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Witness panel is set for June 9 Congressional hearing about COVID-19 and firefighting

When the Tom Harbour (left) the U.S. Forest Service National Director of Fire and Aviation Management (who did not testify), and David Pitcher (right) President and CEO of the Wolf Creek Ski Area at Pagosa Creek, Colorado. November 5, 2013.A quick search of Wildfire Today found two examples of former Fire Director Tom Harbour attending congressional committee hearings. On October 17, 2011 he testified before a subcommittee of the House of Representatives’ Homeland Security committee at a field hearing in Austin entitled “Texas Wildfire Review: Did Bureaucracy Prevent a Timely Response?” On November 5, 2013 he sat directly behind the witnesses but did not testify at a hearing before the Senate Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry and Natural Resources titled, “Shortchanging Our Forests: How Tight Budgets and Management Decisions Can Increase the Risk of Wildfire”.I obtained from a Washington insider the list of government employees who ARE slated to testify Tuesday:John Phipps, Forest Service, Deputy Chief, State and Private ForestryAmanda Kaster, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land & Minerals, DOIGeorge Geissler, Washington State ForesterNorm McDonald, Alaska Div. of Forestry, Director Fire & AviationSome of the Senators and witnesses may appear virtually instead of in person. The current Senate rules during the pandemic do not allow spectators at committee meetings or hearings.
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Author: Bill Gabbert
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