Assistant Fire Management Officer Lorri Heath reported December 21 that the
district's timber salvage programs were put on hold.
"We are in the process of doing the (National Environmental Protection Act)
work and the marking of those sales and this has stopped that," Heath said.
"Every week we're off, we're a week behind on meeting our target."
District Ranger Karen Shimamoto said that the major projects affected were dead
tree salvage in Jack Canyon and around Santiam Pass and tree thinning along
Highway 20 to get more exposure on the often icy Suttle Lake curve.
However, Shimamoto told The Nugget December 26 that some staff were
being allowed to return to work so work could move forward on those projects.
"We have permission to use salvage funds to continue those projects," Shimamoto
said.
According to Shimamoto, the district is funded by a combination of appropriated
funds -- which are the type of funds that are the subject of the budget
debate-- and trust and permanent funds, which can be used to keep planning
operations for the salvage sales going as the budget crisis continues.
A timber sale administrator has been authorized to work part time on the Walla
Bear timber sale.
"There's no provision in the contract to shut down the contract, so we must
keep it operating," Shimamoto said.
Although fire suppression is not a critical concern in the winter months, Heath
reported that firefighters will be mobilized if there is a fire on the forest.
