Archived Opinion

Wildfire Response in Western NC

To the Editor:

I live by Standing Indian Campground on West Old Murphy Road. Last Wednesday I watched the helicopters going to the Boteler Peak fire from my home. That afternoon, however, a U.S. Forest Service truck drove past my house, going the wrong direction from Boteler Peak. A first responder and West Macon Fire Truck came next, followed soon after by the smell of smoke, confirming that there was indeed another wildfire: The Buck Knob Fire. What ensued was an impressive procession of Forest Service vehicles, wildland fire trucks, local fire trucks, first responders, a dozer, and then of course the helicopters. I was awestruck.

Right now, professional women and men from across the country are here supporting local crews. Together with the staff of our Nantahala-Pisgah National Forests, local first responders and county fire departments, they are working to manage numerous wildfires on our national forest. With limited resources, these crews are tasked with balancing public safety (and their own) with the health of the forest (because fire under the right conditions can have long-term benefits for some types of forest).

 Unfortunately, unlike the dedicated funding that exists for many other natural disasters, wildfire response activities are funded through the Forest Service and Department of the Interior budgets. This means that the Forest Service must often transfer money from other funds in its budget to respond to wildfires. It is imperative that the Forest Service has a stable budget that provides the resources needed for its other work, such as managing roads and water quality to conserve fish and wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities, and more.

Despite working under uncomfortable and unpredictable conditions, the personnel that I encountered last week handled my questions with grace. And while I was at the district office, a local man called to offer the pond on his property for helicopters to use for water.

This man understands the spirit of public lands management. That is, when it comes to our shared public lands, we must take care of them together. We must give the professionals and agencies the tools and information that they need to do their job, and avoid adding to their workload. Be diligent about any sources of ignition on your property. Don’t throw cigarette butts out of your car window. Respect signs indicating that a road is closed for fire management, and if you see personnel and volunteers, thank them. 

Finally, speak up in support of the men and women who work for the Forest Service. Write to your representatives in Congress and ask them to seek dedicated funding for wildfire response, so that the Forest Service may take care of our national forests for the benefit of us all.

Michelle Ruigrok

Franklin

Smokey Mountain News Logo
SUPPORT THE SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS AND
INDEPENDENT, AWARD-WINNING JOURNALISM
Go to top
Payment Information

/

At our inception 20 years ago, we chose to be different. Unlike other news organizations, we made the decision to provide in-depth, regional reporting free to anyone who wanted access to it. We don’t plan to change that model. Support from our readers will help us maintain and strengthen the editorial independence that is crucial to our mission to help make Western North Carolina a better place to call home. If you are able, please support The Smoky Mountain News.

The Smoky Mountain News is a wholly private corporation. Reader contributions support the journalistic mission of SMN to remain independent. Your support of SMN does not constitute a charitable donation. If you have a question about contributing to SMN, please contact us.