Gila Lets Some Lightning Fires Burn To Help Forest Health
SILVER CITY, N.M. (AP) – The Forest Service no longer automatically puts out every fire started by lightning.
Instead, some of those fires are monitored and managed so they can burn out the buildup of wood, brush, grass and leaves. Otherwise, that forest debris could provide fuel for larger fires in the future.
The Gila National Forest of southwestern New Mexico is in a unique situation for such so-called wildland fire use. The Gila covers more than 3 million acres, but the area is relatively sparsely populated. It also has an updated management plan.
The Gila’s fire and vegetation management officer, Shelly Crook, says that means the forest has identified where fire can be managed to improve the forest’s health.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
