January 16, 2025 HFHC News Round Up
Reducing Wildfire Risk Could Require Legal and Policy Change (Substack)
Under two 1976 laws, the National Forest Management Act and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, responsibility for overseeing these lands rests largely with the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. It’s challenging work, requiring them to juggle multiple, often conflicting interests: preserving wildlife habitats, safeguarding recreational space, protecting watersheds, managing mining and timber harvesting—and preventing fires. “Congress has recognized that government agencies like the Forest Service must take action to improve forest health, through projects to reduce the risk of fires that may include prescribed burning and tree thinning,” explained Jeff Beelaert, an environmental lawyer who previously served in the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. He highlighted the Healthy Forests Restoration Act, whose first listed purpose is “to reduce wildfire risk to communities, municipal water supplies, and other at-risk Federal land.” “Yet statutes are not enough,” he added. “Whenever the Forest Service approves long-overdue treatment projects, they routinely end up stymied by years of litigation.”
As California burns, Westerman renews push on wildfire bill (E&E Daily)
House Natural Resources Chair Bruce Westerman said he expects the House to act as soon as next week on a bill to step up forest management, confident that the Los Angeles-area wildfires are bringing fresh attention to the issue. Westerman (R-Ark.), himself a Yale-educated forester, said he’s moving quickly on the soon-to-be reintroduced “Fix Our Forests Act,” including looking for Senate Democrats who might support the legislation on that side of the Capitol. (Subscription Required)
Lawsuit aims to stop largest-ever fire prevention project on Plumas Nat. Forest (Action News Now)
The topic of wildfires and forest management is front and center amid the destructive wildfires in Southern California. A Plumas County environmental group has filed a lawsuit, demanding more study before this largest-ever forest management project moves forward in the Plumas National Forest. The Community Protection Project (CPP) is a $650 million, 200,000-acre project to protect communities in the Plumas National Forest that have not burned in the last 5-7 years. The forest service plans to use prescribed burns, forest thinning, and herbicides as part of the massive fuel reduction project. It’s designed to protect communities in Plumas and Butte Counties from future wildfires.
Wildfires threaten climate efforts in California and globally (Climatewire)
A few years ago, Chevron funded the preservation of a California forest that would address climate change by storing nearly 2 million tons of carbon emissions over the next century. In exchange, California gave Chevron credits to offset its own emissions and help the oil giant meet state carbon standards. Chevron’s preservation payment was based on the amount of carbon the forest would sequester through roughly 2123. But in 2024, wildfire destroyed a significant portion of the forest and reduced its carbon storage potential by 25 to 50 percent, according to a recent analysis by a nonprofit research group. California wildfires are increasingly destroying or damaging forests that the state is trying to preserve to reduce carbon emissions and address climate change, a new analysis by CarbonPlan shows. (Subscription Required)
Biden’s Monument Adds Fuel to the Fires Burning in California (Blue Ribbon Coalition)
This week President Biden traveled to California to designate the Chuckwalla and Sáttítla National Monuments. While he had planned to announce the monuments at a ceremony in Palm Springs, this dog and pony show was canceled due to forecasted severe weather. This severe weather has now resulted in several catastrophic wildfires that have been fueled by dry conditions and high winds, have burned thousands of homes, have caused evacuations of 100,000s of Californians, and the fires continue to burn. One of the most destructive of these fires is the Eaton Fire which has devastated communities in Altadena. It has also burned a significant portion of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument that was expanded by President Biden just a few months ago on May 2, 2024.
The Fire Next Time (Cal Policy Center)
Given our mission to review and recommend water and energy policies and projects, it would be negligent to ignore the horrific firestorms that have torn through Los Angeles County. And before beginning, we must acknowledge that no amount of preparation can entirely prevent tragic outcomes when 100 MPH winds turn the urban canyons of Southern California into a blast furnace. But here are some ideas local elected officials and other individuals in positions of local and regional influence may consider to make their neighborhoods and cities better prepared for the fire next time.
Ron Johnson joins GOP call for conditions on California wildfire aid, says Wisconsin is ‘not really subject’ to climate risks (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
Wisconsin U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson is joining a growing number of congressional Republicans calling for conditions to be attached to federal aid for California amid devastating wildfires that have left at least 25 dead. “If they’re asking for American taxpayer dollars to fund their mismanagement, absolutely we should have the role of telling them what they need to do if they want the dollars,” said in an interview on NPR’s “Morning Edition” Wednesday. “They’ve got a lot of revenue; they just misspend it all the time.” House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, told reporters Monday he wants to see conditions tied to federal assistance to California, citing issues with local leaders’ management of water resources and forests.
Here are seven reasons why California’s wildfire prevention efforts aren’t working | Opinion (Sac Bee)
While state environmental law expressly exempts defensible space within 100 feet of homes from its restrictions, other wildfire mitigation measures to reduce overgrown vegetation have been subject to environmental regulation and even lawsuits. Current environmental laws protect certain species, riparian areas and unstable slopes capable of producing sedimentation, and no one is arguing those laws should be ignored. But we must all be willing to agree that reducing fuel loads on unprotected land to slow a wildfire would be better than allowing those habitats to be completely destroyed, along with adjacent houses.
Gavin Newsom Criticizes Republicans for ‘Politicizing’ California Wildfires (New York Times)
Gov. Gavin Newsom responded on Tuesday to Republicans who said federal aid provided to California for the wildfire response should be conditional and require policy changes. In an interview on MSNBC that he posted to social media, Mr. Newsom said: “If that’s leadership, I have a different definition.” “I’m not meeting Democrats, I’m not meeting Republicans. I’m not meeting Californians,” the governor said. “I’m meeting American citizens desperate in need. And what they need is empathy, care, compassion, understanding. They need support. Not rhetoric, not strings attached.” Mr. Newsom went on to criticize some Republicans for “politicizing this tragic moment.”
After the smoke clears, California needs Democrats to answer these questions on fires (SLO Tribune)
If you can count on Donald Trump for one thing, it is to have the details wrong even when he has the big picture right. In blasting California Gov. Gavin Newsom for contributing to the Los Angeles wildfires by mismanaging smelt and somehow keeping water that could have been used to fight the fires away from LA, Trump is all wet. But fact-checking Trump’s diatribes and complaining that Republicans have politicized the fires, avoids reasonable accountability for California’s governor and legislature as well as the Los Angeles mayor – Democrats all. The Democrats who run California with an iron fist and a paltry role for the opposition have a lot to answer for. There are some questions for the Biden administration, too.
LA mayor issues order to expedite home construction amid wildfires (Housingwire)
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order late on Monday that aims to speed up the rebuilding process in areas destroyed by the wildfires that have burned thousands of homes in Southern California. The order directs city agencies to expedite the building permitting process in affected areas by having discretionary review procedures waived, with a goal of getting permit approvals within 30 days.
California utility faces billions in claims for fire damage even if it did nothing wrong (Reuters)
Victims of the Los Angeles wildfires, likely the costliest in U.S. history, are seizing upon a unique California legal doctrine that allows them to collect from their power utility if its equipment caused the blaze — even if the company did nothing wrong. Numerous lawsuits were filed this week by victims of the Eaton fire, which broke out east of the city, against Southern California Edison, a unit of Edison International (EIX.N), opens new tab. The lawsuits allege that the company’s high-voltage transmission towers were the source of the devastating blaze, which was driven by dangerous high winds and lower humidity.
Don Brunell: LA’s devastating wildfires must spark change (Tacoma Weekly)
The hurricane-force winds fueling fast-moving Southern California wildfires have exasperated firefighters in western states for over a century. They quickly turn small wildfires into raging infernos and eviscerate everything in their paths. Their intensity and frequency increased over the last decade much as happened over a century ago. However, when they torch population centers, such as Palisades, it is an urgent call to action. Curtailing the Santa Ana winds is impossible; however, taking away the megafires’ fuels is not. In September 1902, Washington’s Yacolt Burn engulfed more than a half million acres and killed 56 people in the Columbia River Gorge and around Mt. St. Helens. The choking smoke was so thick that ships on the Columbia River were forced to navigate by compass and the streetlights in Seattle, 160 miles to the north, glowed at noon.
Trump’s pick to oversee US public lands faces Senate hearing (AP)
Former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum is due before a Senate committee Thursday as lawmakers consider the Republican’s nomination to be chief steward of U.S. public lands and waters. President-elect Donald Trump in November tapped Burgum to be interior secretary and to lead the new National Energy Council, which is charged with promoting oil, gas and other energy development. The Interior Department oversees a half-billion acres of federal land and vast areas offshore. Combined those areas produce about one-quarter of U.S. oil, or more than 1 billion barrels of crude annually, making them a flashpoint in the debate over how to address climate change.
Dems add moderates to Natural Resources Committee (E&E Daily)
Eight freshman House Democrats snagged seats on the Natural Resources Committee as the party filled out its rosters. Democrats got more moderate on the panel with the additions Tuesday of Blue Dog Reps. Jared Golden of Maine and Adam Gray of California…In addition to Gray, Democrats added seven other freshmen: Reps. Dave Min and Luz Rivas of California, Maxine Dexter of Oregon, Emily Randall of Washington, Yassamin Ansari of Arizona, Sarah Elfreth of Maryland and Puerto Rico’s new Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández Rivera. Ansari worked on climate issues at the United Nations. Golden and Gray are both leaders of the conservative Democratic caucus, which is trying to rebuild itself into a power player again on Capitol Hill after years of contraction.
Rebuilding the Forest Service: Part 1 (Evergreen Magazine)
An Interview with U.S. Forest Service Retiree, Ted Stubblefield Ted “Stub” Stubblefield is a Forest Service retiree and member of the Evergreen Foundation Board of Directors. He lives in Prescott, Arizona with his wife, Mary. Stub grew up on a southern California avocado farm. Planting, thinning, pruning and fertilizing trees went on seven days a week. “It was hard work but choosing a forestry career just seemed like the natural thing to do,” he said of his years working in family avacado orchards. Stub fought his first Forest Service wildfire in 1961 on a Timber Stand Improvement [TSI] crew during the summer after his freshman year at Humbolt State University in Arcata, California. He graduated in 1964 with a major in Forest Management and a minor in Wildlife Management.
MT groups sue USFS over logging in lynx habitat (PNS)
The U.S. Forest Service is facing a lawsuit from Montana conservation groups for authorizing a major logging project in a critical wildlife habitat. The Round Star logging project, located 13 miles west of Whitefish, would cover over 9,000 acres of forest land in an area inhabited by Canada lynx and grizzly bears. Both are federally protected under the Endangered Species Act, which means they should take priority in logging plans.
Amanda Sullivan-Astor: Forest Service withdraws National Old Growth Amendment (New Era)
Associated Oregon Loggers welcomes the U.S. Forest Service decision to withdraw the National Old Growth Amendment process, an ill-conceived effort championed by out-of-touch environmental politics that threatened to undermine both forest health and the American economy. This deeply flawed proposal ignored realities of modern forest management and would have imposed disastrous consequences on Oregon’s rural communities, forestry sector and the national forest role in addressing carbon and climate.
Court Boice: Is Oregon prepared for 2025 fire season? (OR Natural Resource Report)
Have we learned from the tragic 35-year California and Oregon Catastrophic Fire History? Most recent estimates are $150 BILLION to bring Los Angeles back and rebuild! These fires are what happens when the Elite Progressive Ideologies take total precedence over all Else and everything we hold dear. Will we dramatically change course and immediately begin preparation for the greatest threat to our Public Safety? I offer the following solutions. Stop the Radical Environmentalists Abuse of our Legal System – continual, ridiculous, and costly lawsuits compounded by Electing the wrong people, those who are often supported and funded by these elite Lawyers. Those legal firms get rich off suffering Oregonians and incinerated wildlife.
Oregon nonprofit addresses fire risk at the forest’s edge (OPB)
Last year, wildfires burned 1.9 million acres in Oregon, setting a new record. Since 2020, major river drainages of the Cascades, including the McKenzie, Santiam, and Clackamas rivers, have been devastated by fires. Many fear that it could be a matter of time before a catastrophic wildfire burns along the Highway 26 corridor on the west slope of Mount Hood. Bracing for this potential, a small nonprofit organization based in Sandy, Oregon, is cutting trees and clearing brush.
NASA Teams with Forest Service to Tally America’s Oldest Trees (NASA)
Watch: The White House recently challenged the stewards of the public lands of the United States, including the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, to produce the first ever national inventory of mature and old growth forests. The next phase of the project will be augmented by NASA laser altimetry data from an instrument on the International Space Station. The GEDI instrument can provide detailed information on tree height and forest biomass, not just in the U.S., but all around the globe.
Those rebuilding after L.A. fires will likely face higher lumber prices as Trump tariffs loom (Los Angeles Times)
Devastating, often tragic as the Los Angeles wildfires have been, rebuilding could bring nightmares all its own, including murky insurance rules, material shortages and potentially higher cost for everything from lumber to bathtubs. In terms of economic upheaval, it could be the construction industry equivalent of what the COVID-19 pandemic did to the economy just a few years ago. The incoming Trump administration’s plans to slap new tariffs on imports from many countries including Canada — by far the biggest foreign supplier of lumber for the U.S. market — could set off new waves of inflation in home building.
SC’s $23B timber industry is on its knees as demand evaporates. Can it avoid collapse? (Post and Courier)
When Amy McFadden’s youngest daughter was born, she planted trees. One hundred acres of loblolly pines that grew as her daughter did. The family took photos each year — McFadden’s daughter next to the widening trunks — until the pines stretched high into the sky. When McFadden’s daughter, Allie, was a teenager, the family made good on their investment. They cut down the trees, piled the logs into trucks and sent them to the mill. One hundred acres of loblolly pines funded an education at Clemson University. She chose to study forestry. The McFaddens are among thousands of South Carolinians who make their living in the forests. It’s a $23 billion industry, employing roughly 100,000 people, producing more labor income than almost any other sector and controlling about two-thirds of the state’s land, according to a study from the University of South Carolina.
Hampton and Girls Build Launch Weekend Workshops for Girls Interested in the Trades (Hampton Lumber)
Hampton Lumber is excited to announce a new partnership with Girls Build to expand their highly successful summer camp program for girls ages 8-15, with additional weekend workshops this winter and spring for girls and young women ages 14-18. Since 2018, Hampton Lumber has supported Girls Build’s week-long summer camps in the Oregon communities of Warrenton, Tillamook and Willamina/Sheridan, providing hundreds of girls with impactful, hands-on opportunities to build skills and confidence in the trades. These highly popular camps are taught by female instructors and can accommodate up to 40 participants. To ensure accessibility, Hampton also funds scholarships for girls who may face financial barriers. Many participants return year after year, building new skills, gaining confidence, and forming lasting connections.
Kendrick McBride, Casey Redwine and Brent Siegel Named Plant Managers at Roseburg (RFP)
Kendrick McBride, Casey Redwine and Brent Siegel have been named plant managers at three Roseburg Forest Products mills. McBride returns to Dillard Lumber in Roseburg, OR, where he began his career with Roseburg as a technical manager in 2017. More recently, McBride served as Production Manager at Roseburg’s Roanoke Valley Lumber in Weldon, N.C., where he led the plant’s technical start up, oversaw team growth and has set the mill on track to expand operations in 2025. Redwine assumes formal leadership at Medford MDF after working his way up through the mill since 2015 and, most recently, serving nine months as Operations Manager. The mill produces specialty MDF panels for installer-friendly Armorite® Exterior Trim.
Museum showcases timber history (Hungry Horse News)
Did you know that in 1884 that John Foy’s mill between Foys Lakes was considered the first water-powered sawmill in the valley? Or that in 1914, the first of 147 permanent fire lookouts on the Flathead National Forest was built on Spotted Bear Mountain? Those are just some of the interesting facets of the history of the timber industry in Northwest Montana, whose forests and trees literally helped build the United States to what it is today. Folks can learn about it in all new displays at the Northwest Montana History Museum in Kalispell in the exhibit, “Lumberjacks, Tie Hacks and River Pigs.”
