Editor:
I would like to take the other side of the coin on John M. Hopkins letter (June 26) blaming environmentalists on the fires in Colorado. I would say to him that it is the anti-environmentalists to blame for not acting on all the scientific proof we have on climate change that is causing drought, fires, floods and extreme weather conditions worldwide. As you can see it all has to do with a persons ideology.
Being in the outdoor industry most of my life, I have made many close friends who work on or have retired from fire crews. Most of my friends are or were either smoke jumpers or hot shots. One of my close friends used to run hot shot crews and has a doctorate in fire ecology. He would call Hopkins point of view hogwash! He once explained to me that fires are like floods: There are 50-year fires, 100-year fires, etc. It is natures way of renewing our forests. The fact we build houses in or near forests is not environmentalists fault. My house is also bordering a very loaded forest.
It would do Mr. Hopkins, and others who like to point fingers, good to learn that instead of trying to place blame, why not try and work together for the common good? We may not agree on everything but we can agree on some issues and maybe compromise some on others. There will be issues where we just will not agree and thats okay if we respect their point of view. The Tea Partiers, 9/12ers and both the right and left have forgotten civility and the art of compromise. If we dont get off our high horses soon we will destroy our country from within without any help from the outside.
Larry Berger
Cortez
Via email
