The Forest Service is seeking proposals to remove dense stands of trees to prevent wildfires. The work is part of the Four Forest Restoration Initiative. The agency released a request for proposals this week for work on up to 1,278-miles of forest in parts of the Kaibab, Coconino, Apache-Sitgreaves and Tonto national forests. Officials hope to have 78-miles of forest mechanically thinned each year, but only about a third of that has been done on average. Contracts that can run up to 20-years will be awarded in April and proposals are due December 16-th.
