By Darrell Kerby
Bonners Ferry
Boundary County Commissioners have taken a proactive stance on addressing the extreme fire risk created by the U.S. Forest Service’s current inability to mitigate wildfire dangers along the wildland–urban interface in Boundary County. Their efforts deserve recognition.
While the emergency declaration alone will not compel the Forest Service to act immediately, it unequivocally highlights the perilous conditions we face today. It is now incumbent upon the Trump Administration to employ its available tools to prompt the relevant agencies to take the necessary precautions to avert potential disasters.
Agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Environmental Protection Agency and others must work to revise the restrictive regulations enforced under the Endangered Species Act, thereby enabling forest management to incorporate both life-safety concerns and the economic benefits of modern logging practices on our national forests.
The emergency declaration should also facilitate the release of both state and federal emergency resources, enabling Boundary County to better mitigate disasters should they occur.
It is time to reexamine our management practices and priorities, especially in light of the successful recovery of the grizzly population and the profound impacts of climate change on our environment and national forests. This reassessment should integrate both economic and life-safety measures.
In the meantime, each of us must take the necessary steps within our personal capacities to ensure our properties are fire safe. Early action is crucial to collective effectiveness.
While none of us can predict this year’s fire season with absolute certainty, we can act to safeguard our own well-being.
Stay safe.