The Forest Service decided to conduct prescribed burns on an adjacent mountain range instead of protecting the area around the telescopes with vegetation thinning and prescribed burns. The Forest Service used funds to burn grass and valuable browse in an area that is remote, never used by the public and without real need for prescribed burning. Now, their priorities are being questioned. "Why didn't you use those fire setting funds to protect billions of dollars belonging to foreign governments?" Because they are not confident 100% that those fires would not have gotten away from them and destroy or impact those structures. Now, they have to face the facts.
Tony Lunt
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
