USA Drought Monitor
Stage 2 fire restrictions enacted in Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forests (click here)
June 27, 2012The Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests are now under stage 2 fire restrictions, as well as a recreational shooting ban.
“We have a major fire burning on our forest,” said forest supervisor Glenn Casamassa. “Protecting people and homes is our main priority. Since fire danger is at an all-time high, doing what we can to prevent additional ignitions is imperative.”
As part of the shift to stage 2 restrictions, a forest-wide restriction on discharge of firearms began June 25. This prohibition restricts all discharge of firearms on the forest and grassland, except for people shooting at game while carrying a valid hunting license during the established legal hunting season....
How many Americans know their USA Treasury receives income from their National Forests.
Besides the obvious tourism, the National Forests are thinned regularly and sold to private logging concerns. The last time I checked, which was about two years ago, the ratio of standing trees to those harvested for National Forests was 5.7 to 1.
Current Large Incidents (click here)
The incidents are fires.
Yep, the National Forests are good to us. We receive excellent services from them.
Residents asked to conserve water, delay yard and garden projects (click here)
June 29, 2012
High temperatures and a lack of rain are taking their toll on the Evergreen water supply....
Most citizens don't appreciate how well managed their National Forests are managed by the US Forest Service to provide timber when needed. These fires are NOT caused by excessive fuel on the forest's floor. It is caused by drought which has resulted from the Climate Crisis.
Conserve water. If only the petroleum industry would preserve water, too. But, anything goes for profits.
Regional Drought Monitor
That is true of State Forests as well. Most State Forests are as well managed as the National Forests, but, the state treasuries receive incomes from logging in managed forests. The State Forests use the same methodology as the National Forests in thinning their forests to prevent excess fuel on the forest floor. It is just that State Forests are thinned more often then National Forests. Some of the states, like Michigan have poor ratios. Michigan's ratio is about 2 trees standing for every one logged. That is cutting it close and it should not be a one to one ratio. A one to one ratio would create sparse conditions for seedling development.
30 Day Temperature for May 2012
For the latest information and status of the Pine Ridge Fire, burning west of De Beque and the source of smoke in the air in Rifle and surrounding areas, go to this web site:
http://www.inciweb.org/
It is updated very frequently with the latest on the fire, traffic closures and evacuations that may be taking place. Find and click on "Piine Ridge" from the list of fires....
The forests of the USA are natural resources, they provide a great many SERVICES to this country. They need to be valued for today and for the generations yet to appreciate them. The natural resources of any country don't really belong to the current generation so much as the children and their children. The current generation usually has received their portion of the natural resources.
30 Day Precipitation Map for May
This is a picture taken today of President Obama surrounded by our fire fighters and ash. The fire fighters are trying to stop the burning of our forests and homes in the wake of the fires. President Obama is bringing federal help to the tragedy.
