Fire Officials Talk Wildfire Prevention
Fire Officials Talk Wildfire Prevention
20 October 2006
published by www.kolotv.com
USA — Some fire officials say action needs to be taken to curb the spread ofan invasive plant species that may help spawn wildfires.
Firefighters gathered at the Peppermill casino in Reno Wednesday for aCalifornia-Nevada-Hawaii Fire Council conference. State Forest-Fire Warden PeteAnderson of the Nevada Division of Forestry spoke at the event. Anderson saidthe widespread plant species cheatgrass is highly flammable and serves asperfect fuel for lightning strikes to cause additional fires.
Nevadas fire season is now winding down. However, Anderson said it is oneof the worst the state has faced, and more than one million acres were lost.
Rex McKnight, of the Bureau of Land Management, said next fire season couldbe similar unless more snow falls and fuels are compressed. McKnight also saidvarious ideas to combat the cheatgrass problems are being considered, including:herbicides, mowing and encouraging animals to graze on it.
