Conservation

Proposed Federal Wildfire Actions Threaten Environmental Protections

California’s wildfire seasons are longer and more extreme than any period on record, with growing impacts to public health, human safety, and precious species like the giant sequoia. Leaders at both the state and national level have responded accordingly, allocating unprecedented resources to address the urgency surrounding wildfire. But in the rush to fix the problem, we risk making it worse.

The scale of extreme wildfire in California requires quick and decisive action, but to avoid further catastrophe, these actions must be implemented with careful consideration of their environmental impacts. Using best available science, California can break the cycle of megafire, improve both landscape and community resilience, and protect biodiversity. Misguided or rash actions, however, can make an area even more vulnerable to fire while destroying irreplaceable habitat and reducing carbon sequestration. For these reasons, CNPS and partners have been tracking the government’s wildfire mitigation projects to identify both helpful and harmful projects alike.

This month, we’re focused on three federal efforts now in motion: the Save Our Sequoias Act, the Plumas National Forest Community Protection, and the problematic Los Padres National Forest (LPNF) Ecological Restoration Project (ERP). In taking a look at what’s happening with the Los Padres National Forest Ecological Restoration Project, we urge readers to join us in asking the U.S. Forest Service to conduct a full Environmental Impact Report of the proposed project. Please follow the link to read on for details and specific instructions.

Link to page