12-9 NWR Fire Break

12-9 NWR Fire Break

David Sparks Ph.D.
David Sparks Ph.D.
This is your Northwest report for Friday, December 9, I'm David Sparks and Keith Ridler of the Associated Press reports that federal officials are considering creating a fuel break system in a 5,600-square-mile Tri-State area including Idaho and Oregon to limit the size of destructive rangeland wildfires. Officials say the area faces wildfire threats from invasive annual grasses, notably fire-prone cheatgrass. Concerning that subject, I spoke with Dr. Karen Launchbaugh, the Director of the University of Idaho's Rangeland CenterOne of the challenges with fire in the West now, is cheat grass. There is much more cheat grass now than they used to be when it was introduced over 100 years ago. The problem is that it is such an excellent fuel. Comments on the proposed fuel break plan are being taken through Feb. 3.

Elsewhere, it appears that Congress has become farmer friendly. agri-pulse.com is reporting a plan to increase scholarship opportunities to a broader array of agricultural students received bipartisan commendations at a recent Capitol Hill hearing. The bill would create five years' worth of scholarship funding at $1 million per year for students pursuing food and ag careers at 19 universities across the country.

And not to be outdone by Texas, where many of its vocal residents have wanted to secede from the United States for a long time, USA Today is reporting two Washington state representatives want to split the state of Washington in half and make Eastern Washington its own state.

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