Petition

Petition to Change Fire Management Policy This petition is in response to the United States Forest Service’s (USFS) management of the Kootenai Creek Fire near Stevensville, Montana, and other fires that were managed under the same policies. USFS fire control policy of vigorous initial attack and mop up has evolved into a fire management policy which allows fire to burn in most areas and seeks to use it to manage the forest. Along with this policy change have come changes in fire fighting methods which make fire suppression more difficult and expensive. We, the undersigned, are concerned citizens who urge the United States Government to return to the fire control policies and methods of the past. Because of the following unnecessary results of managing the forest with fire: threat to life and health, air pollution, erosion, destruction of forests, ugly scars on the landscape, and decreased property values, we will not put up with it. We propose that the USFS manage the forests using the advanced mechanical means available to them. When done properly, these methods result in healthier forests. This petition will be sent to anyone to whom it applies, including USFS officials and federal and state elected officials.

About the petition:
The Petition to Change Fire Management Policy was co-authored by a professional forester, who has 35 years of experience (including fire fighting), and his son, who also has forestry experience.
If you would like to sign the petition and gather other signatures, you can download the petition below.
Download petition

As of 2-25-11, the petition had 243 signatures. A copy of the petition has been sent to the following officials:

Bitterroot National Forest Supervisor Julie King
Regional Forester Leslie Weldon
U.S. Senator Max Baucus
U.S. Senator Jon Tester
U.S. Representative Denny Rehberg
State Senator Jim Shockley
State Representative Edward Greef
Ravalli County Commissioners

We are still accepting signatures.

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