The Forest Service is a

[coues7]

So the forest service decides to do a "prescribed/controlled" west of Round Valley today, I'm assuming to burn slash and down brush, on a day the National Weather Services (another government entity) says it's going to be WINDY!!!!!

 

Are these people completely and totally STUPID??? The thing is now burning out of control headed to Vernon. It appears to be only burning the rolling grass lands south of US60, but still it's an out of control fire! No common sense is EVER exhibited by our government or any of it's counter parts.

[billrquimby]

So the forest service decides to do a "prescribed/controlled" west of Round Valley today, I'm assuming to burn slash and down brush, on a day the National Weather Services (another government entity) says it's going to be WINDY!!!!!

 

Are these people completely and totally STUPID??? The thing is now burning out of control headed to Vernon. It appears to be only burning the rolling grass lands south of US60, but still it's an out of control fire! No common sense is EVER exhibited by our government or any of it's counter parts.

 

 

Keep us posted.

 

Bill Quimby

[rogeti]

They were burning behind TV Knoll and it got away from them and went to US 60. They caught it and had it under control. the flame lengths were huge. and you can still see the glow of the fire burning towards Round Valley.

[coues7]

It appeared that they got it under control at about 10PM last night. Rogeti is correct, there were times when the flames were huge. This morning we have major wind gusting. I haven't gotten out the Kestrel but I'm guessing around 40 mph......maybe they'll light the slash up this morning

[billrquimby]

It appeared that they got it under control at about 10PM last night. Rogeti is correct, there were times when the flames were huge. This morning we have major wind gusting. I haven't gotten out the Kestrel but I'm guessing around 40 mph......maybe they'll light the slash up this morning

 

Thanks. It seems like every other year for the past few years there has been a grass fire near Springerville/Eagar. Glad they got it under control before it got to any forested areas.

 

Bill Quimby

 

[SilentButDeadly]

I cannot speak to this particular decision to ignite that burn, but I do know that fire managers who initiate prescribed burns are under tremendous pressure from both a safety stand point (based on the potential of losing containment) and by budgetary constraints (ordering crews to support a prescribed burn is expensive and there are no refunds for bad weather days).

 

Prescribed burning is no joke, and I doubt the Burn Boss on this particular burn was messing around - it can cost a person their job if they set a fire that does property damage when they know the weather could turn bad.

 

These folks are trying to do good by the land, and by their local communities. I'd do a little more research before accusing USFS or any land managers of incompetence. Here is a good website for starters that has details about daily ignitions in AZ and NM and keeps up the national fire status situation: Southwest Regional Coordination Center

 

Also, '$$' is not something I would accuse the USFS of wasting - take a look at their operating budgets and the fact that >50% goes to putting out fires that threaten communities around the US - money that should be going to maintaining infrastructure (like the 380,000 miles of roads hunters drive) and funding research: http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/director/presentations/future.html

[coues7]

I'm standing by my comments. I clearly recognize that anything that Uncle Sam (USFS included) gets their hands into is EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE. There was no "structure" damage, but they did burn up winter fields of a number of ranchers. Anyone with any common sense could have looked at the weather report for yesterday and know that it was scheduled to be windy.

 

When things in the forest go up on flames, the USFS is there to put it out and I know it takes lots of our $$ to do so. I'm not so convinced that they properly manage the forest to begin with and end up have to spend lots of $$ because of it!!!!

[Packer]

They lit that thing days ago when the weather was good and the winds finally caught it and took it yesterday. They did not light it under those conditions.

[coues7]

They knew those conditions were coming......if they had been concerned they would have invested the time in putting out what they had already started.

[BeardownAZ]

Ask anyone in the Safford area how great the Forest Service is!!! The amount of damage done to Mt Graham and money spent cause of government bureaucracy and not heeding weather warnings. I know there are alot of good, hard working people in our government, unfortunetly they aren't the ones at the top(making decisions) cause they won't sell out to climb the ladder.

[AZantlerhead]

2 years ago I drove in a couple miles for the day and parked at the end of a road, Hikeing back to the truck with a wet rag on my face through a smoldering forest fire was no fun...luckily where I parked was in a clearing and the truck didn't get burnt up...Another "controlled" burn that got out of hand. Yes it made the news and was a named wildfire, no I didnt report they could have killed a couple hikers and burnt a truck up, along with the thousands of acres of forest they " accidentally " torched... Yes I'm still ticked about it...

 

This weeks fire, I knew this storm was coming 4 days ahead of time, so did they....But hey, light the fire or we'll be out of jobs and funding right? hmmmm....It's all about money, that is just my guess. If I deliberately/accidentally lit a forest or in this case range fire thered be h3ll to pay.

 

My vote would be to let God do the burning...man seems incompitent to do so, and at tax payers expense.

It seems most the white mountains and rim country is either covered in ugly and unnatural brush piles accompanied by spray painted trees and ribbon, or recovering from a fire that got out of hand because of them, and allways seeing a " prescribed" fire burning and grey skies in our mountains is getting old. I'm totally against " controlled" burns.

 

I think the corporate loggers did a better job managing our forests, and provided more jobs, and didn't spend tax money but generatred it, they had to answer to government...who does the government answer to when it screws up our land??

 

I'm sure our forest service is needed organization, and I'm sure the peoples they employ have the best of intentions and a true love for the land...the people overseeing the decisions, methods of management and funding...not so sure. MY .02 cents is all

[2 Full Curls]

Last year opening morning of my coues hunt... I watched a forest service helicopter fly above me and start fireballin' the canyons I was hunting. There's nothing like waiting for a ping pong ball to fall out of the sky above you, land next to your tripod, and ignite the sage. I have never been so upset as a hunter. They also had hot shot crews igniting "prescribed burns" in an area fairly close to me that I knew had one guy hunting in it out of a pup tent. I stopped a forest service vehicle later and told them, and they had no idea he was there. I went over there the next day and the saw that the fire had gotten to within 50 yards of his tent.

 

We never got a warning leading up to my trip, or even the day before the hunt... just a few waves from the hot shot crews as they drove past my deer-less camp three days later.

[BeardownAZ]

The government is supposed to answer to the people ultimately, especially in a free, democratic society. However that no longer happens. Thus they dont care and do whatever it is they want.

[klrogers]

They did the last ignition of the control burn on the wednesday before that way it would be done burning before the bad weather came. If you are unaware, a fire can burn all through the winter in the roots, and the following spring the wind can cause it to ignite again. What they are doing is good, especially for the people who decide to build in the woods and have their houses burnt to the ground. You should be thankful for the fire program of the forest service. If you burn in the fall or spring, when summer lightening and drought comes it prevents the flame lengths from being 20ft. Believe it or not, burning benefits the wildlife and promotes new growth. Do a little research before you go and blame the forest service.

 

Before the forest service can burn, it has to be approved by various organizations, (Rocky Moutain Elk Foundation, Arizona Elk Society, AZ Game and Fish, ect...) These groups also fund most of these projects, so if you hate one you hate them all, just think about that!

 

 

[rclouse79]

If you are unaware, a fire can burn all through the winter in the roots, and the following spring the wind can cause it to ignite again.

 

What the ??? Not saying you are wrong but I will need a second opinion before I buy that one.