Houston Regional Group - News

The U.S. Forest Service (FS) has proposed prescribed burning of UIWA (13,300 acres) in Angelina National Forest (ANF). The purpose of this action is to "reduce hazardous fuels". The scoping notice states that "while not a specific need for this proposed fuel reduction projects, the reintroduction of prescribed fire will have positive effects on wildlife and plant species of concern as well as beneficial effects on remnant fire-dependent ecosystems still present within UIW."

Since Wilderness is an "area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man (uncontrolled and un-manipulated), where man himself is a visitor who does not remain . retaining its primeval character and influence . which is protected and managed so as to preserve its natural conditions" and since the Wilderness Act requires the preservation of "wilderness character" the reintroduction of the natural ecological process of fire may be appropriate in UIWA.

However, fire reintroduction conducted in a heavy-handed and manipulative manner, in an effort to favor a certain type of vegetation on the landscape, violates the Wilderness Act's requirement of "untrammeled" conditions.

The Houston Regional Group and Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club recommend the following for the proposed prescribed burning in UIWA:

1) The FS must mimic the natural fire regime by replicating the natural fire frequency, seasonality, rate, duration, start locations, and patchiness of burn that occurred before humans altered the natural ecological process of fire.

2) Fire lanes must be established outside of wilderness boundaries on either national forest or private lands. No internal fire lanes should be allowed.

3) Only hand starting fires is allowed. No use of helicopters (to start fires), which destroy wilderness character, solitude, quiet, and enjoyment of natural sounds, must be allowed.

4) Naturally ignited wildfires (lightning) must not be suppressed and must be allowed to burn in UIWA.

5) The prescribed burning program must not allow the manipulation of fire to favor any type of plant or animal species or community. Nature, wilderness, and fire will decide what plant communities exist on the landscape.

The deadline for scoping comments is June 4, 2007. Please send your comments to: Mr. William E. Taylor, District Ranger, Angelina/Sabine National Forests, 111 Walnut Ridge Road, Zavalla, Texas 75980, or by email to: comments-southern-texas-angelina@fs.fed.us, with a notation that the subject is the UIW Fire Management Initiative.

For more information contact Brandt Mannchen at 713-664-5962 or brandtshnfbt@juno.com.

June 2007

Last updated:  05/29/2007.   Content © 1999-2007 by the Sierra Club.