By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Dusty Tacha, USDA Rangeland Management Specialist spoke to the Board of County Commissioners Tuesday and explained that the only way to reduce the wildfire danger in Fire District 2 is to mitigate the growth of cedars and to do it by clearing and burning. Clearing them alone won't do it.
"This problem is going to get exponentially worse," Tacha said. "There's no cure for it. Nobody can spend $1500 an acre every 10 years because they cleared and didn't burn behind them, just to fight a losing battle."
Commissioner Daniel Friesen asked the commission to move the ball on the issue Tuesday.
"It seems to me like we need a better plan," Friesen said. "I was wondering if this commission would be willing to set a directive to our emergency management group to make some recommendations as to how we can better coordinate mitigation of our fire risk."
Commissioner Ron Sellers agreed that something needs to be done.
"The people in that area have got to realize that they are part of a long range, very dangerous situation," Sellers said. "Yes, the county's got some responsibility, we do fund Fire District 2, but I'm not sure that funding's going to protect them."
Given the mutual aid agreements between the different stations in the county and the different counties in fighting wildfires, it's an issue for all taxpayers when an area has a greater risk and Friesen would like to see if there is a way funding can be allocated to mitigation because that will clearly be less expensive than fighting the fires that would result if nothing is done.