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As our state goes up in flames around us, and I read that many of these fires are occurring in areas that had been scheduled for mitigation efforts, but were stopped by environmental lawsuits.

I am so angry at the environmental industry right now. They sue to stop any thing that would wisely manage our forests. Why? Money, pure and simple. That’s how they make their money. They file their suit and the handy dandy liberal judges in Missoula never rule against them, so we, the taxpayers get to pay twice. Once, when we pay their inflated legal fees and again for firefighting costs.

Yes, it has been a hot, dry summer. Lightning and dry conditions are never a good mix. Would the forest have burned, of course. Would have burned as hot and fast as has if the forest had been thinned? No. The environmental industry would have you believe they sue for the birds, bees, flowers, trees, bears, etc. They don’t. They sue for the money they make off the lawsuits, pure and simple

So I ask them, how badly have the animals been harassed by the wildfires? How many have been displaced? How many have burnt up? The loss of habitat is far, far worse from the fires than any mitigation efforts would of been.

I sincerely hope that all of you in the environmental industry are happy, you’ve done a very good job of destroying it.

—Patti Neal

Columbia Falls