Wildfire Abatement Project May Proceed Despite Grizzly Concerns

The U.S. Forest Service can proceed with a project aimed at making federal lands near Twisp, Wash., more resilient to wildfires and climate change because the conclusion that it wouldn’t have a negative impact on protected grizzly bears was reasonable, a federal court in the state ruled.

No bears have been seen in the area, and the closest sighting occurred several years ago, well north of the proposed Mission Restoration Project, according to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington. It was therefore rational to conclude that road building as part of the project wouldn’t harm the ...