[pct-l] Fire Closures in General

[Lou Filliger]

> Sooner or later, every one of us will live our last day.  We all die--it's just a 
> question of when and how and I think it really comes down to whether we die doing 
> something or die doing nothing.  Personally, I'd rather die doing something!  It's been 
> said that we often regret the things we didn't do more than the things we did do.  Sure, 
> often discretion is the better part of valor, but on the other hand, you only live once! 
> Perhaps when one forges ahead anyway despite the risks, one may doing so out of 
> aggression, or out of reckless abandon, or possibly a mix of both.  Who's to say which? 
> Do we evaluate based on the outcome?  Often we do.
>
Nathan, I completely agree with you.   And not many (although a few) would argue with you 
that you have a right to choose how you die.  After seeing how the events of the last 
month have unfolded, I'm convinced that the officials responsible for closing the trail 
are not so much trying to keep us alive against our will; rather, they tend to take the 
path of least resistance.  They closed the Plumas section on July 4th, and not many people 
complained about it, so they left it closed 3 weeks later, when perhaps the need to keep 
it closed had already long passed.  I've seen the same thing happen in the Angeles 
National Forest closer to home.  They close sections "temporarily" and then leave them 
closed until somebody complains about opening them.  They do these invites for public 
comment and then size up the political strength of the groups on both sides of the 
decision and go with the decision that will make their lives the easiest.  This is just 
human nature, although it's a disagreeable part of human nature if you ask me.  You should 
always do what's right, not what's easiest.

To outsiders, it can look like big-brotherism.  But I suggest that it's really laziness or 
indifference more than that.  If 10 people will tell them to close the trail, and 5 people 
will ask them to open it, then the trail stays closed.  If on the other hand 15 people ask 
them to open it, then the trail opens.

Someone earlier on this thread (I think it was Eric) said - don't blame the bureaucrats - 
blame the people.  I agree with this.  We need a watchdog group of hikers dedicated to 
making sure the trail isn't closed unnecessarily "just to be on the safe side".  I had 
thought of starting my own website dedicated to this, but after the support I've seen on 
this forum, I've concluded there's no need.  You already have the will and the numbers to 
do it yourselves.  Perhaps just a belief that individuals can make a difference is all 
that's missing.

Take care and thanks for your very insightful and (in my opinion right-on) comments.

Lou Filliger