Bless you, Garg. Someone has the cajones to counter the arguments of those who would see our forests destroyed by fires.

The failed policies forced on the forest service by the extreme environmentalists have certainly contributed to the damage caused by all of the wild fires we have experienced out west this summer. Anyone who doubts it should try to convince the owners of the 400 homes lost in the fires in Arizona. A similar number have been lost in Colorado, and Oregon as well as thousands of acres of forest land.

No one wants to over cut the timber in the forests, but it has to be harvested regularly so there is nothing to feed the fires when they do start. You are right. There will always be forest fires, but they need not be as devestating as those we have had this year.

From reports I've heard, kat, your state is experiencing a pretty serious fire problem at the moment.

And Ebbie, if you would like, come out here and I'll be glad to drive you to areas in Arizona where you can witness the grand old trees consumed in the Rodeo fire on the Apache Indian Reservation. It's not all little brush that burns in the forest fires. That's part of the problem. Too much felled timber and small stuff growing laying on the forest floor that serves as tender to the fires.

I was in Washington state earlier this month and saw areas in the wilderness areas near Mount Rainer that are so over grown it is a disaster just waiting to happen.

DougR