Office of the Secretary

For Release: July 31, 2001

Contact: John Wright 202-208-6416

Secretary Norton Works with Local Communities to Protect
People, Homes and Landscapes from the Wrath of Wildland Fire

- Residents in Klamath Falls, Ore., Tanacross, Alaska, across California, and
throughout the nation are working with Interior to reduce wildland fire risk -

(WASHINGTON) - Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton today highlighted successful collaboration with states and local communities to meet the awesome challenges of preparing for and protecting people, property and landscapes from the ravages of wildland fire.

"We are working closely with local communities to protect people, homes and landscapes most at risk to wildland fire," Secretary Norton said. "We need to meet the challenges of protecting communities and landscapes from the wrath of wildland fires, and we're getting it done by partnering with local residents across the nation."

"For the past six months, we have improved the Department's fire suppression and fuels treatment programs and our working relationships with communities and local officials. By consulting, cooperating and communicating, we have succeeded in developing a comprehensive approach for community outreach, input, and coordination to reduce underbrush and dead and dying vegetation," Secretary Norton said.

Along with expanding outreach efforts and emphasizing education to homeowners and communities about wildland fire prevention, the Department has moved forward with its Rural Fire Assistance Program for contracting the thinning and fuels reduction efforts with local businesses and organizations and increasing employment opportunities in a number of western states. Some of the success stories include our efforts in Oregon, California, and Alaska.

Oregon: The Bureau of Land Management's Lakeview district near Klamath Falls will use unemployed farm workers this summer to reduce hazardous fuels in the Bly Mountain wildland-urban interface area. Approximately 3,000 acres of land will be treated by clearing brush, thinning trees and removing other forest fuels that can feed a wildfire and threaten firefighters, the public, property and natural resources. The BLM is investing about $3 million to fund the workers. Work will continue into the fall. The workers are being hired through two companies, Grayback Forestries Inc. of Merline and Eagle Pass Reforestation of Jacksonville, who are working with BLM to complete the projects.

California: The BLM in California will hold five workshops this week to help local groups apply for federal funding to implement community protection/assistance projects. These projects are intended to reduce hazardous fuels that lead to destructive wildfires in areas where federally managed wildlands intermingle with communities. The California BLM received nearly $6 million in April to fund efforts on nonfederal lands and will distribute $4 million this year to the applicants. The remaining $2 million will fund 13 California Department of Forestry projects as well as support the State of California Fire Plan Geographic Information System.

Alaska: Several years ago, the tiny community of Tanacross was devastated by wildland fire. Underbrush and other growth have made the town once again susceptible to wildland fire. The BLM's Alaska Fire Service will begin working with residents to reduce hazardous fuels on 52 acres of land surrounding the village. A 16-member crew of residents and trained emergency wildland firefighters from Tanacross will begin the project July 31 with a safety class and a three-day chain saw training. After training, the crew will thin black and white spruce and remove the lower branches of remaining spruce trees to eliminate fuels that can draw fire into the tops of trees where it can spread. The crew will work for 8-10 weeks this summer thinning trees.

Across the country: The new $10 million Rural Fire Assistance program for Interior provides rural fire departments with assistance for training, equipment purchase, and prevention activities to increase firefighter safety, enhance fire protection capabilities, enhance protection in the wildland urban interface, and increase the coordination among local, state, tribal, and federal firefighting resources. As of June 2001, Interior has given 944 awards to rural and volunteer fire departments, totaling $5.1 million.

- DOI -