WildEarth Guardians

Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Born of Fire - A WildEarth Guardians Report

A comprehensive WildEarth Guardians' review of fuel treatment programs and fire management plans in the Southwestern Region of the U.S.
Contact: WildEarth Guardians

Forest Guardians conducted a comprehensive review of the Forest Service’s FMPs in the Southwest as well as records of fuels management and fire suppression costs since 2001. Though the FMPs are a considerable improvement on the haphazard fire management of the past, they are not consistent in their direction for the use of fire as a management tool and the forests have failed to actually use fire on the ground, outside of the Gila and Kaibab National Forests. The Gila received the highest grade of 83% an A and the Tonto the lowest of 47% an F.

"Forest Guardian's new report on fire management in the Southwest is extremely timely,” said Tom Ribe, former fire fighter and Southwestern Representative for FUSEE (Firefighters United for Safety Ethics and Ecology).

Read the full report (PDF) (6.4 MB)