I’ve been a professional firefighter in California for 20 years. Currently I oversee a vegetation management program to reduce fire risk to communities.

We have money, resources and are ready to work. The Environmental regulations however take years to navigate and comply with and consume a large portion of the funds available for this work. California’s entire fire problem is a direct result of foolish policies.

It goes back to the USFS suppressing naturally occurring fire for over100 years resulting in excessive fuels in our wild lands.

Now the State of California is tying the hands of local communities in repairing the damage through nonsensical environmental regulations that prioritize red legged frogs or “spotted owl habitat” that hasn’t seen a spotted owl since the 80’s over human lives and property.

The government will blame everything and everyone except their own policies which are the real culprit.

The incentives are so screwed up that no one is really interested in actually fixing the issue because everyone is grifting off the system. Fires are big money for both Private contractors and government employees as is environmental compliance consulting.

There, I feel better now. Had to get that out.

#fire #grownostr