Recently, and in response to the Pioneer Fire currently razing through the state, Idaho Governor Butch Otter and Lt. Gov. Brad Little penned a letter addressed to current Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell. In the letter, Otter and Little impart the importance of harvesting timber quickly in response to the fire, and opine the latency Region 4 foresters have been known to exhibit under similar historical circumstances in this regard. They also go on to state the economic importance of the timber harvesting to the region’s economy, and malign the potential for lost resources due to inaction on the USFS’ part. Should no action be taken, both Gov. Otter and Lt. Gov Little plan to pursue further communication with Forest Services officials. Attached is their letter in full.
