USFS would use mapping to protect wildlife from retardant – KPAX

The U.S. Forest Service says it will use better mapping to keep from dropping fire retardant on habitat for endangered species.

That’s the preferred alternative in a new final environmental impact statement that sets up better precautions for minimizing the impact of retardant drops. The EIS was drawn up at the order of the U.S. District Court in Missoula, which ordered the agency to complete a further analysis on ways to keep retardant from harming «endangered, threatened or sensitive species» and their habitat last summer.

(photo courtesy USFS

The plan, worked up with the help of the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the NOAA Fisheries Service, would have the Forest Service completely map land and water areas to protect endangered species. Firefighters would only be able to do aerial retardant drops into waterways when «human life or public safety is threatened.»

The «preferred alternative» also sets new protocols for better protection of cultural resources like historic properties, «traditional cultural resources» and sacred tribal sites.

The alternative isn’t final, and is one of three possible «tools» the agency could use to fight fires in rugged topography and remote locations such as here in the Northern Rockies.

«This final environmental impact statement is a vital step informing our decision,» said Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell. «We’re approaching that decision as carefully as possible – we’re going to make sure we get this right, so we can protect our forests, wildlife, and the public.»

A final decision is expected to be issued by the end of the year.

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