US Forest Service to announce updated firefighting policies following Station Fire

Two summers ago, the Station Fire killed two firefighters and destroyed more than 200 buildings in the San Gabriel Mountains. On Thursday, federal officials will update a Southland congressman on changes they’ve made to prevent future firefighting mistakes. Critics slammed the Forest Service for not deploying airborne firefighting tankers the first day of the Station Fire. The U.S. Agriculture Department accused the Forest Service of focusing on its budget rather than the cost of the fire. The largest wildfire in L.A. County history burned more than 250 square miles of what’s described as “one of the most valuable watersheds in the world.” Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff of Burbank has convened one town hall meeting on the fire. On Thursday, he’ll hear from the chief of fire and aviation for the Forest Service and an official from the Government Accountability Office on changes to federal firefighting procedures...more

Boy the FS was really in a hurry on this one. Two hundred buildings, 250 square miles, 2 employees dead and it only took them 2 years to update their procedures. Amazing.