Michael Boren, the US undersecretary of agriculture for natural resources and environment who oversees the Forest Service, reportedly contacted agency officials multiple times in July regarding a fire burning near his property in Idaho’s Sawtooth National Forest, according to a Washington Post report published Friday.
The Cabin Creek fire began around July 12 due to an unattended campfire and spread across several acres before being declared 100% contained by July 15. The Post reported that Boren, who owns a 480-acre ranch in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, questioned forest service officials at regional and national levels about why more aircraft were not being deployed to combat the blaze. Six current and former forest service officials told the newspaper that the response exceeded what is typical for a fire of its size that posed no significant threat to life or property.
The Post’s review of communications and analysis of flight paths showed approximately nine aircraft, including helicopters, air tankers and tactical planes, responded to the fire on July 12. According to agency officials cited by the outlet, at least some of these aircraft were diverted from efforts to contain other fires in Idaho.
A USDA spokesperson responded Friday with a statement defending Boren’s actions, characterizing regular communication between senior government officials and the agencies they oversee as routine. The spokesperson stated that Boren reported the fire as any concerned citizen would and emphasized that he did not pressure leadership or order additional resources to fight the fire or any other blaze.
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