As we have watched the Brian Head Fire now
consume more than 66,000 acres of forest and debated the root cause (which most
locals knew was a ticking time bomb), I hear some call for, and demand,
civility while we have firefighters in danger.
We all appreciate our firefighters and the
amazing job they have done. We would be devastated if any were hurt.
Do we appreciate the firefighters enough that
we are willing to get to the root cause and fix this issue going forward?
It will take time, but how about while
emotions are high, we go to our local and national legislators and demand
change?
A price to pay: The mounting cost of the
Brian Head Fire
Sen. Mike Lee has committed to doing so by
pushing a bill he introduced as the Catastrophic Wildfire Prevention Act to
expedite wildfire prevention projects in at-risk forests and wildlife habitats.
The bill would give federal land managers firm deadlines for reviewing and
approving projects and empower them to use proven wildfire prevention
strategies like livestock grazing and timber harvesting. I applaud his effort.
How about we look at simple solutions that
could make even a small difference, like the U.S. Forest Service offering free
woodcutting permits to help clear the forest?
Even before the fire is extinguished, how
about we demand that environmental groups stand down and send loggers into the
areas that are not on fire?
How about we wait until the snow flies when
it's safer and do some prescribed burns to start clearing the areas not burned?
Do we as a public care enough for the safety
of those put in harm’s way to do what it takes to fix this?
The bottom line: These forests need to be
thinned and managed. If this fire doesn't take our whole mountain, another
eventually will if we don't act.
More fire coverage: Brian Head 911 calls
reveal quick growth of fire, panic
For years, environmentalist groups have sued
the federal government and received millions of dollars in settlements using
our tax dollars to push their agendas. Citizens are being quadruple-taxed as a
result of environmentalists’ actions.
These are the consequences:
• Timber resource value … up in smoke
• Lost economic engine by shutting down
job-producing industries — not just timber but now tourism, too.
• Having to pay federal taxes from
billion-dollar settlement payouts.
• Health and land harm from air quality, water
quality and total resource degradation, i.e. wildlife, scenic, major and micro
ecosystems.
These radical environmentalists don't want the
forests managed. This hands-off approach has been a complete failure and we are
now paying the price. The amount of timber destroyed so far could build every
home in Cedar City three times, not to mention the wildlife that has been
killed. What a waste!
Another real challenge after the fire is over
is the damage to the community watersheds of Parowan and Panguitch. I cringe to
think of the damage to the Sevier, Parowan and Virgin drainages.
Another sad fact is that due to
environmentalists’ actions in suing on every timber sale, the Fredonia sawmill
owned by Kaibab Forest Products is now out of business. Approximately 250
individuals received pink slips right before Christmas in 1994. Think of the
amount of now-destroyed lumber that could have been harvested by them and other
closed mills.
I was given a contact number for a forestry
expert in Oregon who consults with the Forest Service. I called him and we had
a long talk. They are making great headway in managing their forests better.
They have been successful in bringing many groups and government agencies to
the table and finding common ground.
I feel this is an approach worth trying. I
recently posted a resolution that Iron County Commissioners passed in 2014 in
an effort to solve this ticking time bomb. The support didn't seem to be there
at the time. Is it now? Are you in?
Are we willing to stand and work for a
solution? I am.
____________
Mr. Cozzens is in his second term on the Cedar City Council. He grew up in Moab, Utah and worked with his father, a civil engineer and excavator, which developed his strong work ethic. He attended Southern Utah University and has lived in Cedar City since 1980. He owns a cabinet manufacturing business and his community activities include: President of the Happy Factory; District Chairman for the Boy Scouts of America; and he also has served on the Cedar City Planning Commission. He loves Cedar City and our Nation, Can be contacted at paulcedarcitycouncil
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