FOREST FIRES?

FOR FIVE SUMMERS WHILE GOING TO COLLEGE I WORKED FOR THE FOREST SERVICE.  MOSTLY IT WAS DOING INSECT CONTROL IN THE CARIBOU AND TARGHEE NATIONAL FORESTS.

ONCE BUG SEASON ENDED I WOULD BECOME ONE OF THE FIRE CONTROL AIDS, OR ANY JOBS NEEDED DOING.  THIS COULD BE WEED ABATEMENT, FENCE MENDING LAND RESTORATION, SHARPENING FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT FOR THE NEXT YEAR, ETC.

NOW THE QUESTION I HAVE IS WHEN A FIRE BREAKS OUT WHY DOES THE FOREST SERVICE SEND THREE FIREFIGHTERS WITH FIFTY GALLONS OF WATER, THREE SHOVELS AND A COUPLE OF PULASKI'S?

THEN WHEN THE FIRE SUDDENLY GETS BIGGER THEY DOUBLE THE WATER AND FIREFIGHTERS.

SUDDENLY THEY NEED 300 FIREFIGHTERS AND A HELICOPTER DROPPING WATER.

THEN NEXT WE HEAR THAT THE FIRE HAS GROWN TO 50,000 ACRES AND NOW A THOUSAND FIREFIGHTERS ARE ON THE LINES, THREE HELICOPTERS ARE DROPPING WATER AND ONE BOMBER IS DROPPING BORATE.

THE FIRE GOES TO 250,0000 ACRES, 3,000 FIREFIGHTERS, SIX HELICOPTERS, THREE BOMBERS AND THE FIRE IS OUT OF CONTROL.

DOESN'T IT MAKE SENSE TO SEND OUT THE THREE MAN CREW AND THE BOMBER WHILE THE FIRE IS SMALL?  THE THREE TO FIVE PERSON CREW WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR MOP UP OR DIRECTING A SECOND RUN BY THE BOMBER.  TIME, MONEY, FOREST, WILD LIFE, CABINS, HOMES, LIVES AND IN SOME CASE ENTIRE COMMUNITIES WOULD BE SAVED.

THEN I FORGET THE GOVERNMENT IS RUNNING THE OPERATION, WITH THE SAME SUCKSESS THAT THEY HAD WITH KATRINA!!!!!!