from the public"...no big deal, goes with the territory.

 

[drahthaar]

I know I was always a nervous wreck when it came time to do some of the burns we did. But at the same time, the man in charge back in those days was the one who literally "wrote the book on it", so there was a lot of faith there. George took a A LOT of flack over it all, so did I and everyone that was there at the time, even though nothing ever got away into anything significant. Of course, the bitching always lessened when most of the people were shooting piles of elk and deer out of those clearcuts for years to come.

If you want the fire to do what its supposed to do, you need to do it in those conditions. Hell, when is there not wind and red flag warnings in MT in August and Sept. That's what foam is for!

 

[BuzzH]

drahthaar,

I was always nervous as well...we lit one, short handed, in the Madison that burned the target acreage (about 700 acres)...plus 1800 extry, it happens.

Even the secretaries got some OT that day.

 

[Oak]

Heck yeah it's easy to Monday morning quarterback! I do it all the time!

I'm not opposed to fire. Heck, I'm not opposed to the whole damn forest burning down. I just think that it was a poor decision to burn with the predicted weather conditions, especially near residences. I agree 100% in the defensible space comment, and I couldn't give a rat's ass if someone hasn't taken the time to do the work and their house burns down from a natural fire. But I don't believe that not creating defensible space lets a FS worker off the hook for firing up his drip torch in 90 degree heat and single digit RH.

I'd actually like to see them fire up a whole lot of northern CO and southern WY, as long as they don't burn houses down.

At any rate, it will be interesting to see how this one plays out....

 

[drahthaar]

drahthaar,

I was always nervous as well...we lit one, short handed, in the Madison that burned the target acreage (about 700 acres)...plus 1800 extry, it happens.

Even the secretaries got some OT that day.

That would be a big OUCH! Definitely didn't have one like that.

 

[montanadogs]

I know it's getting to the point now were they will not do structure protection if you haven't done your share in reducing the fuels around your house. I just got back from up there, man I tell you what, they need to just do structure protection and let it burn. To bad the weather will not cooperate. You can pretty much count the number of live trees on your hands and toes. Everything is beetle infested. In some places most to the underbrush was left and just the tops of the trees were burned. Talk about some awesome crowning going on. I also managed to find a few huckleberries in some of the burned area that was left untouched. That fire burned fast, maybe to fast.

 

[WT_in_MT]

In "ANY" private organization .. heads would roll!...

Yeah, they'd roll right onto the multi-million dollar golden parachute that so often accompanies big wigs getting fired for managing companies into the ground...

 

[CJ...$]

Yeah, they'd roll right onto the multi-million dollar golden parachute that so often accompanies big wigs getting fired for managing companies into the ground...

Are you comparing Gov't bailouts? or what the hell are you talking about?

Regular workers who make BIG MISTAKES.. get fired in private corporations... Middle level managers and below get their asses canned [ rightfully so] when they cost the company money...get a clue.

 

[Der Aulte Jaeger]

Perhaps it's time to restore Forestry experts back into leadership within the USFS rather than the Enviros that fill so many of the higher and very important slots since the Clinton era! REminds me of when the BLm did a burn east of Boise to clear out a "juniper invasion." The resulting smoke/winds closed down the interstate after a colison or two but at least they did start the burn close to smoke jumper central!