A wicked problem

As Montana’s top natural resource administrators laid out the grim forecast for this year’s fire season, it became clear that many Western states face the worst wildfire conditions in recorded history. Fuel loads are so high in some areas we are literally just one spark away from record setting catastrophic disaster. All of Montana is vulnerable. Southwest Montana is in particularly high danger this year.

In a presentation to the legislature’s Environmental Quality Council last month, State Forester Bob Harrington described the escalating fire threats as “a wicked problem.” Bark beetle infestations, overgrown vegetation, lack of active management, drought, and obstructionist lawsuits have combined to create incredibly hazardous wildfire conditions on millions of acres of federally managed lands across the western U.S.

Some say there’s nothing we can do about it. I say we can, and must.

Most state and private forests are in relatively good shape because they aren’t subject to the enormous layers of federal bureaucracy that federally managed lands are. Proactive harvest and thinning programs on state and private timber lands continually improve forest health, increase wildlife habitat, augment our economy, prevent spread of bark beetle, and reduce the chance of catastrophic wildfire.

Unfortunately, federally managed lands are another story. Montana contains over 25 million acres of public land managed by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management.

Most of the roadblocks stopping responsible management are instigated by groups claiming to be environmental organizations. Whether well-intended or not, some of these groups do far more harm than good.

For example, when vegetation management projects are blocked and fuel loads build up to the point that fires become catastrophic, the environmental damage is devastating. When thousands of acres burn up, so do thousands of animals and the habitat any survivors would rely on. Yes, even the endangered species some litigants claim to be protecting. I could easily fill a column documenting the threats to human health and safety, and economic damages as well.

One of the major contributors to the problem is a lucrative niche created by the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA). This federal law requires federal agencies to pay attorney costs for nonprofit groups whenever these groups prevail in challenging federal actions -- even when the argument hinges only on a minor technicality. Some groups have found the EAJA to be so rewarding, they challenge any and all USFS timber management projects regardless of whether it is good for the environment or not. As a result of constant court battles, professional resource managers can only watch as millions of acres of national forests and rangelands reach a state of maximum combustion.

To be fair, not all wildfire is as devastating as we may think. Fast moving, low intensity fires, such as those in thinned timberlands, can have beneficial effects on the environment. But intense wildfires, fueled by dense vegetation, destroy the food, water, and cover needed by most wildlife species. Even aquatic life and fish populations are decimated when heavy doses of residual ash and silt wash into lakes and streams.

Animals that manage to escape the flames are likely to suffer too, as they seek forage in habitat already occupied by other animals. Such displacement can lead to over-use of the unburned habitat, which eventually causes starvation on a scale far beyond the visibly charred landscape.

It’s high time we implement a balanced approach to managing federal lands more responsibly. That’s why I sponsored SJ-15, a bill to compile and analyze concerns with federal land management, explore all possible solutions, and take action to correct the problems. I’m sure it won’t be quick or easy to inject common sense into federal land management policies, but I and the other 59 Montana legislators who co-sponsored SJ-15 believe it is a fundamental duty of government to manage our lands more responsibly. I intend to do everything possible to remove the roadblocks.

If you would like more information about SJ-15, or wish to otherwise contact me, please email me at sen.jfielder@legmt.gov or visit my website www.getitrightmontana.com