Forest Tinderbox

This is an article in the Daily Press concerning the dangerous condition of the San Bernardino Forest and its causes.

In April 1999, the General Accounting Office (Investigative arm of Congress) did a report on the condition of the forest and described the western forests as being a "tinderbox" waiting for a match. Then the drought and the bark beetle arrived.

The General Accounting Office said that mismanagement of the forest had caused this condition. There was a televised debate between Mr. Don Fife (miner and interested person) and Gene Zimmerman where Don Fife confronted Gene Zimmerman on the overgrowth condition of the forest. Even though Gene Zimmerman, Forest Supervisor, was aware of that these conditions existed, little was done to correct the problems.

In addition, there was this bright idea to drill a tunnel through the San Bernardino Mountains to direct water to a new reservoir in Idewild. While they were drilling this tunnel, they accidentally hit an underground acquifer which of course resulted in the water spewing out all over the place.

Now they are planning to build new tracts of homes up there. The residents are all upset up there. The Lake is down several feet, the trees are completely brown, they are being required to remove their trees or face code enforcement, and they are getting new neighbors.

http://www.vvdailypress.com/cgi-bin/newspro/viewnews.cgi?newsid1063115433,49436,