For starters, we need more money to fight fires. Resources are stretched to their limits.
And we need to take preventive measures - firebreaks around homes, controlled burns, community fire prevention plans, zoning ordinances that limit development in fire-prone areas.
Even then, so long as cheatgrass dominates the landscape in Utah, there will be devastating fires that destroy property, drain budgets and endanger lives.
Cheatgrass is an invasive species that has been displacing fire-resistant native plants since the late 1800s. It thrives here by producing large numbers of seeds that are the first to grow in the spring, draining the soil of moisture needed for native seeds to germinate. It also advances by claiming the spaces between native plants in sage brush ecosystems, filling natural firebreaks with fuel.
Firefighters compare cheatgrass to gasoline. It dies and dries early, ignites easily, burns fast. And after fires, unless the area is promptly reseeded, cheatgrass will dominate, making bigger fires more likely.
In response to this year's spate of large fires, Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman has joined with the governors of Idaho and Nevada to "declare war" on cheatgrass. The states will share seeds and research notes, replanting burned areas with native and fire-resistant plants to create massive demonstration projects that will help determine what mix of vegetation works best to slow the onslaught of cheatgrass and fire. The effort augments ongoing research by universities, private corporations, and state and federal agencies.
But a scarcity of money, seeds and time are immediate concerns. Huntsman has pledged an additional $3 million in state funds to supplement spraying and seeding of burned areas, which must be completed by spring. And officials from state and federal agencies have banded together under Utah Commissioner of Agriculture Leonard Blackham to devise strategies to defeat cheatgrass.
They should prepare for a long fight. Research must be conducted. Funding must be secured. Seed inventories must be built up and maintained. But the effort should be commended. It sure beats praying for rain.
