MANAGE THE FORESTS

David Fennell is an Eagle Scout and spent his summers working as a Boy Scout Camp Counselor during his youth working at Cutter Scout Reservation creating some of his greatest childhood memories from 1982-1986. In September 2020, he learned that all of the structures and trees of his old scout camp had burned to the ground due to the “CZU Lightning Complex Fire” which burned more than 80,000 acres.

Fires can be a part of natural occurrence but in California we are seeing an usually high amount of damage and increased size of fires due to forest mismanagement.

According to an investigation from CapRadio and NPR’s California Newsroom it was found that the governor had misrepresented his accomplishments and even disinvested in wildfire prevention. The investigation found Newsom overstated, by an astounding 690%, the number of acres treated with fuel breaks and prescribed burns in the very forestry projects he said needed to be prioritized to protect the state’s most vulnerable communities. Newsom has claimed that 35 “priority projects” carried out as a result of his executive order resulted in fire prevention work on 90,000 acres. But the state’s own data show the actual number is 11,399.

As an outdoorsman and Eagle Scout who has camped all over California since he was a child in the 1970s he is committed to working with State agencies to better manage our forests and make a priority the fuel breaks and brush removal a priority.

In addition, as Lieutenant Governor sitting on the California Emergency Council he will work to change the regulations to better allow resources from neighboring states such as Oregon to move and quickly activate resources in Oregon which are often closer and more appropriate for fires in our far North.

Finally, in 2018 the “Camp Fire” was the deadliest and most destructive campfire in California history with 85 deaths, 18,804 buildings destroyed, 153,336 acres burned and costing $16.65 Billion in losses. It also brought to the states' attention that there are a number of communities that only have one road as an escape access and when fire closes that road you have a chance for mass fatalities. About 350,000 Californians live in areas that have both the highest wildfire risk designation, and either the same number or fewer exit routes per person as Paradise. It is important that the Emergency Council identify these communities and work when possible to develop fire road and other emergency evacuation options.

California has always had and will always have wild fires.

But, the size, heat and loss of property of life can be directly impacted by how well Sacramento leadership manages the forests.

David Fennell loves to camp and completed his first 100 mile backpacking trip when he was only 14.  He will make sure to manage the forests to prevent fire and will make sure to coordinate with neighboring states and FEMA to address fires and emergencies when they occur in California.