"Scientists say that post-fire logging makes future wildfires more likely, but Republicans with funding from the logging industry are trying to expand the practice."

"During the devastating Camp Fire in California, which claimed the lives of at least 85 people, President Donald Trump tweeted, “There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor.” A week later, while visiting California, he said that the state needs to spend more time “raking and cleaning” its forests.

By managing and cleaning, Trump means logging. His own Interior and Agriculture secretaries said as much in August when introducing a plan that would allegedly prevent forest fires by removing dead trees.

Environmental advocates say the Trump administration and certain lawmakers are siding with the logging industry at the expense of lives, homes, and the health of American forests. Post-fire salvage logging can actually make wildfires more likely and can also “set back the forest renewal process for decades,” according to a 2015 letter to the Senate from 250 scientists."

Alex Kotch reports for Sludge December 6, 2018. [2]