Editor:
I have to admit that after 29.5 years as a wildland fire fighter, I still get a thrill looking out to the east and seeing a large cumulus cloud above a large fire plume, like the fire east of Mancos.
I would like to thank the BLM and Forest Service for listening to the environmentalists. They have helped to make the mountains around here so much more combustible than nature could have done on her own by closing all the areas to vehicular travel, wood cutting, mineral exploration, new roads, in fact closing any roads that may have been used to help the air tankers, crews and helicopters put in a wet or mineral soil fire line. Now almost all of the San Juan Mountains roadless areas and wilderness are being prepared for the same fate by letting the fuels build up and slowing fire fighters access to where there is no safe way to hold a fire or burn out a line.
Kudos to the initial attack, structure forces and whoever the division supervisor is. Kudos also to air attack on the west division Saturday at about 1300 for holding the ridge by the towers with slurry, so far anyway. I feel for the engine crews and division supervisors who will have to make the call on which houses you can safely save in the subdivisions at the top of Mancos Hill.
Just remember, you didnt build the house against the brush edge, and you didnt make the forest this combustible. You had a lot of extra help from the so-called environmentalists along with the given fuels, weather and topography. I also know how hard it is to get any resources when there are other higher priority fires in the region. You firefighters are doing great, with what you have to do it with. I would have been glad to have any of you on my division back in the day. Dont worry about the plume. I am enjoying watching it.
John M. Hopkins
Cortez
Via CortezJournal.com
