Dreaded Forest Service ‘fire borrowing’ could return in 2018
U.S. Forest Service Interim Chief Vicki Christiansen recently told a U.S. Senate panel her agency faces a potential $300 million budget shortfall due to increasing wildfire suppression costs. This means once again the agency could be forced to “borrow” money from non-fire programs to cover the shortfall, including funding intended for preventative forest health programs.…