Nebraska Legislative bill addresses ‘mega fire’ trend

LINCOLN – Hot, dry, windy weather and too many eastern red cedar trees made 2012 the worst year for wildfires in Nebraska, said Sen. Al Davis of Hyannis during a Natural Resources Committee hearing Friday, Feb. 22, 2013.

Davis sponsored Legislative Bill 634, the Wildfire Control Act of 2013, to address a trend toward “mega fires” in Nebraska. Fires increased in frequency and size starting after 1989, said Nebraska State Forester Scott Josiah.

“We have to keep the fires smaller and hit them harder early on,” he said.

LB634 would contract two air tankers, thin forests, train volunteer firefighte...