U.S.
Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell highlighted the challenges facing the agency
as it continues to respond to increasingly extreme wildfires, in a statement
before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee today.
“On
average, wildfires burn twice as many acres each year as compared to 40 years
ago. Last year, the fires were massive in size, coinciding with increased
temperatures and early snow melt in the West,” said Tidwell. “The largest
issue we now face is how to adapt our management to anticipate climate change
impacts and to mitigate their potential effects."
