Dear Bonner County, Idaho, USA

Due to recent weather trends, the is a greater propensity for firestorm, wildfire, forest fires than ever before, which is also related to recreational accidents, drownings, various tragedies and injuries to both wildlife and tourists, residents, volunteers and emergency response personnel.

The risk must be reduced.

Our economy is driven by recreation. It's an integral portion of North Idaho economy. It needs to be safer. Made safer. And we've been bleeding-jobs. So we should address all these issues simultaneously. This area was once known as the 'forest fire' capitol of the world; now it's rapidly becoming the 'drowning capitol of the world.'

When somebody volunteers to assist others, be it a drowning victim, boating accident, swimming issue, pull someone from a burning structure or vehicle, that heroic act of volunteerism may result in death, and/or extensive injuries. The drownings at Lion's Head recently comes to mind. A teenager volunteered to save another and put himself in harms' way. Unfortunately, that act of heroism was unsuccessful. He died trying.

For property owners along shorelines, be it lakes, creeks, streams or rivers, there is an obligation and responsibility in making it safer for not only their own families, be it a family of one or a family of many, but out of respect for neighbors, volunteers in the event of emergency, including professional emergency responders, search and rescue, firefighters, etc., and all recreationers, which includes the trimming of firestorm fuels and removal of drowning-hazards which could prevent rescues and/or fuel wildfires.

We need economic stimulation; think of it this way: had the stream embankment been groomed, then those whom were enjoying the natural beauty and wildlife of Idaho's resources could have, or may have, had the capability of following the individual whom slipped and fell into the stream and was swept away by the current. Due to the magnitude of overgrowth, however, in a recreation area, down and dead and overgrown foliage prevented it. As it does professional firefighters, search and rescue, police, forest service personnel, park rangers, and everybody else, be it a stream, a lake, a river or pond.

That is why property owners can't erect fences within 10-or-so feet from the top of the enbankment of a stream or river. In the event of emergency, somebody may need to climb out of the river to safety; or, somebody need to volunteer to throw a line to someone in trouble in the river; or fight a fire along the river bed before it becomes a forest river, or spreads to neighboring crops, homes or businesses.

It's about reducing liability and making it safer. Especially for visitors whom come here to enjoy the wildlife, the beauty. And protecting them and that beauty for future generations, for all people equally.

Instead of paying a single penny more for somebody to sit around talking about it, 'studying it,' catering lunch and claiming they're doing 'something' about it -- we need work-crews cleaning-out, thinning, the fire and drowning hazards along our recreationable streams, rivers and lakes. It's possible to either donate or sell the bio-mass to electricity generation plants, if deemed cost-effective, or just burn it in-place. Either way, we need the jobs, and we need the safety improvements, without the expensive paperFAKEwork.

Whatever it takes.

Kind Regards,
Clayton Winton