We payed tribute to the 19 brave Granite Mountain Hotshots this week, and firefighters are optimistic about the San Juan Fire. However, dry summer weather conditions and overgrown forests are still a concern this fire season.
In early May, Governor Brewer signed HB2343, now called forest health management, to drastically reduce Arizona’s forest fires and protect our firefighters and national forests.
Recently, B3 Strategies CEO Russell Smoldon spoke with KTAR reporter Cooper Rummell about how forest health management can help prevent forest fires.
Smoldon said trimming trees and treating forests could save Arizona homes and, more importantly, firefighter’s lives at a lower cost than fighting the fires. Therefore, it is necessary that Congress takes action to prevent another Yarnell tragedy.
Smoldon said he thought the federal government would help maintain Arizona’s national forests after the tragedy at Yarnell Hill. However, according to Smoldon, Congress has not taken any action since Yarnell, and fighting wildfires in Arizona is getting riskier every day.
“Forest thinning and maintenance is the only solution to avoiding another tragedy like Yarnell,” says Smoldon.
Smoldon discusses the benefits of forest health management
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