Barrasso: ‘Western States are Again Bracing for What Will Likely be Another Devastating Wildfire Season This Summer’

During a U.S. Senate Committee Hearing on Energy and Natural Resources, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), ranking member of the committee, said America’s wildfire crisis will continue to escalate until our forests are properly managed. Sheridan Media’s Ron Richter has the details.

The committee hearing was held to examine the federal response to escalating wildfires and to evaluate reforms to land management and wildland firefighter recruitment and retention. The hearing featured testimony from Wyoming Interim State Forester Kelly Norris, who highlighted the importance of active forest management by saying that active management, including intentional harvesting, hazard fuel treatments, and prescribed fire can better protect our forests and the communities that depend on them. During my recent interview with Senator Barraso, he talked about the hearing and the testimony from Norris.

Barrasso said forest management on federal land is where there is an issue.

A lot of the testimony from Norris and others at the hearing focused on forest thinning.

Barrasso said western states are again bracing for what will likely be another devastating wildfire season this summer. This week’s First Northern Bank of Wyoming poll question is are you concerned about the coming wildfire season in Northeast Wyoming? You can vote online at sheridanmedia.com then be sure to join us at 9:10 am Friday for the Jackson Electric Open line on Newstalk 9-30 KROE to discuss the topic.