Angie Craig: “for the last good number of minutes, I have been listening to the Senator from Wyoming talk about forest fires in the…”

“for the last good number of minutes, I have been listening to the Senator from Wyoming talk about forest fires in the making. I must tell you, it was not only fascinating but an issue he and I, as westerners who live in forested States, have grown to develop some knowledge about over the years. I liken Senator Enzi's speech to Forest Fire 101. It was appropriate, and it well defines the great problems we face, not just in the West today, although conifer trees--or pine trees, fir trees, all that the Senator was speaking about--have a different characteristic in fire than do the broadleafs. What is fascinating to me now is that in January, February, and March, which oftentimes are the dryer seasons on the Eastern seaboard, we are beginning to see more and more fires in our broadleaf forests because of the fuel loading that is occurring. The point I make, and why we are talking about this as a national fire policy and why it is important for the Senate to stop, as we have, to focus on the need to reshape public policy in this critical area, is it is now of national importance and a magnitude we have never seen before.”