Heitkamp, Thune Bill to Prevent Unsafe Forest Service Burns Heads to President's Desk

Press Release

U.S. Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) issued the following statements after the House passed their bipartisan legislation that would require collaboration between U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and local officials before initiating a prescribed burn on USFS lands when fire danger is rated as extreme.

The bill, which was unanimously approved by the Senate in November, now heads to the president to be signed into law. Heitkamp and Thune introduced this legislation in response to the Pautre fire, a prescribed burn that was intended to cover just over 100 acres in northwestern South Dakota, but quickly turned into a 16,000 acre out-of-control fire that burned for several days and destroyed millions of dollars in property in North Dakota and South Dakota.

"The Forest Service needs to listen when ranchers and first responders say conditions are unsafe for a burn -- and this bill will help guarantee that happens," said Heitkamp. "The Pautre wildfire was completely preventable, making it obvious that the Forest Service hasn't done enough to listen to local communities in North Dakota and beyond. Our bipartisan bill will help prevent what happened in 2013 from happening again, which will help protect our ranchers, their property, and valuable grasslands."

"Prescribed burns are a proven management tool that I support," said Thune. "That said, before a prescribed burn is initiated, effective collaboration between Forest Service personnel and local officials is essential. South Dakota is all too familiar with what can happen when carelessly started prescribed burns, like the Pautre Fire, for example, blaze out of control. They can damage private property and require multiple local firefighting units, at a significant cost to taxpayers. I'm glad this common-sense bill is headed to the president, and I want to thank my colleagues in the House, including South Dakota Rep. Kristi Noem and House leadership, for recognizing the need to get this bill to the finish line."

Heitkamp has long fought to protect ranchers, families, and rural communities in North Dakota and beyond from harm that could result from unsafe prescribed burns performed by the Forest Service. At a July 2015 U.S. Senate hearing, Heitkamp held the Forest Service accountable for the 2013 Pautre wildfire and pressed U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary Robert Bonnie -- who oversees the Forest Service -- to take responsibility.

Heitkamp has also been a leading voice in pressing the Forest Service to fully reimburse ranchers for documented losses, which totaled nearly $10 million in damage and 14,000 burned acres. Heitkamp first expressed her frustration with the controlled burn in April 2013, and has continued to advocate for North Dakota's ranchers.

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