Letters, letters, letters

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To the Editor:

I was shocked by the article in The Nugget ("Forest Service begins fall burning," page 3, September 22) regarding Forest Service prescribed burns planned for the end of September.

It stated that they are timing burns "to take advantage of current extreme fire conditions." The Glaze Meadow burn is expected to have two- to 15-foot flames, surrounded by a 10- to 20-foot "black line" of pre-burned material as a deterrent to escape. Let's see, five-foot flames, 10-foot black line, extreme fire conditions ... sounds like poor math and worse reasoning.

The other burn is prescribed so forest scientists can "study the effects of fire on a ponderosa pine ecosystem." Guess what? We have forest fires they can study, plenty of them. Or are they too far from the comfort of the pickup?

The good news is, the risk of escape is low because we're burning in the morning. Does the moisture content of forest fuels rise to saturate it overnight during times of "extreme" fire conditions? And if so, how?

Their decision to burn makes no sense until you read the last paragraph of the article. "Both burns had to be conducted before the end of the fiscal year on September 30." Okay, I'm with you now, it's not based on logic from an environmental point of view.

These burns are said to be conducted in a "controlled environment."

If "extreme" conditions are a controlled environment, it should be okay for me to enjoy my outdoor fire pit surrounded by 30 feet of short, lush green grass, gravel, and paving stone. My flames are only one foot high, and I live in town. (Coincidentally, my fiscal year ends on September 30 so that should work too, right?)

I don't feel particularly at ease or pacified by the burning, brush removal, logging, trail fees, or regulatory policies of the Forest Service, do you?

Isn't it about time we "taxpayers" put our foot down and said, "Enough! We want our view of the mountains back and the wildlife could use some brush piles left unburned.

Roy Manbeck (see response following)

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The Sisters Ranger District replies:

Mr. Manbeck's paragraph two: The flame lengths referred to are those flame lengths associated with two different kinds of fire - backing fire (two-foot flame lengths) and head fire (15-foot flame lengths).

The backing fire is what the Forest Service uses in black lining operations. The fire is ignited on the edge of the meadow, allowed to back into the meadow 10-20 feet and is extinguished. The black lining flames are easily extinguished by the burning crew.

When the black line is completed, the Forest Service will begin ignition on the main portion of the meadow on the downwind side. The fire will be allowed to back into the wind adding another 20 to 50 feet of blackened area. Once this is achieved, wider strips will be ignited and the flames become a "head fire" and will be up to 15 feet in length and will run into a blackened area that is now 30 to 50 feet wide.

Mr. Manbeck's paragraph three: The study in the Metolius RNA allows scientists to study fire effects in a stand that is more representative of the ponderosa pine forests that existed prior to the settlement of European man.

The burning and the study in the RNA is attempting to duplicate the frequency of fires that occurred historically. While it is true that there are lots of wildfire areas in the Central Oregon area, they are not suitable for study as the frequency of the fires in each area has been altered from that which is considered "natural" (historical).

Many areas in Central Oregon have not had fire on them in 50 to 90 years, and those that have have burned more extremely than what the fires did under the "natural" fire regime.

Mr.Manbeck's paragraph four: The Forest Service mitigates "extreme" conditions by conducting their burning with adequate staffing and during times when the relative humidity, temperature, and wind permit a successful operation. Late evening and early morning are some of the times that allowed the Forest Service to be within the prescription established for the burn.

Mr. Manbeck's paragraph five: The Forest Service is funded by fiscal year. Funding for the current year ( 1999) ends on September 30. There is no guarantee that the Forest Service can get money in FY2000 (begins October 1) for continuation of the project. The Forest Service is trying to get Glaze Meadow burned prior to September 30. However, since the project is a prescribed burn, all burning will be done within the set prescription. The prescription addresses site specific weather conditions and expected fire behavior. The prescription will not be compromised for the lesser need of completing the project by September 30.

Rock Gerke, Resource Operations Team Leader, Sisters Ranger District

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To the Editor:

Each week I look forward to getting a copy of The Nugget and reading the column by Jim Anderson. But this week (September 22) I was appalled by his article when he tells the story about "Trouble" the raccoon and how he hurled the little guy into the air and into blackberry bushes.

This little critter had bonded to Jim and anyone that could be that cruel to any animal should not be allowed to care for animals.

If you take in a critter that causes trouble, whether it be a cat, dog, or coon, please call your local vet or animal care facility so they can help you place the animal with someone who will know what to do. Mr. Anderson's name may be on the list but I can only hope that he wrote this article during one of those bad days and knows better than to hurt any animal today.

Please remember that animals have feelings and develop a love and trust for their human counterparts, don't abandon them. You owe it to them to place them with someone who will give them to attention and care they need, or will know the best way to re-introduce them to the wild where they came from.

Judy Walker Bradshaw

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To the Editor:

Now that fire season is coming to an end, we would like to thank all those involved in putting out our two fires within a month, just 20 and 30 feet from our house. Our thanks to the state forestry department, Sisters-Camp Sherman fire district and three contractors who put out three spot fires that were very close to the house.

The first fire burned trees and sagebrush, the second one was embers that flew approximately 300 feet from the Squaw Creek fire. The firemen were all busy on that fire when the contractors noticed the spot fires. They ran down to the house and got a line around them before the flames went up the trees.

Shortly after that, there were two fire trucks that came and they stood by for several hours making sure there were no more spot fires on McKinney Butte.

Both of these fires were caused from electrical wires.

Our thanks and appreciation goes out to all of you for a job well done.

Mary And Pat Poncy

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