The upper Gila River. Photo by James Hatten, USGS.
The Gila River Indian Community Council in September approved plans to reclaim an 80- to 100-square-mile section of the Gila River and floodplain from invasive salt cedar, or tamarisk.
Removing invasive salt cedar reduces the risk of wildfires, but it also offers a chance to restore native plants and wildlife.
Red Canyon wildfire at night. Photo courtesy of inciweb.nwcg.gov.
Bigger, hotter wildfires — and more of them — are becoming the new normal, and a combination of climate change, sub-par fire management and budget limitations are to blame, says an October 2017 National Wildlife Federation report.
