With Fires Wreaking Havoc Across Colorado, Perhaps Our Land Management Policies Need To Be Updated

In early July, 19 wildland firefighters were killed in Arizona making it the worst forest fire accident the state had seen since 1955 when 22 died in a similar attempt to slow down the progression of a wildfire. This and many other accidents have occurred during a time when it is being strongly questioned whether our policies for controlling forest fires is adequate. With millions of dollars being spent to control and mitigate the damage wildfires cause, and the cost of lives spent in with the same goal in mind, is it time to reconsider our stance?

Is It Even Worth It To Fight Fires?

The biggest problem we face with wildfires is that we are in essence fighting and attempting to prevent something that is natural, periodic, cyclical, necessary, and in the end unavoidable. When it comes down to it, we should always attempt to protect communities and other sensitive sites. But every year we fight forest fires that actually need to burn, stopping it only postpones the inevitable.

Wildfires are a natural and efficient way for forests to naturally regulate themselves. Fires, rather than being viewed as a destructive force, should be viewed as a cleansing agent. Essentially, it is the washing of the land with fire, something that has always occurred, and always will. Fighting the inevitable seems more than counter productive, it seems as though it only exacerbates the problem. Made worse year after year until eventually it can’t be stopped because it has to happen.

These fires help to get rid of dead or dying matter giving space for new growth to sprout. It kills off sick trees, and other forms of infestation such as the Mountain Pine Beetle. The decomposed matter helps to provide necessary nutrients making regrowth faster. And in the end, there are certain trees which absolutely require the aid of fires to release their seeds. So it’s quite obvious that fires need to break out from time to time. So why then do we try so hard to stop it?

The Fear Of Loss

People love Colorado and it’s mainly for one reason… its beauty. The trees that dot our landscape add to that beauty, and any person that lives in North Boulder, Durango, or Colorado Springs will recognize how fires can mar the land. Fires have been ragiing through Colorado for the last few years and the only reason they are doing so now is because it was either time, or we prevented the fires from occuring before. Again, postponing the inevitable. But is that needed? Is there no better way? Wilderness Aware Rafting had the opportunity to film the Royal Gorge wildfire while rafting, making a rather eery scene for participants.

The Fear Of Change

You can assume much of what we do in life follows the rule: Don’t fix what ain’t broken. And sadly, that goes for how our policies are at times both formed and kept. But just because we have been able to mitigate damage in the past does not mean we couldn’t do better. One idea being proposed is that we have a more strategic approach to controlled burns, and rather have controlled fires. Where certain sections of land are burnt down in a controlled manner. The idea essentially being not to fight fire with fire, but kill fire with fire. If there’s nothing to burn, a fire can’t rightly begin.

The problem with this is that many of the areas which need this to occur are around or in recreational areas people frequent. Rather than having to give up the enjoyment of a certain area  for years to come, they would rather try to hold it off. But whether we have to see the eye sore, or force our children, or their grand children, one this is certain. The fire will come, no doubt about that. And knowing it’s only made worse by postponing it, how far are we willing to let that go? The answer, history has shown at least, is until the bitter end. Perhaps it’s time to think for the sake of  posterity. Perhaps it’s time to think on behalf of nature, and not for our selfish desires. Could safe us money, and more importantly, it could save a few lives.

At Wilderness Aware Rafting, we understand how a proper family rafting  vacation can create some of the best memories a person can have, after all, we have our testimonials to base that off of. If you are interested in a Colorado Rafting Trip, Denver Rafting, multi-day rafting trip, or want to try rafting the Salt River near Phoenix, AZ, please be sure to contact us and find out what white water rafting trips we have available.