Extra! Forest Service responds
Latest news about Giant Sequoia Emergency Response
Volume 3, Number 46* - Monday, Feb. 3, 2025 - Extra!
Published every Monday and Thursday
Perspective
NEWSPAPERS used to sometimes produce an “Extra” edition to report important news that broke after the most recent edition was published.
This morning, immediately after I hit the final publish button for the regular Feb. 3 edition, I checked my email again and had a response from the Forest Service to my questions from last week.
I appreciated receiving the response from D’Artanyan Ratley, press officer for the Forest Service’s Pacific Southwest Region and figured the quickest way to get this information to readers is with this “Extra” edition.
Here is the response, with my questions in bold:
The status of GS Emergency Response work - is it all done or is more waiting to be done?
Forest personnel continued fuels reduction through burning previously piled material and implementing contracts in 4 of the 11 groves listed as high risk of wildfire in Giant Sequoia National Monument, under the 2022 Giant Sequoia Emergency Response declaration issued by the Forest Service Chief. (My note: read it HERE)
Pile burning continued in Indian Basin Grove so only a few piles remain. In Black Mountain, approximately half of the piles have been burned, and approximately of the piles remain.
Mechanical and manual treatments began in Belknap Complex in partnership with Great Basin Institute, where hazard tree abatement and biomass removal are in progress. Pile burning is still planned in Abbott, Grant, and Landslide groves as soon as feasible.
Plans are being revised to conduct the Alder burn in Fall 2025, which encompasses portions of Wishon, Silver Creek and Burro Creek groves on the Western Divide Ranger District.
If not all done, do you have funding and a plan to wrap it up?
We are continuing to burn piles as staff availability, funding and burn windows allow. We are continuing to request funds through grants, partners and appropriated dollars to complete the burning.
What is the impact of the hiring freeze and/or federal employee reduction plan on planned fuel reduction projects and the coming fire season?
The response to this question was attributed to “a USDA spokesperson,” as follows: “USDA is reviewing all executive orders signed by President Trump and expects to share guidance on implementing them to agencies and mission areas as soon as possible.”
If you haven’t read the regular newsletter from earlier today, you’ll find it HERE.
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Thanks for reading!
*Note: This edition was incorrectly numbered when it was first published.
Thanks, Claudia for the Extra!