To the editor:
This last week Sen. Merkley announced that he is sponsoring a bill to fully fund fire fighting. He is concerned about the fires in the west but hasn't he heard that we are $18 trillion in debt and going up? We can't keep spending money.
Instead of throwing more money at the problem, why not put people back to work in the forest? Start up the saw mills...Why not clean up the load of wood fuel that is clogging and ruining the forest environment. Stop destroying fire access roads and rebuild them. Allow greater pasturing of wooded lands with cattle, sheep and goats to clean up areas.
Instead of throwing more money at the problem, earn more by managing the resource. In exceptionally steep areas, thin and clean but keep the stand. Harvest in a way that creates fire buffers and boundaries. Insure that waterways maintain a fire resistant buffer where possible.
The Oregon Legislature passed a carbon fuel standard that will insure we pay at least $1 more per gallon to lessen the impact of carbon.... at the same time we're willing to let the forest and wild lands burn?
This year was the smokiest I have ever had to tolerate. I wonder how much carbon load the fires put into the air in comparison to all the cars and trucks in the state. I'll bet fires account for more than 20 years of auto pollution. It's about time our legislators got it right!
Jack Hay
The Dalles
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