Sorry, this is all I got done before Blogger went down last night.

NEWS ROUNDUP

Editorial: Firefighters can do jobs without large air tankers Since the mid-1950s when we began using air tankers on wildland fires, we have relied primarily on older, surplus military aircraft. They served us well, reliably, and safely for many years. However, as fire seasons passed, these aircraft aged, and the stresses of working in a wildfire environment, where frequent and aggressive low-level maneuvers and high levels of turbulence are the norm, began to take a toll. That toll turned tragic. In the last decade accidents began to happen. Most recently, in 2002, two air tankers fell from the sky, with the crews giving their lives. We must guard against the possibility that not only additional crews, but also lives and property on the ground could be lost in a crash. That's why we terminated the contract for these tankers pending a determination that they can be operated safely. The National Transportation Safety Board has determined that the tankers have potential structural problems that might lead to a catastrophe if we send them to fight a fire. The NTSB has further determined that there is no means to immediately ensure the air worthiness of these aircraft.... Column: We aren't safe while wrapped in fuel In 2002, the federal government spent $1.6 billion fighting wildfires that destroyed almost 900 homes and commercial buildings. During last year's California wildfires, 23 people died and over 2,900 homes were destroyed, leading to insurance claims in excess of $2 billion. After a century of promises from the federal government that, given enough resources, we can control fire, Nature's will remains beyond our control, as are the spiraling costs of fire suppression. We need a proactive approach based not on throwing money and technology at fires after they start, but on consideration of entire landscapes - protecting communities before they are in danger, restoring healthy ecosystems and allowing natural fires to burn where we do not need to put them out. Only by taking into account the whole landscape can we target scarce resources and avoid unnecessary expenses. We need to plan for fire across landscapes at risk, employing strategies of community protection, practical forest management and fiscal restraint. We need to accept that we live in a fire landscape, and we need to plan accordingly.... CBM industry fears grouse listing Talk about protecting sage grouse under the Endangered Species Act is worrying the coal-bed methane industry. The industry has been benefiting from good news over the past year or so. Drilling permits are again being issued after they were suspended during an environmental study, and gas prices are climbing out of a slump. But the industry stands to lose if sage grouse are federally protected. "Anywhere where there's sagebrush habitat, any industrial activity in that area will be curbed," Devon Energy spokesman Todd Ennenga said....