The Truth About Timber

Only We Can Prevent Forest Fires

Remember that line from Smokey Bear back when we were kids?

He actually said “You” not “We” but you get the point.

Our current policies for fighting fire on public lands is a failure and experts will tell you our forest are unhealthy and in grave danger.

We have a fire burning not far from our home in Townsend Montana.

I think yesterday it was up to 11k acres.

We have been sold a lie that to leave forest management and fire control to “Mother Nature” is natural and best.

It tickles the ears of those who need to feel good but when you follow the science and look at history, “Mother Nature” needs our help.

The fire near us is believed to be caused by humans.

But the reason these fires get out of hand is our current policy on public lands is to not clear brush and timber from previous fires, then, when a fire starts, all that fuel is like a bomb going off and hard to put out.

To make matters worse, national policy is also to allow the fires to burn and monitor them in hopes they will put themselves out.

Numerous fires could have been put out when it was doable and safer, but we let them go too long and those fires destroyed hundreds of thousands of acres.

So here we sit.

Many in the industry and at the agencies know the current policy is a failure and yet the public relations message from the environmental community has tricked many into believing standing down is the answer.

We are a virtue signaling culture and fail to look at facts but base our beliefs on how it makes us feel and it’s killing our forests.

Kathy and I leave for Medford Monday morning to shoot three stories, in our second season called The Truth About Timber.

For too long the timber industry has been silent or at least too quiet about what is going on and that is changing with the stories that tell the truth.

Bottomline, these are public lands.

They belong to you and me.

It’s time we start looking at the facts, expose the fiction and get back to managing the forests for all uses and get the courts out of the business of forest maintenance.

Only We Can Prevent Forest Fires

Remember that line from Smokey Bear back when we were kids?

He actually said “You” not “We” but you get the point.

Our current policies for fighting fire on public lands is a failure and experts will tell you our forest are unhealthy and in grave danger.

We have a fire burning not far from our home in Townsend Montana.

I think yesterday it was up to 11k acres.

We have been sold a lie that to leave forest management and fire control to “Mother Nature” is natural and best.

It tickles the ears of those who need to feel good but when you follow the science and look at history, “Mother Nature” needs our help.

The fire near us is believed to be caused by humans.

But the reason these fires get out of hand is our current policy on public lands is to not clear brush and timber from previous fires, then, when a fire starts, all that fuel is like a bomb going off and hard to put out.

To make matters worse, national policy is also to allow the fires to burn and monitor them in hopes they will put themselves out.

Numerous fires could have been put out when it was doable and safer, but we let them go too long and those fires destroyed hundreds of thousands of acres.

So here we sit.

Many in the industry and at the agencies know the current policy is a failure and yet the public relations message from the environmental community has tricked many into believing standing down is the answer.

We are a virtue signaling culture and fail to look at facts but base our beliefs on how it makes us feel and it’s killing our forests.

Kathy and I leave for Medford Monday morning to shoot three stories, in our second season called The Truth About Timber.

For too long the timber industry has been silent or at least too quiet about what is going on and that is changing with the stories that tell the truth.

Bottomline, these are public lands.

They belong to you and me.

It’s time we start looking at the facts, expose the fiction and get back to managing the forests for all uses and get the courts out of the business of forest maintenance.