The above title was from the headline of the Lassen Mail. It was misleading, since the local Paiute tribe would not be involved in managing the forest It would be a chamber of commerce committee called the Piute Conservationists to undertake the task. It began at the October 1931 meeting of the Lassen County Chamber of Commerce that was largely devoted to fire prevention and suppression. The organization stressed that light burns be conducted in the spring and fall. They drafted a resolution to be sent to Congress about this issue. The following was the opening statement.

“Whereas the United States Forest Service in adopting policy of fire prevention and suppression at all seasons of the year has not assisted nature, but prevented it from fire proofing the forests and because of the fact that the natural elimination of debris by decay is too slow to keep pace with the rapid accumulation of highly inflammable rubbish., time will prove, and is proving, that the accumulated mass is go great that no human means can cope with the terrible force of a present day fire under unfavorable conditions.”

While group commended the forest service for its fire prevention and suppression during the summer months, it deemed that it should became year round process and not seasonal. Before the group adopted of the resolution, it consulted with  W.G. Durbin, supervisor of the Lassen National Forest. Durbin stated it was commendable  but there are two areas the resolution failed to include. Of course, Durbin noted who was going to pay for year round fire prevention and suppression. He noted as to light burning private timber company do not attempt it. Durbin did note that in the fall of 1930, on the Lassen, 310 light burns were done though they were concentrated with debris associated with fire lanes.

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