This is my response to Sue McCreary. She wants to know where I was in July, August, and September. I was mowing my lawn, hiking and biking, and also breathing smoke. I didn’t complain because I knew the firefighters and other officials were doing their very best to control the Lolo Peak fire while being on the front lines. I grew up in Montana and fire and smoke has always been a possibility in summer. I also offered a place in my home to a friend in Florence who was under mandatory evacuation for a month.
How can anyone buy Daines’ reasons for releasing WSAs? It’s simple theft of Montana public wildlands for commercial purposes. There is no way these areas can remain pristine as suggested by Sue with the activities Daines is supporting within these special lands.
Thanks for adding the fire discussion, especially since I didn’t even mention fire in my opinion letter. I’d like to suggest to everyone and Sue a well-researched book on the many complexities of wildfires including land owners in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) by Red Lodge author Gary Ferguson, “Land on Fire,” 2017. Five released WSAs aren’t going to stop the fire and smoke. With climate change and drought we are headed to bigger and longer fire seasons. Lastly, Sue suggested I listen to public opinion; she must have missed that 69% of people in a poll by the Bozeman Chronicle in Daines’ hometown are against his bill, as stated in my op ed.
Marilyn Wolff
Stevensville