§6701 Findings

Summary

Congress says wildfires are a growing danger to millions of acres of forest and rangeland in the United States. Poor past management, including fighting all fires and not removing crowded small trees, has made many forests worse and more likely to burn. At least 39,000,000 acres of National Forest in the interior West are at high risk. From fiscal years 1990 through 1994, 95 percent of the Forest Service’s wildfire suppression spending went to the interior West. Wildfires there are getting larger and more severe. In Arizona and New Mexico, 59 percent and 56 percent of National Forest timberland, respectively, have average tree diameters of 9 to 12 inches. The interior West grew twice as fast as the U.S. average in the 1990s. Catastrophic fires threaten homes, damage watersheds and soils, and harm habitat for threatened and endangered species. A 1994 review said only a 15- to 30-year window existed to act, and 8 years had already passed. Healthy forests reduce fire risk and bring many benefits, like better wildlife habitat, more plant growth, and stronger watersheds. Preventing severe fires and allowing natural low-intensity ground fires requires cutting excess fuels and thinning crowded trees, some of which may have commercial value. Large-scale restoration can protect communities and resources, but better practical science is needed for planning, monitoring, environmental review, and collaboration.