Fire Wise? The Paradox of Fire Policy

About this section

An Idaho Statesman series that examines why we spend billions attacking almost every wildfire despite its beneficial effects on forests and reduction of fire threats. Rocky Barker and Heath Druzin show how our current policy puts firefighters in unnecessary danger and doesn't protect communities as well- or as cheaply - as we now know how to do.

Fire information

• Costs of fighting fires on public lands
• United States Government Accountability Office - 'Lack of a cohesive strategy hinders agencies' cost-containment efforts'
• United States Government Accountability Office - 'Better guidance needed to clarify sharing of costs between federal and non federal entities'
• 'Wildland-Urban Fire -- A different approach'by Jack D. Cohen
• University of Idaho - 'Protecting and Landscaping Homes in the Wildland/Urban Interface'
• U.S. Department of Agriculture - Audit report: Forest Service large suppression costs

Links

• National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC)
• Wildland Fire Assessment System
• Locate current wildfires near you
• U.S. Forest Service - Boise National Forest
• National Fire Weather Forecasts
• National Interagency Fire Center - Fire news
• A look at fires nationwide

Firewise? Blogs

• Fire deaths underscore fire suppression issues
• Critics challenge FireWise? Case for restoring fire to forest