USFS Fire Management and the Cameron Peak Fire

 In the year 2020 Colorado has set a record for state history. This record is the largest wildfire in state history. The Cameron Peak fire is over twice the size of the prior record holder. With this fire comes damage to property and great financial costs. There are many factors that lead up to this event, but it is not clear who is to blame.

There are many factors that lead up to this event such as climate change, beetle kill, and anti-fire forest management. The Cameron peak wildfire takes place in northern Colorado just above Rocky Mountain National Park and goes north to Red Feather Lakes. In these areas, there will often be a fire ban that lasts during the summer. Additionally, in the winter higher elevation areas experience a lot of trees fall from avalanches and other factors. Also, both of these areas experienced large amounts of beetle kill over the years. Lastly, climate change leads to faster snowmelt, and in effect soils and plants dry faster lengthening the time period for fire season. So, these areas are left with dry land and abundant dead trees on the forest floor.

The primary institution responsible for this area is the US Forest Service (USFS). The USFS is responsible for setting the rules (such as fire bans) and the steward of the land. Since they own the land, is the out of control fire their fault? Granted climate change is not within their control, but the removal of fire hazards is. Plus, the efforts of fighting this fire is estimated to cost over $98 million. Public budget reports show the USFS dedicating funds for fire suppression efforts and improving the forest habitat over the decades. Yet, the fires seem to have gotten worse as seen with the Cameron Peak fire. Ecologists will note that fires occur over periods of time and the suppression of routine fires primes the land for large difficulties to suppress fires. The unintended consequence of fire suppression efforts of the USFS is large uncontrollable fires that can cost more to fight than to prevent. This situation arises from political agendas to suppress fires as they are seen as a disturbance, and not considered a tool for forest management. In this situation, political perspectives and science are at odds with one another and that places USFS to accommodate politics in order to receive adequate funding to manage their land. 

The Cameron Peak fire is an example of the unintended consequences of fire suppression forest management. The fire is the largest in Colorado history and is approaching $100 million in fire fighting efforts. The USFS is responsible for fire suppression and although efforts are in place for fire prevention large amounts of funding are dedicated to suppression which opens the opportunity for uncontrollable fires.