2 minute read
ADVOCACY
FIRESTORMS NO STRANGER TO POWERSPORTS
By Donald Amador
As intense wildfires continue to scorch millions of acres of public and private lands in the Western United States, powersports dealers are forced to face a myriad of challenges… often compounded by COVID-19 mitigation restrictions that directly or indirectly impact their shop and customers. Of course the 2020 fire season came in early and is expected to last longer than normal.
In recent history, dealers have fought through other political or naturally caused “firestorms” such as the 2007 recession or the 2009 Consumer Protection Safety Commission’s “lead ban” on youth sized dirtbikes and ATVs (remember that? How about Malcolm Smith protesting the ban by selling “leaded” products). This year’s political firestorms are heating up because of the presidential election… and getting fueled by COVID and real fires.
Severe droughts and warmer weather in the West starting in 2012 have caused a marked increase in the number and severity of intense wildfires. This can significantly
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For example, Region 5 of the USDA Forest Service recently issued an unprecedented order to close all national forests in California to the public due to ongoing wildfires or because of a high fire danger. The BLM has also issued a number of restrictions to lands under their jurisdiction for the same reasons.
COVID-19 continues to play a key role in this wildfire season due to various mitigation measures that zap their capacity at a time when even a full complement of staff could not keep up with the number, size and scope of the mega fires burning in California, Oregon and Washington.
Many of these fires are wiping our public access to dispersed OHV recreation opportunities that occur on designated roads, trails and areas. The vehicle types include dirtbikes, ATVs, SxSs and 4WDs. Also, a significant amount of those recently closed areas provide opportunity for street legal dual-sport motorcycles or adventure bikes for backcountry touring or remote camping.
I write this missive today with a heavy heart knowing that many of my favorite riding areas in the Pacific Northwest are getting nuked by mega fires and may remain closed to the public for several years. Popular off-road and other powersports events have been or will be cancelled… apparently indefinitely.
A number of my friends are currently being evacuated. Several others have lost homes and now have no place to live, let alone the means or appetite for recreational riding. We still have about 3 months left in the 2020 Wildfire Season with very little relief in sight.
Noted author, Cristen Rodgers, once said, “At times there will be fire; this we can’t avoid. But it’s up to us to decide whether it will consume or it will purify.”
As 2021 model year OHVs and street-legal motorcycles start to arrive at dealerships, let’s remember that we have faced and overcome serious challenges in the past and we will make it through this current witches’ brew of wildfire, closures, politics and COVID-19. Don Amador has been in the trail advocacy and recreation management profession for almost 29 years. Don is President of Quiet Warrior Racing/ Consulting. Don served as a contractor to the BlueRibbon Coalition from 1996 until June, 2018. Don served on the California Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission from 1994-2000. He has won numerous awards including being a 2016 Inductee into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame and the 2018 Friend of the AMA Award. Don currently serves as the government affairs lead for AMA District 36 in Northern California. He may be reached via email at:
