In 2007, the National Association of Forest Service Retirees (NAFSR) published a position paper expressing grave concern for the manner in which Congress funds the federal wildland firefighting effort.

The current manner of funding is a "rob Peter to pay Paul" scheme in which the Forest Service takes funds away from other important forest management programs - including reforestation - in order to cover the cost of fires.

Theoretically, Congress later restores the Forest Service budget and we all live happily ever after, but in practice it isn't working out as planned. Currently, the Forest Service has a substantial reforestation backlog - the result of the agency not having the money it needs to replant lands that are being destroyed by wildfire or insect infestations.

The U.S. Senate is currently negotiating the final terms of the so-called FLAME Act, which the House ratified last March by a 412-3 vote. FLAME - the Federal and Land Assistance Management and Enhancement Act - funds the federal firefighting effort from a pot of money that is separate from the rest of the Forest Service budget.

Last year, the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management spent about $2.4 billion on firefighting and fire prevention. By itself, the Forest Service now spends half of its entire annual budget on fire-related activities.

Given the silliness - and the sadness - of this whole sordid affair, it's a good time for us to republish NAFSR's 2007 study, which gets right to the heart of the matter.

Click below for the NAFSR report:

Funding Wildland Firefighting

To learn more about FLAME, click on the following URL: http://forestpolicyresearch.org/2009/03/24/usa-flame-act-legislation-seeks-to-redesign-how-usfs-spends-money-fighting-fires/

There are also numerous reports in past issues of Evergreen Magazine. Click on "The Best of Evergreen"  - then look for archived issues with burning forests on the cover. (Yup, it's that simple)