Foresters say national policy needed to fight wildfires

(Overland Park, Kansas-AP) -- America's foresters agree that a long-term national policy is needed to prevent wildfires -- and fight them when they do break out. <br><br>The National Association of

Wednesday, October 4th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Overland Park, Kansas-AP) -- America's foresters agree that a long-term national policy is needed to prevent wildfires -- and fight them when they do break out.

The National Association of State Foresters has just completed its annual meeting, in Overland Park. And officials of the organization said there's never been such an awareness of fire problems.

U-S wildfires have burned almost seven (m) million acres this year. A dozen fires remain active this week, including large burns in Oklahoma and Texas.

Association members are state foresters who deal with fire, as they set management policy on public lands and influence private land uses. At this week's meeting in suburban kansas City, the group developed fire guidelines designed to evolve into a unified national fire policy.