PERC Policy Director Hannah Downey joins us to explain why "fire season" has become as predictable as PSLs at Starbucks - but a lot less enjoyable. From the Ashley National Forest Aspen Project controversy to well-meaning environmental laws accidentally making forests more flammable, Hannah breaks down why forest management is getting trapped between bureaucratic red tape and lawsuit-happy environmental groups. We dive into how Indigenous fire practices got it right centuries ago, why saving trees sometimes means cutting them down, and how some of the environmental attitudes we learned as kids might be doing more harm than good. It's a conversation that's both enlightening and slightly terrifying - kind of like watching a prescribed burn from a safe distance.

Ashley National Forest Aspen Project

Center for Biological Diversity lawsuit

“Good Fire, Bad Fire”

Hannah’s testimony on the Fix Our Forests Act

The Public Lands Policy Podcast is produced by Trout Stream Studios. Music was provided by Gavin Greenwood.

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