I grew up and lived in those mountains all my life and I want to tell you about some burns that have happened there. George pacific owns half the land between Tahoe and Placerville, my hometown. The forest serves stopped clearing the under brush on forest service land many years a go and let the forest over grew. Now remember that most of the forest in this area is second and third cut growth. There is almost no “old grow” here.
In 94 an area on highway 50 burned. The fire jumped both side of the highway and burned all the way to union valley reservoir (big macks and browns in winter. Had a brown bite a 16in bow in half one time). The forest service wanted to clear all the dead trees and replant. The sierra club and earth first had a **** and sued to let the forest take care of its self. The result was highway 50 closing from large slides 3 winters in a row. Why? Because their was not enough growth in the soil to hold it to the hill. Heres the problem with modern burns and not doing any thing about them.
When we have these hot fires that burn every tree because of the amount of fuel on the ground it seals the soil. All those pinecones that the sierra club loves to go on about are either burned up or cannot germinate in the soul. Left like this the forest will never come back. The best thing to do is go in with dozers and drag out the burnt wood. This brakes up the soil so you can go in and plant. Georgia Pacific goes in to its land and does exactly that. You can park on the highway and look up the hill to see the difference between the over grown shrub filled slide prone area that the forest service owns right next to the tall 9 year old forest with little under brush and no slides. The lumber companies have offered to replant the forest service land on several occasions only to have the sierra club threaten to sue.
We in this country stopped every fire in the woods for 60 years and it was a well-meaning mistake. We have up set the natural process that the forest uses to clean and re plant its self. By going in and clearing the under brush and older sick trees we will end up with a healthier more fire resistant forest. There is an area near George Town ca. that is part of the same forest. The forest service started to clear the under brush in this are about 8 years ago and it is the most beautiful part of the forest. The local forest service guys would love to do the same to the whole forest but cannot afford it. The lumber industries would love to do the job for free in exchange for some selective cut rights. This is the best solution for every one. The forest will be healthier and the local economy will get a really needed shot in the arm. I cannot understand not having some one do something for free. The sierra club agrees that the work must be done, no one is auguring that is needs to be done only who is going to pay for it. The sierra club wants the government to pay for it. That’s my tax dollar. Why do that when the lumber companies can do it faster better and for no cost to the taxpayer?