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A Sierra Times Challenge to Take Action Against Wi
Josey1
Member Posts: 9,598 ✭✭
A Sierra Times Challenge to Take Action Against Wildfires; Regardless of Federal Policy
By J.J. Johnson & Susan Callaway
Published 06. 23. 02 at 22:05 Sierra Time
As vast areas of "federally protected" America burn, and the rest is simply waiting for the spark, are you ready to start doing something about it? In the case of raging fires, we are past letters, petitions, lobbying, marches, brigades and lawsuits. The fires won't stop by Voting and campaigning. Many of our own readers' communities are being consumed by fire. Just what is it going to take, people?
CALLING ON ALL AMERICAN COUNTIES TO TAKE ACTION NOW!
The Sierra Times challenges all County Commissioners, Boards of Supervisors, Sheriffs, Constables, and every single citizen old enough to hold a spade or saw to mobilize NOW to secure the wild lands and forests in your borders. Declare an emergency if needed. Move in and clear the brush, thin the trees, build and repair the roads, and get ready to defend your communities and homes from the devastation that has overtaken the good citizens of Colorado, Arizona and elsewhere.
Some local communities have already defied federal authorities against these fires. Remember Jarbidge and Klamath Falls. Even the courts are starting to recognize the rights of counties to determine the use of the land within their jurisdiction. You won't be the first.
Since all of the so-called "environmentalists" (The Green Jihad) seem to have taken a hike (none on the firelines that we know of), now is the time to take back our land and our lives from the federal tyranny that has descended on us like the biblical plagues of Egypt. Wave after wave of irresponsible and idiotic policies that have resulted in the choked and unhealthy forests and wildlands that are burning so hot today.
We say, let those plagues be consumed in this holocaust, even as it consumes the animals and plants that were the excuse for the plagues themselves.
Now is the time for the Sheriff of each county to take up his constitutional authority and protect all those who would join in this great work of saving what is left of the forests and fields and the wildlife that is being destroyed. Protect those who cut the brush and sick trees. Protect those who build and repair the roads so the fire equipment can get around. Protect those who clear their own land of brush and choking weeds, regardless of any phony "protected species" or "critical habitat. If you don't, it will be people who have no habitat, and people who will be endangered beyond any measure of some bug or plant.
We have a choice here: worry about the feds and their unconstitutional "authority" and being arrested, or saving what we can of our homes and livelihoods. They can't arrest everyone. Might this not be the catalyst that turns the tide in the ongoing battle to restore constitutional government? What more do you have to lose? Our guess: Don't be surprise if Forestry and BLM employees join in the battle against their own insane regulations.
The federal government has proven themselves unwilling or incapable of forest management. Local government must re-claim their communities or face their destruction, either now or in the future, by fire or erosion and mudslide. The land won't ever heal itself if we allow this insane federal "management" to continue.
It is long past time for counties to follow the lead of Grant County, Oregon in making it official and final: no more destruction of economy and property by the federal pimps of the rabid enviro whackos! No more pussyfooting with the United Nation whores who would sell us all into chains and abject slavery. No more!
And a word to Mr. Bush and his "administration"...
Us......Them
Click on the Battleground http://www.sierratimes.com/images/e2000map.jpg
Remember the U.S. map with the blue and red? Remember all those red areas that voted for you? Many of those areas are now red with fire and becoming red with the anger of betrayed and long suffering citizens who have grown tired of waiting for you to keep your promises.
Play patty cake with the Mexican president. You go right ahead and worry about your waistline and your exercise program. Don't concern yourself about "homeland security" anymore.
We'll take care of it ourselves.
This is war. These are the Rules of Engagement. Let's Roll.
http://www.sierratimes.com/02/06/24/arsc062402-jj.htmc 2002 SierraTimes.com (unless otherwise noted)
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
By J.J. Johnson & Susan Callaway
Published 06. 23. 02 at 22:05 Sierra Time
As vast areas of "federally protected" America burn, and the rest is simply waiting for the spark, are you ready to start doing something about it? In the case of raging fires, we are past letters, petitions, lobbying, marches, brigades and lawsuits. The fires won't stop by Voting and campaigning. Many of our own readers' communities are being consumed by fire. Just what is it going to take, people?
CALLING ON ALL AMERICAN COUNTIES TO TAKE ACTION NOW!
The Sierra Times challenges all County Commissioners, Boards of Supervisors, Sheriffs, Constables, and every single citizen old enough to hold a spade or saw to mobilize NOW to secure the wild lands and forests in your borders. Declare an emergency if needed. Move in and clear the brush, thin the trees, build and repair the roads, and get ready to defend your communities and homes from the devastation that has overtaken the good citizens of Colorado, Arizona and elsewhere.
Some local communities have already defied federal authorities against these fires. Remember Jarbidge and Klamath Falls. Even the courts are starting to recognize the rights of counties to determine the use of the land within their jurisdiction. You won't be the first.
Since all of the so-called "environmentalists" (The Green Jihad) seem to have taken a hike (none on the firelines that we know of), now is the time to take back our land and our lives from the federal tyranny that has descended on us like the biblical plagues of Egypt. Wave after wave of irresponsible and idiotic policies that have resulted in the choked and unhealthy forests and wildlands that are burning so hot today.
We say, let those plagues be consumed in this holocaust, even as it consumes the animals and plants that were the excuse for the plagues themselves.
Now is the time for the Sheriff of each county to take up his constitutional authority and protect all those who would join in this great work of saving what is left of the forests and fields and the wildlife that is being destroyed. Protect those who cut the brush and sick trees. Protect those who build and repair the roads so the fire equipment can get around. Protect those who clear their own land of brush and choking weeds, regardless of any phony "protected species" or "critical habitat. If you don't, it will be people who have no habitat, and people who will be endangered beyond any measure of some bug or plant.
We have a choice here: worry about the feds and their unconstitutional "authority" and being arrested, or saving what we can of our homes and livelihoods. They can't arrest everyone. Might this not be the catalyst that turns the tide in the ongoing battle to restore constitutional government? What more do you have to lose? Our guess: Don't be surprise if Forestry and BLM employees join in the battle against their own insane regulations.
The federal government has proven themselves unwilling or incapable of forest management. Local government must re-claim their communities or face their destruction, either now or in the future, by fire or erosion and mudslide. The land won't ever heal itself if we allow this insane federal "management" to continue.
It is long past time for counties to follow the lead of Grant County, Oregon in making it official and final: no more destruction of economy and property by the federal pimps of the rabid enviro whackos! No more pussyfooting with the United Nation whores who would sell us all into chains and abject slavery. No more!
And a word to Mr. Bush and his "administration"...
Us......Them
Click on the Battleground http://www.sierratimes.com/images/e2000map.jpg
Remember the U.S. map with the blue and red? Remember all those red areas that voted for you? Many of those areas are now red with fire and becoming red with the anger of betrayed and long suffering citizens who have grown tired of waiting for you to keep your promises.
Play patty cake with the Mexican president. You go right ahead and worry about your waistline and your exercise program. Don't concern yourself about "homeland security" anymore.
We'll take care of it ourselves.
This is war. These are the Rules of Engagement. Let's Roll.
http://www.sierratimes.com/02/06/24/arsc062402-jj.htmc 2002 SierraTimes.com (unless otherwise noted)
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
Comments
Helpful Hints by Mike Brainard
Published 06. 23. 02 at 22:14 Sierra Time
I live in Los Angeles but my soul is in the southwest. Here in Los Angeles we do have our share of brush fires and with the large population living in rural surroundings on the outskirts of the city, we have had our share of burned homes and scorched countryside.
A few years ago we had the Topanga Fire. After the fire was out my wife and I toured the area. It brought a whole new meaning to the term "scorched earth" The fire moved fast through the dry underbrush. At the Pacific Coast Highway where it finally stopped the wall of fire was three hundred feet high! Fire was Lord and Master during those days. Nothing stopped it except the Ocean and then only because there was no more fuel to burn.
During our tour it became evident who, or more precisely, what survived. Most of the homes and business in Topanga were not touched. People living in the bottom of the Canyon got to go home. Most of those living on the hillsides and ridges lost everything. There were a few homes, however, that did survive. The owners had used fire prevention techniques to make their houses almost impervious to the fire. Those houses were an oddity, perched on some hillside or ridge unscathed as if nothing had happened. This fire was a hot fire. It was fed by a Santa Anna wind and before it was done it had created its own wind, sucking fresh air into it and up from all directions. But these few houses had survived.
What did these smart homeowners do? Here's the list:
1. All underbrush, trees bushes were placed away from the house. Bushes under the eaves have to be cut out. The further away from the house the better. What happens is the fire ignites the bushes and then the overhanging eaves heats up and burns? Not only that, but if there are eave vents the fire gets into the attic and then it's unstoppable.
2. Clear all plants, weeds, grass etc. from your property. This dry stuff really goes! Don't forget the pine needles! Whoosh!
3. Make shutters for the windows and eave vents. Plywood works. You can paint it with a fire resistant paint if you want but the important thing is to have each window covered with plywood. Its installation should be rapid so use thumb bolts, hooks or the like. During times of extreme fire danger place each shutter by its respective window completely ready for use. Drill putting them up. Once the fire breaks the glass its all over.
4. Install a sprinkler system on the ridges and eaves of your roof. Figure out how much water you will need to keep that system going full blast for at least thirty minutes. Here in Southern California that is about what it takes for the fire front to travel through a place. Check with your local fire department for their estimates. Put in a reserve water supply that will last at least that long. I would think the longer you can run the sprinklers the better off you are so the bigger the supply the better. A swimming pool works great for this.
5. Install an electric generator to run the pump. You must figure that the power lines will be down and you will need to run that pump independently. Put the pump in a fireproof enclosure along with the gas to run it. Eight inches of filled cinder block with a 4" concrete roof and a metal fire rated door should do it. The building code calls for four layers of 5/8" drywall on both sides of an 18 gauge metal-framed wall to surround fire pumps in a public building. So you can do that too. You would need a separate pump for the sprinklers.
6. If you can, replace any wood shingle roofs with clay or concrete tiles. Check to make sure you don't have to strengthen your roof framing first. An undersized roof can be strengthened. Ask a building contractor or inspector about this. The "A" rated asphalt shingle is OK too but the problem with then is that even though they won't burn easily they will pass heat through faster than the concrete tiles.
7. Get rid of the wood siding on the house. It's usually very dry and excellent kindling for a fire. If you can't replace it, paint it with a fire resistive paint. Just remember there is a BIG difference between "resistive" and "fireproof". Stucco is much better.
8. Band together in your community and cut out dangerous brush yourself. The USFS probably won't like that much but they haven't been doing their jobs anyway. If you see one of those tree huggers maybe... (just a joke). My son had an observation regarding the huggers. Put them to work on the fire line eighteen hour plus a day. Just like everyone else! If the' re so in love with the trees let them do something beneficial for a Change.
One elderly man had done all this to his home. When the fire came he did not evacuate but put up his shutters, turned on his pump and went inside to handle any problems he might have inside and rode the fire out. He walked away unscathed.
I hope this helps someone. This is nothing new, but with the fire season just beginning there is time to protect your homes.
Your suggestions and experience might help someone else save their home. If you can add to this, please send your comments to opeds@sierratimes.com. Editor
http://www.sierratimes.com/02/06/24/armb062402.htmc 2002 SierraTimes.com (unless otherwise noted)
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
By JENNIFER HAMILTON, Associated Press
AP Photo/Mitch Caster
Terry Barton, right, the woman accused of setting the Hayman Fire in Colorado, sits in the courtroom of federal magistrate Michael Watanabe, left, in this courtroom artist's rendering from Barton's bond hearing, Thursday, June 20, 2002, in Denver.
DENVER (June 20, 2002 5:46 p.m. EDT) - U.S. Forest Service employee Terry Barton pleaded innocent Thursday to charges she set the biggest wildfire in Colorado history.
Barton, 38, was dry-eyed as she entered the plea. But after a hearing got under way on whether to allow her release on bail, she wiped away tears and reached for a tissue as witnesses described discovering the fire.
A federal grand jury Wednesday charged the 18-year Forest Service veteran with setting fire to timber in a national forest, damaging federal property, injuring a firefighter and using fire to commit a felony.
The indictment came after prosecutors expressed doubt about Barton's story that she accidentally started the fire while burning a letter from her estranged husband. Investigators contend the fire was staged to look like an escaped campfire.
If convicted of all counts, Barton could get up to 65 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
The arrest of the forestry technician over the weekend stunned colleagues and angered residents who have been evacuated. Since the fire began June 8, it has grown to 136,000 acres, destroyed 25 homes and forced the evacuation of 8,900 people.
Friends and relatives described Barton as a dedicated and tireless worker, a well-liked person who loves the outdoors.
"I can't see her doing that," neighbor Richard Grenfell said from his Florissant home. "She loved the forest so much, why would she want to destroy it?"
The indictment alleges Barton "willfully and without authority set on fire timber, underbrush, grass and other inflammable material."
Investigators said Barton initially told them she was patrolling the Pike National Forest about 40 miles southwest of Denver when she smelled smoke and discovered the fire. After she was confronted with contradictory evidence, Barton told investigators she was burning a letter in a campfire ring and the fire spread out of control.
http://www.nando.net/nation/story/441326p-3531198c.html
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878