10.04.06

Cantwell Presses Forest Service to Focus More on Protecting Communities From Wildfires

Inspector General report says Forest Service failing to prioritize fuel reduction projects to reduce fire risk effectively

WASHINGTON, DC – Wednesday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) questioned a top Forest Service official following the release of a report by the Agriculture Department’s Inspector General auditing the implementation of the Bush Administration’s healthy forests initiative. According to the report, the Forest Service is currently unable to determine the level of wildfire risk posed to specific communities and has no way to ensure that the most important fuel reduction projects—those that could do the most to reduce fire dangers to communities—are completed first. Furthermore, the Inspector General found that current Forest Service practices may be creating incentives to fund projects that treat the greatest number of acres instead of those that do the most to reduce fire risk.

“With this year’s historic fire season still not over, we need to do all we can to prevent wildfires and reduce the risks they pose to homes and communities,” said Cantwell. “The Forest Service needs to sharpen its focus on projects that enhance community protection from catastrophic blazes. Protecting our citizens and their property must be a top priority.”

In a letter to Under Secretary of Agriculture Mark Rey, Cantwell made clear her concerns with the report’s findings, and asked for clarification on how the Forest Service was working to reduce fire risks, particularly in the west.

“Wildfires threaten the well-being of citizens and property alike,” wrote Cantwell. “Given the ongoing challenges in my state and throughout the west, I believe we must spend our limited resources on risk reduction in the most efficient way possible.”

Specifically, Cantwell asked Under Secretary Rey to provide details on fuel reduction activities in Washington state, the criteria currently used to allocate resources for fuel reduction activities in Washington state, and how the Forest Service will improve the allocation of fuel reduction resources to better address the threat of wildfires in the future.

Cantwell also expressed concern with an observation by the Inspector General that, “the majority of catastrophic wildfires occur in the west, but the Southeast States (Region 8) treated over 57 percent of the hazardous fuels acreage in the United States in [fiscal year] 2004.” By comparison, during 2004, only 8.7 percent of the fuels reduction treatments nationally took place in the Pacific Northwest. The Inspector General also noted that, “the [Forest Service] has no assurance that they are allocating funds to the most efficient and cost effective fuel reduction projects nationally.”

Nationwide, the 2006 fire season is already the largest fire season since 1960, with more than 83,000 fires and over nine million acres burned. The 2006 season, though still ongoing, is already 80 percent more active in terms of acres burned than the 10-year average. Earlier this summer, wildfires were burning on more than 309,000 acres in Washington State. To view the full Inspector General’s report, click here.

[The text of Cantwell’s letter follows below]

 

October 4, 2006

The Honorable Mark Rey

Under Secretary, Natural Resources and Environment

Department of Agriculture

1400 Independence Ave., SW

Washington, DC 20520

Dear Under Secretary Rey,

I am writing to express my concern about some of the findings in last month’s Agriculture Department Inspector General’s audit report on the implementation of the Healthy Forests Initiative (Report No. 08601-6-AT) which was critical of the Forest Service’s hazardous fuel reduction activities. Given the intensity of the 2006 fire season and its impact on Washington state, the Forest Service should prioritize fuels reduction projects to ensure maximum possible protection of citizens and property and wise investment of taxpayer dollars.

As you know, the 2006 fire season has been one of the worst on record. For the first time since 1960, wildfires have consumed more than nine million acres across the nation. Many areas across the west have suffered the brunt, with active wildfires currently burning across more than 175,000 acres in the State of Washington alone. Just last month, the 13 active wildfires ablaze in Washington state had burnt 309,000 acres.

With the severity of the current fire season in mind, and given your concurrence with the Inspector General’s findings, I write to ask a number of specific questions about the recent audit report and the implementation of its findings in the State of Washington.

First, the Inspector General found that the Forest Service could not ensure that the most important projects are funded first. In fact, current agency policy regarding fuel reduction activities may be creating incentives, which encourage decisions based on treating the most acres, not on reducing the greatest risks of catastrophic fires. According to the report, “The focus has been on achieving firm annual targets (output) that are measured in the number of acres treated.” I am concerned that the Forest Service may be funding the easiest treatment projects to meet an arbitrary acreage goal – with little assurance those acres are actually reducing risk to rural communities.

The Inspector General also found that the Forest Service is currently unable to ascertain the level of risk that wildfires pose to communities. This undermines Congress and the public’s ability to evaluate the administration’s success in reducing risk through fuels reduction. It also calls into question the Forest Service’s methods for determining where and how fuels reduction resources have been invested.

I am concerned that the Forest Service’s under utilization of risk-focused methodologies to allocate resources and measure success may be contributing to an inappropriate distribution of hazardous fuels reduction resources. The Inspector General noted that, “the majority of catastrophic wildfires occur in the west, but the Southeast States (Region 8) treated over 57 percent of the hazardous fuels acreage in the United States in [fiscal year]2004.” In fact, during 2004, only 8.7 percent of the fuels reduction treatments nationally took place in the Pacific Northwest. The Inspector General found that with its current methods, “…the [Forest Service] has no assurance that they are allocating funds to the most efficient and cost effective fuel reduction projects nationally.”

While the Forest Service has concurred with all of the recommendations in the Inspector General’s audit, your agency has estimated that it will not be able to complete its responses until July 31, 2007, at the earliest. I hope critical reforms can be made as soon as possible, especially when they are so critical to protecting our citizens, their property, and the investment of taxpayers. As such, I would appreciate your timely response to the following questions:

  • How many acres of fuels reduction activities have taken place within the State of Washington?
  • Of those acres involved in fuels reduction activities in Washington state, how many acres were treated in the wildland urban interface?
  • According to the Inspector General, there are not adequate assurances that the highest priority projects have been implemented. Can you describe the criteria that have been used to allocate resources for fuels reduction activities in Washington state to date?
  • According to the Forest Service, the LANDFIRE system will be used to more accurately identify communities at risk. The Inspector General’s audit report noted that the LANDFIRE system will be deployed across the western United States in 2006. Has Washington state been included in the LANDFIRE system’s deployment? If not, when will Washington state be included?
  • The Inspector General noted that a “…majority of catastrophic wildfires occur in the west.” Yet, the recommendations of your report will not be implemented until July 31, 2007—after the administration’s fiscal year 2008 budget request is complete and under consideration by Congress. Can you assure me that the Forest Service will propose improved allocation of fuels reduction resources to better address the threat of wildfires in next year’s budget request?

Wildfires threaten the well-being of citizens and property alike. Given the ongoing challenges in my state and throughout the west, I believe we must spend our limited resources on risk reduction in the most efficient way possible. I look forward to working with you to ensure a timely response to the Inspector General’s recommendations and my questions.

Sincerely,

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell

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