“devastating wildfire here (the Caldor Fire) that burned over 200,000 acres”
“burned an entire town down (Grizzly Flats) in one morning”
“spread to populated areas”
“health and safety of my community”
The comment
My name is Margaret Bishop, and I live in El Dorado County in the Sierra Foothills of California.
About half of our County is National Forest land. In 2021, we experienced a devastating wildfire here (the Caldor Fire) that burned over 200,000 acres. It basically burned an entire town down (Grizzly Flats) in one morning. This fire was started by a bullet in El Dorado National Forest (https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/caldor-fire-tahoe-cause-18596595.php).
I am deeply concerned about the increased wildfire risk posed by rescinding the Roadless Rule. According to the United States Forest Service's own research, nearly two-thirds of all wildfires sparked on National Forest land are sparked by a roadside (https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/features/fire-never-starts). Introducing more roads into National Forest land will only increase deadly and out-of-control wildfires that destroy ecosystems and spread to populated areas. Where roads go, people and ignition-starting equipment go (such as firearms). We know that people start wildfires, again from USFS's own research.
Please do not rescind the Roadless Rule for the health and safety of my community. Thank you.