Adams County leaders and loggers urge faster salvage harvests after catastrophic western wildfires

Adams County Commissioner Vicki Purdy and loggers told the Idaho Senate Agricultural Committee on Tuesday that the state’s rural forests and timber communities are suffering economic and environmental damage after recent large fires, and that quicker salvage harvesting on federal lands could recover value and aid post‑fire rehabilitation.

The testimony focused on financial losses to rural communities, restrictions that delay salvage work on National Forest lands and the need to keep markets and mills available while burned timber remains merchantable. “We need to be able to get in quickly while the timber is still good, and salvage that value,” said Mark Mahon, co‑owner of Mahon Logging in Council, Idaho, during a video presentation shown to the committee.

Committee members were shown images and video of the Payette National Forest after the Lava Fire; Mahon said…