The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service released a new interactive map to demonstrate the progress it is making to address the wildfire crisis in eight states.
This effort is part of the Forest Service's 10-year wildfire crisis strategy, according to a Nov. 15 USDA news release. The map allows users to see the impact of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law across 10 landscapes in Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Montana, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona.
“Western states are living the reality of climate change every day, where record droughts and catastrophic fire threaten lives and livelihoods like we have never seen in our history," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in the release. “This new resource gives everyone a chance to see the real impacts of the on-the-ground work the USDA Forest Service and its partners have already done to protect the communities and the resources that are most at risk.”
The user-friendly online story map tracks the development of initiatives to reduce wildfires on federally controlled, state, private and grassland areas as well as other lands under federal management, according to the release. Users can interactively locate national forests, congressional districts, active partners, landscape boundaries and firesheds, or regions where wildfire is anticipated to pose the greatest risk to residents and resources.
“We are working with communities and partners to implement critical hazardous fuels work on the initial landscapes," Forest Service Chief Randy Moore said in the release. "This work will meaningfully change how people, communities and natural resources experience risk from wildfire. With this story map, audiences across the country can see in real-time where investments are being made to create safer communities and healthier, more resilient forests.”
