President Bush has signed the controversial Healthy Forests Restoration Act which will speed up the harvesting of trees in 20 million acres of federal forests most at risk of fire.
Mr Bush said: “This act of Congress sets the right priorities for the management of our nation’s forest, focusing on woodlands that are closest to communities and on places where the risk to wildlife and the environment is the greatest.”
The law is a response to wildfires which this year killed 23 firefighters and destroyed seven million acres.
Critics say the legislation will make it easier for lumber firms to cut down old growth trees in the name of fire prevention.
