The Forest Service is allowing a fire burning in California’s Sierra Nevada Mountain Range to burn — rather than extinguishing it — as a way of reducing brush and small trees in the forest. This decision on the “Lion Complex” fire represents implementation of fire policy that allows fires that are not endangering lives or property to do what Smokey Bear calls “natures housekeeping.”
It’s great to see the Forest Service moving in this direction: It’s good for the forest and good for the taxpayer.