BY ETHAN AUMACK
As of this writing, the Brian Head Fire continues to burn intensely. Our deepest sympathies go out to those who have lost homes in the fire, and our gratitude to the firefighters who are risking their safety and their lives to bring the fire under control.
In the midst of this fire, Rep. Mike Noel has done what politicians often do during fire season – recklessly fan the political flames. Going before TV cameras, Noel claimed that legal appeals had prevented logging of the forest, and that environmentalists, including the Grand Canyon Trust, were responsible for the fire. He concluded, "When we turned over the Forest Service to the bird and bunny lovers, the tree huggers, and rock lickers, we lost our history..."