Dear Mr. Pringle,

This is the letter I just sent in response to the [good] LA Times article by Paul Pringle...

Thank you for exposing the internal memo about cutting fire suppression costs on Region 5 of the National Forest system. This sheds more light on what we have already known - that there is a lack of suppression spending on the Angeles National Forest. Attached is a letter to Jody Noiron[here], Forest Supervisor, signed by six local members of Congress requesting answers to why the retention rate for fire fighters is so low on the Angeles; the date is July, 3 2007. The letter cites the cost of living being so much higher in Southern California than in most of The Country, and the relatively low pay. It does not show an awareness of the concerted effort to eliminate affordable housing owned by the Forest Service.

But the true ignorance of the letter is in what is scaring away the firefighters: Jody herself. She is, by all accounts, the nastiest person one would ever want to work for. She is responsible for most of the experienced and knowledgeable firefighters leaving The Angeles, and this is the crux of the problem. Until a few years ago it may have been sufficient to use only Forest Service resources in the first two days of the Station Fire, as directed by the memo, but with so many old-timers having left for consulting opportunities, and refusing to collaborate with Jody Noiron, The Angeles is left with crews and commanders that are completely unfamiliar with the San Gabriel Mountains and how they burn. The "mistakes" on the Station Fire would not have been made by seasoned San Gabriel Mountain firefighters.

There is much more to this story, and the story of The Angeles on the whole, and they warrant investigation. The letter you published merely deflects blame from Jody Noiron, and I expect to see some "removals" by her in the attempt to do the same.

Also attached is the letter to former fire chief Don Feser [here], which exemplifies Jody's attitude, and which led to Don's resignation

Feel free to email me for further investigation at gregsweet4@yahoo.com

Seriously & Hopefully,
Greg Sweet
San Gabriel Mountain Blog