Operations & Training

Decreased California Logging Increases Fire Threat

April 22, 2004

The California Forest Products Commission, like the Forest Service, argues more logging is needed to trim the fire threat, though environmental groups oppose logging away from threatened communities.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Logging in California has decreased more than 60 percent over the last 15 years, even as the fast-growing state consumes more imported timber, state records show.

The number of board feet harvested last year was 1.66 billion, down from 4.67 billion in 1988.

Logging has declined particularly on California public lands because of environmental concerns, including protection of endangered species.

The state now gets 70 percent to 80 percent of its wood from other states and overseas, according to the California Forest Products Commission, an industry advocacy group.

The U.S. Forest Service has said it wants to increase logging in national forests and harvest trees killed by Southern California's vast wildfires last fall.

The commission, like the Forest Service, argues more logging is needed to trim the fire threat, though environmental groups oppose logging away from threatened communities.