Arizona State Forester Vicki Christiansen testified on behalf of NASF before a House Appropriations subcommittee this week on options for solving the impacts of runaway fire suppression costs on the Forest Service and Department of the Interior budgets. The discussion explored the recently passed FLAME Act as well as the trend of "fire borrowing" that has decimated many of the agencies' other accounts. "Addressing wildland fire is a much larger, more complex land management and societal issue that cannot be solved by one agency or piece of legislation alone," noted Christiansen. "Solving the impact of skyrocketing fire suppression costs is only one piece of the puzzle, but it is one that is within our reach."
Also quoted this week on the wildfire issue: NASF President and Kentucky State Forester Leah W. MacSwords