Comments on: The West heads for wildfires unprepared

By: Keith Reynolds

Keith Reynolds — Thu, 21 May 2026 18:59:53 +0000

Dave’s article is a very cogent and compelling account of how recent Federal management changes in wildfire response are REALLY playing with fire, and not in a good way.

By: David Block

David Block — Thu, 07 May 2026 21:03:42 +0000

A great article, and a timely one. But you are asking folks to pay for risk reduction ‘without a face or a name’, and folks rarely do that. I’m asking you to make your risk predictions specific as well as comprehensible in concrete, relatable terms. What is the ‘epidemiology’ – at the least, the expected incidence and prevalence – of fires within specific locations? How would or might this affect not just ‘local industry’ but which local industries, by name, and which hospitals by name, and which kinds of patients (say, grouped by age and mobility, or pulmonary diseases)? How many people depend on a Weyerhaeuser or a GA Pacific in the southeast? Who and where? How long might folks be without jobs, or healthcare, or food deliveries? John Barrasso made his base in Casper, Wyoming, as a surgeon: should he care if his old friends are dealing with more forest fires this year than last? Cynthia Lummis represented Laramie County before winning her senate seat: should she care about folks in Laramie when there are new fires there? There is a reason that politicians, bless them, attach the names of real people to their laws and programs: it motivates the electorate, and that at least has a chance to motivate programs. Otherwise, I’m afraid that we’ll all have to wait for official ‘thoughts and prayers’ well after the fact, after folks get buried. As you point out, the problem isn’t the fires. The problem is the people we trust.

By: Kerry Hanes

Kerry Hanes — Wed, 06 May 2026 16:12:46 +0000

Insightful article that motivates me to act. Does WY, where I live, have a process for making use of volunteers in its ICS? I have been a certified Level 4 Operations Director in another state’s ICS for volunteer search and rescue. I also have 20 years of experience as a USAF pilot and leader. A lot of my ICS training completed after I was in the USAF was very familiar to me. I think all veterans who served in a senior NCO or O-4 or higher officer position could be very helpful working in a wildfire ICS supporting a Level 1-4 IC, Ops, Plans or Log shop. And with minimal training, same individuals could perform the ICS lead positions for which they complete training.
If my, or my neighbor’s property is in danger from wildfire, I would much rather be working to solve the problem than simply running away from it.

By: Rick Freimuth

Rick Freimuth — Tue, 05 May 2026 04:37:17 +0000

David Calkin’s piece is spot on.

By: Kathleen Traci

Kathleen Traci — Mon, 04 May 2026 21:59:33 +0000

The country should be worried, not just the West!
Thanks for the concise coverage of the current situation.