Fire today ManagementVolume 62 • No. 1 • Winter 2002
COOPERATIVE FIREIRE MANAGEMENTANAGEMENT
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2 Fire Management Today Fire today Management Volume 62 • No. 1 • Winter 2002
On the Cover: CONTENTS Firewise Workshops Ignite Community Action ...... 4 Cynthia Bailey Study Supports Cooperative Fire Protection in the West ...... 8 Brian F. Weatherford Cooperative Fire Protection in Colorado ...... 13 Jim Hubbard Changes in Fire Hazard as a Result of the Monte Dolack’s painting of a Cerro Grande Fire ...... 15 fire scene in the wildland– Dawn Greenlee and Jason Greenlee urban interface reflects the threat facing many Ameri Firesafe Spokane: Working With the Community ...... 23 can homeowners and com Ross Hesseltine munities. Cooperative fire management programs A Fire Hazard Mitigation Plan for Guam ...... 25 nationwide are designed to David Limtiaco reduce the threat by educat Pennsylvania’s Firewise Medal Communities ing homeowners, treating Program ...... 30 hazardous fuels, improving H. Alan Zentz, John Berst, and Paul Sebasovich firefighting resources, and other means. Dolack’s No Demobing Before Rehab!...... 33 painting graces posters and Mary Zabinski other materials designed to Author Index—Volume 61 ...... 36 promote the national Firewise Communities Subject Index—Volume 61 ...... 37 program (see the article by Cynthia Bailey beginning on page 4). SHORT FEATURES
The FIRE 21 symbol (shown below and on the cover) stands for the safe and effective use of Correction: Roscommon Equipment Center’s Origins ... 6 wildland fire, now and throughout the 21st century. Its shape represents the fire triangle Fire Education Corps Assists Homeowners...... 7 (oxygen, heat, and fuel). The three outer red Danny Ebert and Jody Handly triangles represent the basic functions of wildland fire organizations (planning, operations, and aviation management), and the three critical Websites on Fire...... 12 aspects of wildland fire management (prevention, suppression, and prescription). The black interior Kenai Peninsula Borough: A Spruce Bark Beetle represents land affected by fire; the emerging green points symbolize the growth, restoration, Mitigation Program ...... 22 and sustainability associated with fire-adapted Michael Fastabend ecosystems. The flame represents fire itself as an ever-present force in nature. For more informa tion on FIRE 21 and the science, research, and Recycling Forest Service Fire Engines ...... 29 innovative thinking behind it, contact Mike Dennis Orbus Apicello, National Interagency Fire Center, 208-387-5460. Cost-Effective Engine Plays Vital Role...... 40 Louie Casaus Smokey’s New Wildland Fire Prevention Message ..... 41 Madelyn Dillon Guidelines for Contributors...... 42 Firefighter and public safety is our first priority. Annual Photo Contest ...... 43
Volume 62 • No. 1 • Winter 2002 3 FIREWISE WORKSHOPS IGNITE COMMUNITY ACTION
Cynthia Bailey
he 2000 fire season provided dramatic evidence that local Severe fire seasons and evolving insights T citizens must play a more into land and resource management have active role in protecting their generated a series of recent initiatives communities from wildland fire. Communication among a diversity for wildland fire management. of community leaders, followed by transforming words into action to In the Beginning the National Fire Protection Asso build fire-prudent neighborhoods, ciation, and a variety of other is the goal of the national Firewise The National Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Program was estab Federal agencies and national Communities workshops. The organizations support the program. workshops bring professionals lished in 1986 to help firefighters together to discuss their occupa and communities mitigate the impact of wildland fire on residen Firewise Communities is one of the tional perspectives while they learn most successful projects of the how to incorporate sound Firewise tial areas. The USDA Forest Service, planning concepts.
Smoke billowing As we build more homes near the behind a home in wildland–urban interface, the threat Valley of the Pines, ID. to life and property from wildland This and other homes in the wildland–urban fire increases. Firewise workshops interface were emphasize community fire safety by threatened by the 1994 fostering partnerships among the Star Gulch Fire. people who plan, regulate, build, Firewise Communities workshops are buy, sell, and protect homes. designed to help communities in the Firewise Communities workshops wildland–urban interface assess fire feature approaches to implementing hazards and imple fire-resistant practices in commu ment fire-resistant nity developments, assessing landscaping and building techniques. hazards, developing and modifying Photo: USDA Forest structures, and implementing Service, 1994. Firewise landscaping and building techniques. The national Firewise Communities program is guided by the Wildland/Urban Interface Working Team of the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (see sidebar).
Cynthia Bailey is a freelance writer living in Stevensville, MT.
4 Fire Management Today National Wildland/Urban Interface As wildland fire Why Firewise? Fire Program. The target audience continues to ravage Although no community is com for each workshop is a spectrum of rural communities, the pletely safe from wildland fire, wise community leaders. The people who community design and prescribed determine whether a community USDA Forest Service fire can mitigate the impact of fire. can withstand the effects of a and partners are Firewise Communities emphasizes nearby wildland fire are those who sponsoring a 3-year that every citizen has a responsibil influence how neighborhoods are series of regional ity to recognize fire as an inherent designed, built, maintained, and part of the ecosystem and that protected. Firewise workshops. solutions and options exist to help communities adopt a Firewise In the past century, the U.S. popula lifestyle. tion has nearly tripled, with much Of particular concern is the build ing/loss/rebuilding cycle that of the growth flowing into areas The Firewise Communities pro occurs after wildland fires sweep where wildland fires have histori gram is founded on the conviction through an area. Low-cost loans cally occurred. Since 1970, more that homes can be designed, built, and insurance funds help home than 15,000 homes and 21,000 and maintained to withstand owners rebuild. Unfortunately, other structures have been lost to wildland fire without intervention property owners often recreate the severe wildland fire in the United by local firefighting resources. same conditions that led to the States. These losses have generated Communities that are designed original loss by rebuilding nearly suppression costs of $25 billion and using Firewise concepts can save identical homes on the same sites. insurance restitution costs of $10 lives, homes, views, wildlife habitat, The Firewise Communities pro billion. Because of the staggering and recreational settings, while gram teaches homeowners to break costs associated with wildland fire, protecting investments and increas this cycle by remembering the Firewise Communities workshops ing property values. Firewise motto, “Making sensible choices for stress the economic benefits of practices, promoted since 1986, safety from fire in the wildland– improving fire safety within com have attracted new, nontraditional urban interface.” munities. partners in fire protection and fire
FIREWISE COMMUNITIES
Firewise Communities is a national mitigation Wildland/Urban Interface Working Team, which planning program that encourages communities to includes the: include land use planning, building codes, landscap ing codes, zoning, and fire protection in developing • National Fire Protection Association, new communities and retrofitting existing communi • USDA Forest Service, ties. • U.S. Department of the Interior (USDI) Bureau of Indian Affairs, Firewise Communities supports the idea that positive • USDI Bureau of Land Management, incentives to build better structures and communities • USDI Fish and Wildlife Service, must be placed at the beginning of any project, as • USDI National Park Service, structures are being planned, rather than at the end, • U.S. Fire Administration, after a disaster has destroyed them. • National Association of State Foresters, • National Association of Fire Chiefs, The goal of Firewise Communities is to ensure that • National Association of State Fire Marshals, and homes are designed, built, and maintained to with • National Association of Emergency Managers stand a wildland fire without the intervention of a fire department or wildland fire agency. For more on Firewise Communities, including lists of stakeholders and upcoming workshop dates, see the Firewise Communities is principally supported by organization’s Website at
Volume 62 • No. 1 • Winter 2002 5 Firewise workshops have reached more than 600 community leaders representing about 400 communities in 39 States. safety education, and have saved an Eventually, more than 2,000 include Prescott, AZ; Glendale, CA; estimated $40 million annually in community leaders and profession- Orange County, FL; Ormond Beach, fire suppression costs. als—about 100 per workshop—will FL; Frenchtown, MT; Santa Fe, NM; have participated in the Firewise and Sundance, UT. National Workshops series. Organizers encourage a mix The first of 26 Firewise Communi of attendees who represent diverse The Firewise concept is that every ties workshops was held in Deer- professional disciplines as well as one in every community is respon field Beach, FL, in November 1999; firefighters and foresters. Partici sible for fire protection. Firewise the final session is scheduled for pants who have completed national Communities workshops help Washington, DC, in April 2003. The workshops have scheduled an define those responsibilities to Firewise workshops introduce additional series of 1-day regional make a lasting impression on the community leaders to Firewise miniworkshops around the country, people involved in community concepts during a 3-day program reaching more than 1,500 addi planning and to ignite action to featuring dynamic presentations, tional attendees. change the way people live and state-of-the-art geographical work in every neighborhood within information systems mapping, and Recognition Program our fire ecosystem. wildland fire simulations. Workshop Knowing that thousands of commu exercises give participants hands-on nities are at risk from wildland fire For additional information about experience and an opportunity to across the United States, the the Firewise Communities work discuss issues with professionals organizers of the Firewise Commu shops, contact Jim Smalley, 617 from a variety of disciplines. Speak nities program have initiated a new 984-7483 (voice), 617-984-7056 ers enhance the program by provid activity—working with at-risk (fax), [email protected] (e ing motivation, Firewise expertise, communities to highlight their mail); or Dan W. Bailey, 406-329 and local community “success Firewise work. Recently honored 3933 (voice), 406-329-3806 (fax), ■ stories” lending regional perspec communities that have exemplified [email protected] (e-mail). tive. the Firewise Communities program
CORRECTION: ROSCOMMON EQUIPMENT CENTER’S ORIGINS
he Summer 2001 issue of In 1929, the Michigan Department Roscommon Equipment Center Fire Management Today of Natural Resources and the USDA (REC) was formed using FFES T erroneously reported that the Forest Service jointly established staff. Since 1999, REC has been Forest Fire Equipment Center the Forest Fire Experiment Station sponsored by the National Asso was established in Roscommon, (FFES) in Roscommon, MI. In ciation of State Foresters. MI, in 1976 (see Richard J. addition to researching fire behav Mangan, “Equipment Standard ior, FFES developed firefighting Thanks for the correction go to ization Reduces Costs on Wild- equipment, which by 1940 was the Brian Hutchins, a unit leader land Fires,” Fire Management station’s primary activity. In 1972, engineer for FFES, Roscommon, Today 61(3): 11). with the cooperation of the North MI. ■ east Forest Fire Supervisors, the
6 Fire Management Today FIRE EDUCATION CORPS ASSISTS HOMEOWNERS
Danny Ebert and Jody Handly
n 2001, homeowners in the actions property owners can take to • Staffing workshops and model wildland–urban interface of Idaho fireproof their homes and proper home demonstration sites at local I and Nevada obtained a new re ties. The mechanism that both Home Depot stores, and source: college volunteers willing to parties agreed to use was an educa • Working with communities or help them learn how to reduce the tion and prevention program neighborhoods to develop fuel risk from wildland fires to homes patterned after the Firewise pro reduction projects. and neighborhoods. Fifty-two gram. college interns from the Student In each community, seven-person Conservation Association (SCA) The partners worked with the SCA, teams were trained in wildland– Fire Education Corps, working the National Fire Protection Asso urban interface property inspection through the nationally recognized ciation, the Keep Idaho Green Fire and in methods for working with Firewise program (see the article by Prevention Committee, the U.S. neighborhoods. They concentrated Cynthia Bailey beginning on page Department of the Interior’s Bureau their efforts in areas where fires 4), spent the summer educating of Land Management (BLM), the might start and spread to homes homeowners on ways to make their Idaho State Department of Lands, surrounded by dense, dry fuels. The properties more firesafe. and local Resource Conservation SCA Fire Education Corps is a and Development Councils to neighbor-to-neighbor program for Origins develop a project called the SCA working together productively to The 2000 fire season was the most Fire Education Corps. The project stop new fires and reduce home severe since the 1950s. Some 8.4 received $325,000 in funding owner risks from wildfires. million acres (34 million ha) through the National Fire Plan, a burned nationwide, destroying 1:1 monetary match with the Idaho Enthusiastic Response more than 800 structures. Many of Department of Lands, and another Congressional representatives the largest blazes occurred in the $140,000 through BLM’s Nevada briefed on the SCA Fire Education Northern Rockies. Homes and office. Corps responded enthusiastically. communities in the region, espe Christine Heggem, an aide to cially in the wildland–urban inter Student Interns Senator Conrad Burns (R–MT), face, clearly faced a growing threat “This project was the direct result asked whether an SCA team could from wildland fire. of National Fire Plan funding in the be based in Missoula, MT, to serve fire prevention and education area. homeowners in western Montana. In the fall of 2000, representatives The project is emphasizing commu from Idaho’s Boise National Forest nity assistance in the wildland– “This is an ambitious program,” met with counterparts from the urban interface areas,” said Guy said Pence. “Local communities and Home Depot, Inc., district for Idaho Pence, Boise National Forest fire homeowners are measurably and Montana to sign a memoran staff officer. The SCA interns gaining from the education tips dum of understanding. The part worked in seven communities, five provided, for example by imple ners agreed to work together to in Idaho (Boise, Coeur d’Alene, menting simple landscaping activi educate rural communities on McCall, Pocatello, and Salmon) and ties.” two in Nevada (Carson City and Elko). Contributions included: For more on the SCA Fire Educa Danny Ebert is the Intermountain Region tion Corps, visit the SCA website partnership coordinator for the USDA • Helping rural fire prevention and at
Volume 62 • No. 1 • Winter 2002 7 STUDY SUPPORTS COOPERATIVE FIRE PROTECTION IN THE WEST
Brian F. Weatherford
n the last quarter of the last century, the wildland fire protec State agencies are cooperating more I tion agencies in the 17 Western due to the increasing number of large, States, by necessity, became close damaging wildland fires. cooperators not only in wildland fire suppression, but also in preven tion and especially public educa rado burned 44 structures. Also, the area was not new; it had happened tion. The necessity driving these 1988 fires in the greater Yellow in the same hills in 1945 and in agencies down the road to greater stone area repeatedly burned out of 1970. Now, however, towering cooperation was an increasing the backcountry to threaten whole eucalyptus and pine trees overshad number of large, damaging wild- communities. Increasingly, large owed the tightly packed, shake- land fires that destroyed more and wildland fires were threatening roofed bungalows and mansions more structures; burned in or near people’s homes and other improve scattered along steep, narrow wildland areas with growing popu ments, requiring the mobilization streets. The “natural” environment lations; and motivated agency of large numbers of fire engines for so valued by homeowners had administrators to take a hard look structure protection. The growing grown thick and decadent; firesafe at how they did business. need for structure protection drove guidelines were mostly ignored and wildland fire suppression costs to rarely enforced; and the hot, dry Wildland–Urban new highs, frequently busting city, winds of fall turned a picture book Interface Fires county, and State budgets and setting into a scene of smoking It used to be just a California requiring increasingly high Federal devastation in just a few hours. problem, the annual march of disaster reimbursements. brushfires into subdivisions sprawl By 1996, the W–UI fire problem was ing into the wildlands. The Bel Air During the 1990s, “wildland–urban endemic even to Alaska, where the Fire of 1961 destroyed more than interface” (W–UI) became widely Miller’s Reach Fire destroyed 454 400 homes in Los Angeles County accepted as the standard term for structures located in dense black and might well have been the first identifying areas where urban types spruce forest. The 1990s also saw true “modern-era” wildland–urban of development in wildland fuels major structure loss wildfires in interface fire; however, it took a were increasing the number of Arizona, Colorado, Montana, couple of more decades of fire wildland fires with large structure Nebraska, New Mexico, Oregon, disasters for the term to catch on. loss. In 1991, a series of more than Utah, and even Guam. The 20th 30 wildland fires in the vicinity of century ended with a bang when, in By the end of the 1980s, wildland Spokane, WA, developed into a October 1999, the wind-driven fires were commonly threatening firestorm that destroyed 191 Jones Fire burned 264 structures and frequently destroying large structures, creating the largest on the outskirts of Redding, CA. numbers of homes in other Western demand for mutual-aid fire protec States. In 1988, the Westberry Trails tion resources in the history of the Growing Cooperation Fire in South Dakota burned 57 State. Also, in the fall of 1991, the As these types of fires became more structures; in 1989, the Lowman Oakland Hills Fire in Oakland and common, greater effort was made to Fire in Idaho burned 25 structures Berkeley, CA, became the worst W– understand the W–UI fire problem, and the Black Tiger Fire in Colo- UI fire ever, burning a mere 1,600 especially in the West, where hot, acres of manmade forest but dry summers, frequent high winds, Brian Weatherford is a unit chief (retired) destroying 2,900 structures and and dense forest and brushlands for the California Department of Forestry taking 25 lives. Such a huge wild and Fire Protection and a fire protection make wildfire an annual event. With consultant in Redding, CA. fire in a densely developed urban
8 Fire Management Today larger fires burning in heavier fuels what color the engine might be) managers were meeting with and and threatening greater numbers of made the initial attack on new fires sharing information and physical improvements, fire agencies found (at least in critical areas). Federal, resources with their Federal and it necessary to increase their State, and local government agen local counterparts. cooperative efforts. During the cies greatly expanded their mutual- 1980s and 1990s, the fire agencies aid agreements and operating The Western State fire managers, at in the West developed broad coop systems to ensure rapid deployment their annual workshops, began to erative agreements and joint of fire resources in the numbers devote more time and effort to operating plans to ensure that the needed to protect hundreds of jointly studying the spreading W–UI closest resources (regardless of homes from wildland fire. State fire fire problem. The terminology was refined to recognize four different types of W–UI scenarios (see side bar on page 11). Greater effort was made to identify areas where the threat was the greatest, learn what measures would be most effective in mitigating the problem, and devise ways to increase public awareness and the efficacy of fire prevention efforts in targeted high-fire-hazard areas.
Since 1998, the Western State fire managers have produced an annual report, Fire in the West, which compiles fire statistics for the 17 Western States and shares informa tion about the organization and activities of the various State Neighborhood devastated by the 1991 Oakland Hills Fire, about 6 months after the event. wildland fire agencies. Fire in the Buckling of a steel platform (above), once part of a hillside home, indicates the intensity of West has evolved from an activity the firestorm, which destroyed some 2,900 structures and took 25 lives in residential parts report by the State fire managers to of Oakland and Berkeley, CA. Logs and snags frame the chimney of a surviving home (below), remnants of the thick intermix vegetation that fueled the flames. Photos: Hutch the Council of Western State Brown, USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC, 1992. Foresters into a comprehensive annual report for sharing informa tion with a broad variety of stake holders, from Governors and legislators to local fire agencies and community-based Fire Safe Coun cils.
As the disastrous 1999 fire season came to a close, the Western State fire managers decided to begin a comprehensive evaluation of the W–UI fire problem. Using a grant from State fire assistance funds, they commissioned a study to identify the extent of the problem and recommend appropriate strategies and tactics that could be adopted by the individual Western
Volume 62 • No. 1 • Winter 2002 9 States to begin coping with the managers became the meat of the major project with CDF is develop problem. The study was to be report. ing comprehensive mitigation published as a special edition of Fire guides for the W–UI fire problem in the West. Additionally, the consultants made (Fire Hazard Zoning Field Guide, field trips to various parts of the Property Inspection Guide, and State-Funded Study West to learn about significant fires Structural Fire Prevention Field Wildland fire expert, author, and (such as the 1989 Black Tiger Fire; Guide). They drew on the experi publisher William C. Teie (retired the 1991 Spokane Firestorm; and ence and expertise of numerous Deputy Director, California Depart the 2000 Cerro Grande Fire in Los State and local fire officials who are ment of Forestry and Fire Protec Alamos, NM). They also met with actively doing something about the tion [CDF]) and fire protection officials from agencies involved in problem in their jurisdictions. consultant Brian F. Weatherford W–UI fire prevention and mitiga (retired Unit Chief, CDF) conducted tion projects, such as FireWise (in Study Findings the study during the spring and Alaska and Colorado), FireFree Fire in the West: The Wildland/ summer of 2000. Together, they Bend (in Oregon), and FireSafe Urban Interface Fire Problem, brought more than 70 years of Spokane (in Washington). They sat published in October 2000, contains wildland fire experience in the West down with key players in a compre the first comprehensive evaluation to bear on the issue. hensive, high-tech wildland fire of the W–UI fire problem in the hazard classification study in West. The report includes a synop The study began with a comprehen Boulder County, CO. They visited sis of State and local W–UI fire sive survey questionnaire that went the Forest Products Lab of the prevention and mitigation projects to the State fire managers of the 17 University of California, where a and a strategy and recommended Western States and the Pacific Island Territories asking them to describe the extent of the W–UI fire problem in their jurisdictions and the level of effort directed toward solving the problem. Fire managers provided information about their authority, budgets, and priorities for everything from fire codes and regulations, to prevention pro grams, to fuelbreaks, to prescribed fire, to assistance to local fire agencies. Data, comments, and recommendations from the fire
Cover from Fire in the West, an annual report by fire managers in 17 Western States. The report compiles fire statistics and shares information about the organiza Publications from agencies in the West involved in wildland–urban interface fire preven tion and activities of the various State tion and mitigation, including Fire Safe (in California) and FireWise (in Alaska and wildland fire agencies. Colorado).
10 Fire Management Today actions for dealing with the prob TYPES OF WILDLAND–URBAN INTERFACE* lem. The wildland–urban interface (W–UI) is where humans and their The report found that, despite a developments meet or are intermixed with wildland fuels. There are potential for large losses of struc four different W–UI conditions: tures to wildland fires in each of the Western States, most State forestry 1. Interface condition: Structures abut wildland fuels. There is a clear departments are not adequately line of demarcation between structures and wildland fuels along empowered (legally or fiscally) to roads or back fences. Wildland fuels do not continue into the effectively address the problem. developed area. Many States have not begun the 2. Intermix condition: Structures are scattered throughout the process of mapping and assessing wildland area. There is no clear line of demarcation; wildland fuels W–UI areas, and some that have are are continuous outside of and within the developed area. not yet sharing the information 3. Occluded condition: Structures abut an island of wildland fuels, with other fire agencies, planners, normally within a city, such as a park or other open space. There is and developers. Although ignition- a clear line of demarcation between structures and wildland fuels resistant construction and defen along roads or fences. sible space have been identified as 4. Rural condition: Scattered small clusters of structures (such as the two most important factors in ranches, farms, and resorts) are exposed to wildland fuels. There the survival of structures during might be miles between clusters of development. wildland fires, most Western States still do not have comprehensive *These definitions are used by State agencies in the West. They have not been adopted nationally. codes, regulations, and building standards for firesafe development. Study delineate the W–UI areas and Several successful community- Recommendations provide maps that can be used in based programs are reaching the Major recommendations in the the field by planners, developers, target audience (homeowners, and fire officials. legislators, planners, and develop report include: ers) with messages on the potential The report also recommends that for disaster in the W–UI. However, a • Implementing the FireWise public education model through fire managers collaborate with key major cooperative effort will be players in various “forest health” required to change public percep out the West; • Developing a cooperative plan to initiatives and projects to help tions and attitudes and to generate ensure that fuel reduction and a concern for fire safety that will apply for and effectively use Federal, State, and local funds hazard mitigation projects are overcome existing public apathy included in forest improvement and political inertia. that may be available for public education; plans. The report calls for the • Fuels treatment; adoption of the new Urban–Wild • Improved initial-attack capability; land Interface Code as the basis for • Improved mobilization of local a comprehensive fire law enforce fire forces; and ment. It also urges all States to • More efficient use of mutual-aid become parties to the Interstate forces during extended attack and Civil Defense and Disaster Compact major fire situations. authorizing interstate use of fire protection resources. The report recommends that the States first map and assess the Another recommendation is that extent of the W–UI problem and each State develop its own major incident management teams, using Cover from Fire in the West: The Wildland/ share this information with the fire Urban Interface Fire Problem. Published in community, developers, and legisla Federal, State, and local fire and October 2000, the State-funded report tors. It calls for a comprehensive disaster management experts. contains the first comprehensive evaluation Finally, the report calls upon the of the wildland–urban interface fire mapping effort, with common, problem in the West. interactive data bases to define and States to assume a leadership role
Volume 62 • No. 1 • Winter 2002 11 in improving the safety and effec authority and funding, improve West: The Wildland/Urban Interface tiveness of local government forces cooperation with Federal and local Fire Problem, contact Deer Valley on wildland fires, especially in the agencies, and begin to effectively Press, 5125 Deer Valley Road, W–UI. address the widespread and increas Rescue, CA 95672; call 1-800-445 ingly dangerous W–UI fire problem 1950 toll-free; or visit the Deer Comprehensive in the West. The report demon Valley Press Website at
WEBSITES ON FIRE*
Thirtymile Fire (JFSP), established in 1998, proves A 10-person governing board, Investigation that such an arrangement can which meets several times a year, On July 10, 2001, four firefighters effectively fill the gaps in knowledge manages JFSP. Additionally, a perished in a burnover on the about wildland fires and fuels. The stakeholder advisory group advises Thirtymile Fire, Okanogan USDA Forest Service and USDI and assists the governing board on National Forest, WA. This site Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of setting priorities and strategies for features reports and information Land Management, National Park completing wildland fire and fuels related to the accident investiga Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife research. tion and prevention plan. Service, and U.S. Geological Survey are collaborating to provide wild- The JFSP Website includes com Found at
12 Fire Management Today COOPERATIVE FIRE PROTECTION IN COLORADO*
Jim Hubbard
y the close of the 2000 fire season, 3,569 wildland fires had The Colorado State Forest Service’s Bburned more than 167,000 acres primary objective is to protect lives and property (65,000 ha) in Colorado and de from fire in the State’s growing stroyed more than 74 homes and other structures. A century of fire wildland–urban interface. suppression, combined with chang ing land management practices, has vegetative fuels are the thinning reduction on their land, and where left many of Colorado’s forests and removal of dense trees and the there is an opportunity to improve unnaturally dense and highly controlled use of low-intensity fire. water quality or wildlife habitat in susceptible to fire damage. Mean addition to reducing the risks from while, the State’s record-setting CSFS regularly provides both catastrophic fire. population growth has driven many technical and financial assistance to urbanites to the forested foothills in private landowners who want to The Upper South Platte Project, for search of privacy in beautiful reduce the fuels around their example, involves State agencies, landscapes—the same landscapes homes and property. We also work the Denver Water Board, private that are at the highest risk from with county, State, and other non- landowners, and the USDA Forest wildland fire. Federal land managers to reduce Service in working collectively to risks from catastrophic fire—fire improve the ability of their lands to The primary objective of the Colo that can threaten the valuable resist catastrophic fire—and to rado State Forest Service (CSFS) is natural resources that we are thereby protect part of Denver’s to protect lives and property from working to sustain. valuable municipal watershed. fires in the wildland–urban inter face (W–UI). The agency realizes The most effective way to improve CSFS also participates in the Four that the W–UI fire problem will only the survivability of a subdivision or Corners Sustainable Forests Part worsen if left alone. We also realize a watershed is to reduce hazardous nership. This is a four-State effort that we can’t solve the problem materials on a landscape scale to creatively address the challenge alone. With this in mind, the involving multiple ownerships. That of what to do with the variety of agency is intensifying efforts to way, no matter where fire starts or vegetative materials removed form new and innovative partner which direction it burns, it will not during fuel reduction projects and ships that result in positive action have enough fuel to reach into the how to involve local communities on the ground. forest crowns, to become hot in finding and implementing enough to damage forest soil, or to solutions. Reducing Hazardous become so intense that firefighters Fuels cannot safely protect homes and Improving Local Three things are needed to enable a structures. Firefighting Capacity fire to spread: heat, oxygen, and In addition to working on the land, fuels. We have the ability to affect CSFS is working with our partners CSFS addresses the W–UI challenge only one of these—the amount of to identify areas in the State where by helping local and volunteer fire fuels. Our main tools to reduce many priorities collide—places departments improve their training where there is community support and equipment. Local departments Jim Hubbard is the State Forester of for actively reducing fuels, where Colorado, Fort Collins, CO. are crucial to successful fire re many landowners in a watershed sponse in Colorado because they are willing to implement fuels * The article was excerpted from Colorado Forestry: provide initial attack on 90 percent 2000 Annual Report 9(1): 2–3.
Volume 62 • No. 1 • Winter 2002 13 of our wildland fires and actually The most effective way to protect a subdivision contain most fire starts within 10 or a watershed from wildland fire is to reduce acres (4 ha). hazardous materials on a landscape scale Fighting fire in the W–UI poses a involving multiple ownerships. unique challenge to response personnel because it demands both In addition, CSFS staff participated those around us if we are to suc structural and wildland firefighting in several Cooperative Wildland Fire ceed. The old adage “United we skills. With assistance from our Prevention/Education Teams that stand, divided we fall” perhaps has Federal partners, CSFS works to were dispatched in the wake of the never been more applicable than to help local fire departments meet the 2000 fire season to help local our current situation. challenge by offering financial residents understand the causes and assistance to purchase personal effects of wildland fire and how they Without a united effort, we will face protective equipment and by could act to prevent adverse im continued seasons of large wildland providing training through two pacts in the future. fires, threatening more and more annual fire academies as well as on homes and, most importantly, the-ground opportunities. At our placing public and firefighter lives fire equipment shop, CSFS employ Safety in Numbers at risk. We must work together to ees also turn excess military ve Whether we are trying to improve protect ourselves, our communities, hicles into effective fire engines for the survivability of a subdivision in and the tremendous natural re loan to local resources. the W–UI or to make a watershed more resistant to catastrophic fire, sources that make Colorado such a wonderful place to live. ■ Opportunity Through we must act in cooperation with Education Firefighters aren’t the only ones who need “continuing education” on wildland fire. CSFS employees spend time providing information and training to homeowners in the W–UI, urban residents, schoolchil dren, and others whose improved knowledge of wildland fire will improve our collective ability to make informed decisions.
Homeowners in the W–UI, for example, must understand that it is their responsibility to make their homes and properties more resis tant to fire. Carving out defensible space around structures, using fire- resistant construction materials, enclosing decks, and locating firewood and propane tanks uphill and away from structures—these are things that private citizens can Smoke billowing from the Bobcat Fire behind a home in the wildland-urban interface do to improve their personal safety. near Fort Collins, CO, on June 15, 2000. Photo: J. Keith Schnare, USDA Forest Service, Colorado’s Firewise program was Intermountain Region, Ogden, UT, 2000. developed with this in mind and is being presented to forest owners around the State.
14 Fire Management Today CHANGES IN FIRE HAZARD AS A RESULT OF THE CERRO GRANDE FIRE*
Dawn Greenlee and Jason Greenlee
n May 4, 2000, a prescribed burn was ignited on the Upper Like similar fires elsewhere, the Cerro Grande Fire OFrijoles Burn Units 1 and 5 on burned hotter than historical fires because of New Mexico’s Bandelier National fuel buildups from years of fire suppression. Monument. The units were located at between 9,000 and 10,000 feet (2,700–3,000 m) elevation in the The fire moved eastward through historical fires because of the Jemez Mountains, 6 miles (10 km) mixed-conifer vegetation into the buildup of fuels that had resulted west of Los Alamos, NM. The burn lower elevation ponderosa pine from years of fire suppression. was part of the Valle Project, an vegetation on the Pajarito Plateau, interagency fuel reduction program where Los Alamos is located. It then Fire Hazard Study designed to reduce the risk of skirted the northern and southern Following the fire, the Federal catastrophic fire in the Los Alamos edges of town (fig. 1), burning Emergency Management Agency region. The burn’s objectives were about half of the town’s perimeter. (FEMA) was asked to facilitate a to reduce tree densities and fuel Before the fire was suppressed, it management program that would loads in overgrown meadows and burned 42,858 acres (17,344 ha) ensure that the fire hazard did not stands of aspen, ponderosa pine, and 235 residences. Like other become greater than it had been and mixed conifer (NPS 2000). Two recent wildland fires in the United prior to the fire. FEMA commis large wildfires had threatened Los States, this fire burned hotter than sioned a study by the authors to Alamos in preceding years (the 1977 La Mesa Fire and the 1996 Dome Fire), causing researchers at the Los Alamos National Laboratory to publish a prediction that proved Town buffer to be an uncanny harbinger of the Burn severity: events that followed (LANL 2000). High Low/unburned Medium On May 5 and 6, the burn escaped and suppression actions failed.**
Dawn Greenlee is a prescribed fire specialist for the USDI U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Hobe Sound, FL; and Jason Greenlee is a smokejumper for the USDA Forest Service in Missoula, MT. For the study reflected in this article, Dawn worked as a contractor for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under the Fire Research Institute; and Jason was affiliated with FEMA.
* This article is an abbreviated version of a detailed technical report, “Predicted Changes in Fire Danger in the Los Alamos Wildland–Urban Interface as a Result of the Cerro Grande Wildfire,” prepared for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. For the full report, Figure 1—Area burned by the 2000 Cerro Grande Fire in relation to a half-mile (0.8-km) including many tables and figures, contact Dawn buffer zone around developed private property in the town of Los Alamos, NM. If fuels Greenlee by e-mail at [email protected]. within the buffer zone resist burning, the town will be exposed at most to long-range ** See Jim Paxon, “‘Remember Los Alamos’: The Cerro spotting from a future wildland fire. Illustration: Based on data from the Interagency Grande Fire,” Fire Management Today 60(4)[2000]: 9–14. Burned Area Emergency Rehabilitation Team (2000).
Volume 62 • No. 1 • Winter 2002 15 predict changes in fire hazard in the Fuel conditions following a high-severity fire Cerro Grande Fire area by modeling can become more dangerous than before the fire, fire behavior in postfire fuels over the next 23 years. The model could because fire-killed snags fall serve as a tool for fire managers to create thick slash fuels. elsewhere in determining the importance of timber salvage and vegetation types: ponderosa pine, on any day in the fire season, other fuel reduction treatments mixed conifer, and pinyon/juniper. develop 4-foot (1.2-m) flame following high-severity wildland lengths, even on the steepest (40 fires. Ponderosa Pine. Ponderosa pine percent) slopes. (Pinus ponderosa) forests are the Whereas low- and moderate-severity dominant vegetation in and around Mixed Conifer. Mixed-conifer prescribed burns are conducted to Los Alamos. This forest type extends stands are dominated by ponderosa reduce understory ladder fuels, from 6,500 feet to 8,800 feet pine and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga high-severity wildland fires can (2,000–2,700 m) elevation and menziesii). This vegetation type is have the opposite effect. Postfire dominates south-facing aspects in found on north aspects at 7,000 feet fuel conditions can become more the Jemez Mountains below 8,000 (2,100 m) and on all aspects up to hazardous than before the fire, feet (2,400 m) (Balice and others 10,000 feet elevation (3,000 m) because fire-killed snags fall to 1997). Prior to 1900, open stands (Balice and others 1997). Prior to create thick slash fuels. Trees are with grassy understories and only the Cerro Grande Fire, stands held often removed after high-severity 50 to 100 trees per acre (125–250 an estimated 686 (Balice and others fires to prevent slash fuels from trees/ha) were maintained by 1997) to 1,000 (Forest Service developing. In about 20 percent of frequent low-intensity surface fires, 2000) trees per acre (1,694–2,500 the area of the 1994 Tyee Fire in which thinned stands and limited trees/ha), with basal areas of 160 Washington, fire-killed timber was the buildup of dead fuels on the square feet per acre (37 m2/ha) salvage-logged or fuels were piled ground. Historical mean fire return (Forest Service 2000). Prior to the and burned, particularly in wild intervals were between 5 and 15 Cerro Grande Fire, stands in the land–urban interface (W–UI) areas, years (Allen 1989), but most of the fire area had crown bulk densities both to recover timber value and to area burned by the Cerro Grande greater than 0.006 pounds per cubic reduce future slash accumulation Fire had not burned since 1883 foot (0.1 kg/m3) and continuous (Ellis 2000; Forest Service 1994). (Allen 1989; Foxx and Potter 1981). ladder fuels (Armstrong 1998), Following the 1998 Florida fires, which would enable the initiation of trees in the community of Palm Exclusion of fire produced tree a crown fire when exposed to a Coast were salvaged both for the densities of between 286 (Balice and surface fire with flame lengths safety of local residents and to others 1997) and 1,300 (Forest greater than 4 feet (1.2 m). Utilizing reduce fire hazard and facilitate Service 2000) trees per acre (706– weather data from 1977–96, suppression efforts (Kuypers 2000). 3,200 trees/ha) and an accumula Armstrong (1998) predicted that, Similar treatments have been tion of between 8 and 40 tons of on slopes greater than 40 percent, applied to high-severity fires fuel per acre (18–89 t/ha) on the crown fire initiation would occur elsewhere (Keeves and Douglas forest floor (Balice and others 1997; on mixed-conifer sites on approxi 1983). The authors examined Miller 1999). Stand basal areas were mately 60 percent of the days changes in fire hazard resulting 60 to 80 square feet per acre (14–18 during the fire season. from the Cerro Grande Fire and m2/ha) (Forest Service 2000). addressed the need for salvage Crown bulk densities were esti On the Cerro Grande Fire, a crown treatments or other fuel treatments, mated at between 0.02 to 0.03 fire did start in mixed-conifer both in the areas burned and in pounds per cubic foot (0.3–0.5 kg/ stands, as Armstrong predicted; unburned areas near the Los m3) (Armstrong 2000), much more and, due to high crown bulk densi Alamos townsite. dense than the 0.006 pounds per ties in neighboring ponderosa pine cubic foot (0.1 kg/m3) needed to stands, crown fires spread through Vegetation Types sustain crown fire activity (Agee the pine zone (BAER Team 2000). The area of the Cerro Grande Fire is 1996). Armstrong (1998) calculated These crown fires burned with characterized by three primary that these pine stands would not, flame lengths greater than 100 feet
16 Fire Management Today Overall, our models predict that much of the be very difficult in W–UI areas Los Alamos area will be at a lower risk of fire without firebreaks between homes and the fire) or retardant drops as a result of the Cerro Grande Fire, but that (which are not always readily some areas will be exposed to higher fire hazard. available).
We determined vegetation types, (30 m) and moved at rates of spread land ownership, and fire severity greater than 1 mile per hour (0.4 Bark beetle populations building up from maps provided by the Inter- m/s), with spot fires igniting more in fire-damaged trees can move into agency Burned Area Emergency than half a mile (0.8 km) from the adjacent unburned stands (Celaya Rehabilitation Team (2000) and fire front. and Cain 2000). However, insect Koch and others (1997). Prefire and outbreaks were not seen following predicted postfire vegetation types Pinyon/Juniper. The dominant the Dome and La Mesa Fires (Allen- in the Cerro Grande burn area were vegetation to the east of Los Alamos Reid 2000; Conklin 2000; Rogers broken into fire behavior fuel is pinyon/juniper. This vegetation 2000). USDA Forest Service ento models and National Fire Danger type extends from 5,800 feet to mologists tracked beetles in the Rating System (NFDRS) fuel 7,100 feet (1,800–2,200 m) eleva Cerro Grande Fire area. On June 22, models. Fuel model assignments tion and is dominated by juniper 2000, the Forest Service found that were based on interpretation of (Juniperus spp.) and pinyon (Pinus 5 to 10 percent of the trees in the information from many sources edulis), with bunchgrass and shrub burn with crown damage from 60 to (Armstrong 1998; Balice 2000; understories (Balice and others 100 percent were infected with bark Balice and others 1997; Foxx 1996, 1997). beetles (Conklin 2000; Rogers 2000; LANL 2000; Miller 1999; 2000). A high concentration of Moeur and Guthrie 1981; Potter beetles was also found in the Santa Bark Beetles and Foxx 1981; Trader 2000; Tucker Clara area within the burn Bark beetle outbreaks frequently 2000), including prescribed fire (Armstrong 2000). follow the weakening of host trees prescriptions (Forest Service by drought, overcrowding, and undated; NPS 2000) and onsite field damage from windstorms, fires, and Calculating Fire Hazard comparisons of fuels to photo series heavy snows (Amman and others Our study determined changes in (Anderson 1982; NWCG 1997). 1989; Cates and Alexander 1982; fire hazard and the threat of prop Christiansen and others 1987; erty damage by fire in the Los We delineated a buffer area around Furniss 1965; Hadley and Veblen Alamos region by predicting the town of Los Alamos to focus 1993). Bark beetles have been changes in fire behavior that would particular attention on the fuels reported to infest up to 87 percent result from fire-triggered changes most critical for the safety of the of moderately to heavily fire- in fuel. We used three fire hazard town. If these fuels are resistant to damaged trees (Amman 1991; parameters to judge fire hazard in fire spread, the town will be exposed Furniss 1936; Furniss 1965; the Los Alamos area: susceptibility at most to long-range spotting from Geiszler and others 1984; Hanula to crown fire, susceptibility to a fire a future wildland fire. The buffer and others 2000; Pasek 1996; Ross with flame lengths greater than 4 was defined as the area within one- 1997; Rust 1933; Safay 1981; feet (1.2 m), and susceptibility to a half mile (0.8 km) of sites classified Schultz and Kliejunas 1981; fire with rates of spread greater as both developed (Koch and others Stevens and Hall 1960). In New than 1 mile per hour (0.4 m/s). 1997) and privately owned (BAER Mexico, stands with basal areas of Flame lengths greater than 4 feet Team 2000). 100 to 120 square feet per acre (23– (1.2 m) are too intense to be at 27 m2/ha) are considered to be at tacked directly by firefighters, and We determined the average number high risk for bark beetle infestation; rates of spread greater than 1 mile of days when fuels would support 4 when the stand’s basal area is per hour (0.4 m/s) are difficult to foot (1.2-m) flame lengths and/or reduced below 80 square feet per suppress (NWCG 1998). Containing rates of spread greater than 1 mile acre (18 m2/ha), the stand is safe such fires would require bulldozers per hour (0.4 m/s) for each vegeta from an outbreak (Allen-Reid 2000; or indirect suppression tactics, such tion type by considering the per Conklin 2000). as burnout operations (which would centage of area covered by each of
Volume 62 • No. 1 • Winter 2002 17 Both the increase in fire hazard in the high-severity areas of the fire and the potential increase in bark beetles can be mitigated through fuel reduction treatments. the various NFDRS fuel models occupied by that vegetation type. In the 13th through the 23rd with their predicted fire behavior We used the same method to postfire years, fire hazard in the Los characteristics. For each vegetation determine fire hazard changes for Alamos area will subside on average type, we calculated the probability the entire burned area. Postfire to levels lower than before the of high-, moderate-, and low- averages were compared to prefire Cerro Grande Fire as slash fuels severity burns for years 1 through averages to determine whether each compact and decay and as flashy 5, 6 through 12, and 13 through 23. fire parameter showed an increase grass fuels are shaded out by or decrease from prefire levels. regenerating trees (fig. 2, bottom). We used FireFamily Plus 2.0 (2000) Results were mapped in ArcView. In this period, the fuels will not with inputs of local weather condi support crown fires, fires with flame tions to determine the number of Changes in Fire Hazard lengths greater than 4 feet (1.2 m), days when the fuel models within In the first 5 years following the or fires with rates of spread greater each vegetation type would exhibit fire, our model predicts that fire than 1 mile per hour (0.4 m/s) on as extreme fire behavior. We took hazard near Los Alamos will, on many days as before the Cerro weather data for the years 1993– average, be lower than it was prior Grande Fire. Although there are 2000 from the Jemez Remote to the fire (fig. 2, top left). Although areas within half a mile (0.8 km) of Automated Weather Station (station flashy grass vegetation regenerating Los Alamos that could sustain 290702), located near the burn at on parts of the burned area will dangerous fires, there will be 8,500 feet (2,500 m) elevation. The support more rapid rates of spread enough declines in fire hazard in number of days when flame lengths and/or greater susceptibility to the area to result in a net average are projected to be greater than 4 flame lengths over 4 feet (1.2 m) in reduction in fire hazard from feet (1.2 m) and rates of spread some areas near Los Alamos, the prefire levels. greater than 1 mile per hour (0.4 risk of crown fire will be signifi m/s) was calculated for the fire cantly lower, so overall average fire Overall, our models predict that season (March 15 to July 15). hazard will be lower. much of the Los Alamos area will be Calculations were made based on a at a lower risk of fire as a result of 26- to 40-percent slope, the average From year 6 to year 12, fire hazard the Cerro Grande Fire, but that slope for the area. will increase over much of the some areas will be exposed to burned area as slash develops, higher fire hazard. Most of the We calculated the number of days particularly in high-burn-severity increases in susceptibility to high during the fire season when each areas (fig. 2, top right). Because of flame lengths and rates of spread vegetation type would exhibit its proximity to such areas, the are on the northwest corner of intense fire behavior by summing northwest edge of Los Alamos will town, in the high-severity areas of the number of intense-fire-behavior be especially subject to more days the Cerro Grande Fire. days for each of the NFDRS fuel with the potential for extreme rates models, weighted by the percentage of spread and high flame lengths; Implications of area within the vegetation type therefore, it will be at greater risk of Whereas low- to moderate-severity occupied by that fuel model. The both dangerously intense and very wildland fires and prescribed burns weighted average number of days fast-moving fires. Although the risk generally diminish fire hazard by during the fire season for the buffer of crown fire will be significantly reducing understory and ladder area within one-half mile (0.8 km) lower than before the fire, fuels fuels, a high-severity wildland fire of Los Alamos residences was near town could still, on average, can increase fire hazard. Where the calculated by summing the number support a fire with a 4-foot (1.2-m) Cerro Grande Fire burned intensely, of high-fire-danger days for each flame length on the same number there will be a greater threat to the vegetation type, weighted by the of days as could prefire fuels. W–UI than there was before the fire. percentage of area within the buffer Although many residences in Los
18 Fire Management Today Dangerous flame length on more days Dangerous flame length on more days Dangerous rate of spread on more days Dangerous rate of spread on more days Dangerous flame length and rate of spread on more days Dangerous flame length and rate of spread on more days Dangerous flame length and rate of spread on fewer days Dangerous flame length and rate of spread on fewer days Developed area Developed area Unburned area Unburned area
Dangerous flame length on more days Dangerous rate of spread on more days Figure 2—Relative fire hazard 1 to 5 years (top left), Dangerous flame length and rate of spread on more days 6 to 12 years (top right), and 13 to 23 years (bottom) Dangerous flame length and rate of spread on fewer days after the Cerro Grande Fire within one-half mile Developed area Unburned area (0.8 km) of private, developed land in Los Alamos, NM. Lines outside the buffer zone delineate areas burned by the fire. Relative fire hazard is calculated in terms of the number of days when postfire fuels would support a 4-foot (1.2-m) flame length and/or rates of spread greater than 1 mile per hour (0.4 m/s) as compared to prefire fuels. Illustrations: Dawn Greenlee and Jason Greenlee, Missoula, MT, 2000.
Volume 62 • No. 1 • Winter 2002 19 Alamos will be less threatened by feet per acre (18 m2/ha) are consid Amman, G.D. 1991. Bark beetle–fire high-intensity wildland fire because ered safe from beetle infestation. associations in the Greater Yellowstone Area. In: Fire and the Environment: of their proximity to low-severity Many trees in the Los Alamos area Ecological and Cultural Perspectives areas of the Cerro Grande Fire, are so dense that they are stressed (Proceedings of an international other areas, particularly the north from competition for limited soil symposium); 1990 March 20–24; Knoxville, TN. Gen. Tech. Rep. SE–69. western edge of town, will be at resources. Asheville, NC: USDA Forest Service, greater risk because the fire was Southern Research Station: 313–320. high severity there. If a severe bark Second, slash should be treated or Amman, G.D.; McGregor, M.D.; Dolph, Jr., R.E. 1989. Mountain pine beetle. For. Ins. beetle infestation occurs in the thinning conducted at a time of Dis. Leafl. 2. Ogden, UT: USDA Forest unburned areas near town as a year when the slash produced could Service, Intermountain Forest and Range result of the wildfire, fire hazard dry prior to bark beetle flights, Experiment Station. would increase in those areas as because certain bark beetle species Anderson, H.E. 1982. Aids to determining fuel models for estimating fire behavior. well. Both the increase in fire (Ips spp.) can be attracted to slash Gen. Tech. Rep. INT–122. Ogden, UT: hazard in the high-severity areas of produced during thinning opera USDA Forest Service, Intermountain the fire and the potential increase tions. Likewise, when an outbreak Forest and Range Experiment Station Armstrong, W. 1998. Analysis of the risk of in bark beetles can be mitigated develops, any nearby thinning crown fire initiation and spread in the through fuel reduction treatments. should stop, because it will only Valle Ecosystem Management Area on the contribute to the bark beetle Espanola District of the Santa Fe National Forest, northern New Mexico. Predicted increases in fire hazard in problem. Thinning must be con Santa Fe, NM: USDA Forest Service, the high-severity areas of the fire ducted prior to infestation. Alterna Santa Fe National Forest. could be mitigated by salvage tively, insect-killed trees could be Armstrong, W. 2000. Personal communica logging or by otherwise removing removed after they are killed in tion. Forester, USDA Forest Service, Espanola Ranger District, Santa Fe fire-killed trees or slash. Because order to prevent accumulations of National Forest, Santa Fe, NM. the primary cause of high fire dead fuel on the ground. BAER (Burned Area Emergency Rehabilita hazard in these areas is the slash tion) Team. 2000. Interagency Burned Area Emergency Rehabilitation Plan: fuel developing as fire-killed trees Prediction Tool Cerro Grande Fire, Los Alamos, NM. June fall, removal of this heavy fuel load Our study shows that postfire fuels 9. would prevent the predicted in Balice R.G.; Oswald, B.P.; Martin, C. 1997. can be projected using technologies Fuels inventories in the Los Alamos crease in fire hazard in these areas. now available, and management National Laboratory Region: 1997. LANL decisions can be made based on Pub. LA–13572–MS. Los Alamos, NM: Los If bark beetle numbers increase as a these technologies. In this specific Alamos National Laboratory. result of the fire and enable the Balice, R.G. 2000. Personal communication. case, we suggested that the fire Forest ecologist, ESH–20 Ecology Group, insect’s spread into the unburned hazard could increase over some or Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los vegetation near the burn site, all of the area burned (depending Alamos, NM. additional tree mortality would Cates, R.G.; Alexander, H. 1982. Host on postfire insect activity), and that resistance and susceptibility. In: Mitton, result in increased dead fuel loads fuel modification should be initi J.B.; Sturgeon, K.B., eds. Bark beetles in and local increases in fire hazard. ated to reduce the hazard, at least North American conifers: A system for The increase in fire hazard would the study of evolutionary ecology. Austin, in the immediate area of the W–UI. TX: University of Texas Press: 212–263. primarily be a result of additional Celaya, R.; Cain, R. 2000. Forest insect and dead fuel after insect-killed trees References disease conditions in the Southwestern fell. Region, 1999. R3–00–01. USDA Forest Agee, J.K. 1996. The influence of forest Service. structure on fire behavior. In: Proceed Christiansen, E.; Waring, R.H.; Berryman, This potential increase in fire ings of the 17th Forest Vegetation A.A. 1987. Resistance of conifers to bark hazard could be mitigated in several Management Conference; 1996 January beetle attack: Searching for general ways. First, trees in the unburned 16–18; Redding, CA. California Vegetation relationships. Forest Ecology and Management Committee: 52–68. Management. 22: 89–106. areas in the vicinity of Los Alamos Allen, C.D. 1989. Changes in the landscape Conklin, D. 2000. Personal communication could be thinned so that the re of the Jemez Mountains, New Mexico. and unpublished insect inventory data. maining trees would be less suscep Ph.D. dissertation. Berkeley, CA: Forest pathologist, USDA Forest Service, University of California. Southwestern Region, Albuquerque, NM. tible to bark beetle attack. Stands Allen-Reid, D. 2000. Personal communica Ellis, M. 2000. Personal communication. with basal areas below 80 square tion. New Mexico Zone Leader, Forest Assistant fire management officer, USDA Health, USDA Forest Service, Southwest Forest Service, Wenatchee National ern Region, Albuquerque, NM. Forest, Entiat Ranger District, Entiat, WA.
20 Fire Management Today Our study shows that postfire fuels can be projected using technologies now available, and management decisions can be made based on these technologies.
FireFamily Plus 2.0. 2000. Computer Hanula, J.L.; Meeker, J.R.; Miller, D.R.; Pasek, J.E. 1996. Emergence and over program. Website Volume 62 • No. 1 • Winter 2002 21 KENAI PENINSULA BOROUGH: A SPRUCE BARK BEETLE MITIGATION PROGRAM Michael Fastabend ince 1991, spruce bark beetles in Alaska—particularly on the The Kenai Peninsula Borough SKenai Peninsula—have spread and cooperating agencies developed at an unprecedented level. The and implemented an integrated infestation, the most intensive outbreak documented in North Spruce Bark Beetle Mitigation Program. America, has devastated more than 1.4 million acres (560,000 ha) of the peninsula. The outbreak has created The report provided a broad strat trees in high-use public areas. The an extreme wildland fire hazard and egy for addressing the impact of the funds received in 2001 helped to increased the risk of catastrophic spruce bark beetle and identified accelerate implementation of all loss of life and property. more than $13 million in projects these valuable programs. designed to mitigate the safety Task Force Formed hazards caused by the infestation Projects for 2001 and 2002 include and to lower the wildland fire risks. clearing hazard trees from road In 1998, concerns regarding the Congressional support helped the right-of-ways, removing fuels from impact of the spruce beetle infesta Kenai Peninsula Borough obtain a borough parcels, expanding the tion on Alaska’s forests, public $416,000 grant in April 1999, a $2 FireWise Community Mitigation safety, and ecosystems prompted million appropriation in February Program, and providing training the USDA Forest Service to estab 2000, and a $7.5 million appropria and technical expertise to local fire lish a multiparty task force. As the tion in February 2001 to implement suppression agencies and depart lead agency for the Spruce Beetle task force recommendations. Initial ments. In 2001, the Kenai Penin Task Force, the Kenai Peninsula priority projects, begun in 1999, sula Borough implemented a 6-year Borough was asked to prepare an included completion of a geographi reforestation/rehabilitation effort action plan to manage beetle in cal information system (GIS) and a 3-year technical assistance festations in Alaska and to rehabili wildland fire hazard/risk assess program—both designed to transfer tate the infested areas. ment, identification of fire escape the mitigation program to beetle- routes, creation of community affected communities statewide. Meeting in the spring of 1998, the zones of refuge, and production of a task force considered public safety GIS land cover map. For more information on Alaska’s and fire protection its priorities. spruce bark beetle mitigation Additionally, members developed 50 program, visit Michael Fastabend is the spruce bark beetle coordinator, Kenai Peninsula Borough Spruce Bark Beetle Mitigation Program, Soldotna, AK. 22 Fire Management Today FIRESAFE SPOKANE: WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY Ross Hesseltine n 1991, a firestorm in Spokane County, WA, robbed 114 families of Firesafe Spokane’s priority is to implement I their homes and caused millions a fuel modification program and create of dollars in damage. To help avoid defensible space around homes. a repeat performance, in February 1998, local concerned citizens and companies formed Firesafe Spo 1,200 local homes. By November plan to protect a 150-home develop kane—a nonprofit organization. 10, 2001, more than 1,600 home ment. By November 9, 2001, fuel The mission of the organization is owners in the W–UI had submitted modifications in 428 plans were to work with communities to create requests for fire protection help. completed, protecting 1,580 homes. a safe environment and to reduce Firesafe Spokane has completed By December 30, more than 1,900 loss from wildland fires. plans to provide survivable space homes were scheduled for protec around 1,900 homes, including a tion for less money than the Education and Assistance Education—the initial focus of A CAREER DEDICATED TO COOPERATIVE Firesafe Spokane’s efforts—brought members together with the Inland FIRE PROTECTION Empire Public Fire Educators. These two groups held community In 1987, Washington suffered its threat to human life existed. meetings to teach homeowners the first loss of homes from a wild- After the firestorm, Hesseltine benefits of defensible space and land fire—the Hangman Hills fire designed and conducted a study offered free property inspections to claimed 24 homes. After this to determine why more than 440 help create firesafe environments. devastating event, Washington’s homes were saved in Spokane, In the spring of 2000, Firesafe Department of Natural Resources even though 114 homes were Spokane proposed a cost-share created a position dedicated to destroyed. program to help homeowners meeting the area’s wildland– create fuelbreaks. In October, the urban interface challenge. The Hesseltine evaluated the defen cost-share program received a position demanded a blend of fire sible space surrounding the wildland–urban interface (W–UI) prevention specialist, interagency homes involved in the firestorm. grant. cooperator, and fire educator; He determined that homes Ross Hesseltine—an 18-year without defensible space suffered In November 2000, the Washington veteran of fire control work as the a 38-percent destruction rate. State Department of Natural district manager in Spokane, Homes with 1 to 10 feet (0.3–3 Resources (DNR)—as part of its WA—was a perfect fit. m) of defensible space suffered a Firewise Washington program— 35-percent destruction rate. asked Firesafe Spokane to design In northeast Washington during When the defensible space was and manage a grant for fuel modifi the devastating firestorm of increased to 30 feet (9 m) or cation in northeast Washington. In 1991–92, wind-driven fires forced more, the fire consumed only 3 March 2001, DNR received a fire districts to triage alarms. All percent of the homes. Unfortu generous W–UI grant to protect firefighters and equipment were nately, during the 1991–92 committed to alarms. When a firestorm, most of the homes had new fire was reported, it went less than 30 feet (9 m) of defen Ross Hesseltine is the executive director of unstaffed unless an imminent sible space. Firesafe Spokane, Spokane, WA. Volume 62 • No. 1 • Winter 2002 23 Homeowners who prepare for a wildland fire incident continue to enjoy their homes even after experiencing a fire threat. original grant to protect 1,200 homes. Additional homes were planned for protection in 2002. Firesafe Spokane is helping local fire districts and the Spokane Parks Department obtain mitigation grants and is collaborating with Federal agencies on community planning opportunities. Home before (above) and after (below) thinning to provide survivable space. This was one of 150 homes in the Whispering Pines Subdivision, Deer Park, WA, which participates in Firesafe Spokane, a program to design and manage fuel modifications in northeast Local Support Washington. Photos: Tom Iraci, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR, 2001. Local business and fire prevention communities support Firesafe Spokane. The program’s diverse board of directors includes repre sentatives from: • Spokane Valley Fire Department; • DNR; • Avista Corporation; and • Paine, Hamblen, Coffin, Brooke & Miller. Firesafe Spokane remains dedicated to reducing loss from and cost of wildland fires, and we are available to help other groups and agencies in this important effort. For more information, contact Ross Hesseltine, Spokane, WA, 509-464 1086 (voice), Ross@firesafespokane. com (e-mail). ■ 24 Fire Management Today A FIRE HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN FOR GUAM David Limtiaco he disastrous 1998 fire season, caused by El Niño, scorched Typhoon Paka left tons of dead biomass Tmore than 13,000 acres (5,300 littered across Guam’s forest floors, ha) of the Territory of Guam’s adding to the fuel load caused by El Niño. wildlands and urban and rural communities. Compounding the problem was Typhoon Paka, which creates a fuels nightmare during boundaries and the periphery of the struck in December 1997. Addition fire season, usually causing fuel W–UI. To remove the swordgrass ally, dry climatic trends had in loading of 30 tons per acre (67 t/ha). cover on strategic locations of the creased the island’s fuel loading in island’s W–UI, we needed to me the wildland areas, wildland–urban The Plan chanically control swordgrass, tree interface (W–UI), and conservation The objective of Guam’s fire hazard snags, and downed branches and reserves, which cover more than mitigation plan was to decrease the use prescribed fire. 30,000 acres (12,000 ha). fire hazard and increase the fire protection capabilities of the entire We identified strategic W–UI areas The Problem island through prescribed fire, fuel and adjacent wildland as targets for Guam has long faced a periodically load reduction, and fuels conver fuel hazard reduction through severe wildland fire problem. El sion. An effective way to reduce fuel hazard mitigation and tree planting Niño and La Niña (following El hazard and convert fuels is to for fuels conversion. We surveyed, Niño) years create severe back-to compartmentalize wildland areas identified, and mapped a total of 20 back fire seasons (table 1), resulting that are adjacent to development acres (8 ha) for potential treatment. in heavy damages and losses and establish greenbelts along the Then we replanted identified areas (table 2). By 2000, many species were show ing signs of severe drought stress. Other normally resilient species, such as coconut palms (Cocos nucifera), were frayed and brown, and isolated patches of ironwood (Casuarina spp.) were turning red and dying. With more than 90 percent of the canopy destroyed by the drought conditions, more sunlight was penetrating and reaching the forest floor. Swordgrass (Miscanthus floridulus)—a shade-intolerant species—was flourishing. An excessive amount of swordgrass David Limtiaco is the chief of forestry, Devastation caused by Typhoon Paka. In December 1997, a typhoon with gusts of up to Division of Forestry and Soil Resources, 210 miles per hour (94 m/s) struck the island of Guam. The profusion of dead biomass left Department of Agriculture, Government of in the typhoon’s wake exacerbated an already dangerous fire situation. Photo: Division of Guam, Mangilao, GU. Forestry and Soil Resources, Guam Department of Agriculture, Mangilao, GU, 2001. Volume 62 • No. 1 • Winter 2002 25 We identified strategic wildland–urban interface areas and adjacent wildlands as targets for fuel hazard reduction. with 35,000 Papuan wattle (Acacia auriculiformis) and 15,000 mangium (Acacia mangium). The planting sites were prepared using prescribed fire, tractor mowing, and bush cutting. Fire in the wildland–urban interface on Guam during a 1998 drought related to El Niño. After successful propagation, we Photo: Division of Forestry and Soil Resources, Guam Department of Agriculture, planted acacia in the periphery of Mangilao, GU, 1998. the W–UI from July 2001 through October 2002. To minimize costs and increase public awareness and opportunities for public involve ment, volunteers—schoolchildren, Table 1—Territory of Guam, number of fires and acres burned, 1983–98. members of civic organizations, summer youth employees, forestry Year Number of fires Acres burned employees, and local communi 1983a 960 10,247 ties—helped plant the trees. Realiz ing the importance of project 1984a 499 1,517 maintenance, these groups were 1985a 313 1,153 committed to postplanting monitor 1986a 322 1,245 ing, enrichment planting, and weeding efforts. 1987a 1,541 10,473 1988a 873 11,170 In 2000, we acquired five USDA Forest Service fire engines to 1989a 289 2,456 augment the fire suppression 1990a 641 4,528 capabilities of the Guam Fire Department. Recently, we designed a 1991 473 1,551 vegetation projects to minimize fuel 1992a 993 12,505 contributions, reinforced existing memorandums of agreement, a 1993 1,187 3,205 conducted staff reviews, and made 1994a 152 350 recommendations to ensure the steady progress and completion of 1995a 622 5,726 project phases. 1996a 284 848 1997a 500 800 Benefit Analysis Potential project results include: 1998a 1,900 13,000 1983–98 11,549 66,874 • Safe wildland fire suppression at a minimum cost by reducing fuels a El Niño and La Niña years. and converting highly flammable 26 Fire Management Today swordgrass to fire-resistant tree Swordgrass about 8 feet stands on the periphery of identi (2.4 m) high. On Guam, swordgrass can create a fied W–UI areas; fuels nightmare during fire • Reduced number and size of season, with fuel loadings wildland fires in the W–UI, lower of about 30 tons per acre (67 t/ha). Photo: Division resource loss, more public of Forestry and Soil involvement, and a well-coordi Resources, Guam Depart nated network for fire protection; ment of Agriculture, • Maximum positive effects from Mangilao, GU, 2001. W–UI dollars; and • Well-equipped and -trained firefighting forces. Besides planting the acres treated through prescribed fire, we also seeded the areas that were control- burned with acacia to establish greenbelts and fuelbreaks (see sidebar on page 28). Greenbelts will help limit the size of future wild- land fires, increasing the benefit from the project in terms of sup pression costs required and provid ing long-term fire protection. ■ Table 2—Territory of Guam, resource damages and losses from wildland fires.a Damage Resource (per acre burned) Loss Watershed $70 Reduced ground water levels through reduced capacity for water infiltration and retention in wildland areas. Recreation $83 Temporary loss of aesthetic values; possible long-term ramifications for the tourist industry. Wildlife $14 Loss of forest habitat; death and destruction of grassland animals and nesting areas; reduced hunting opportunities. Soil $1,034 Loss of 5 tons of soil per acre through postfire erosion; permanent loss of potential agricultural productivity; reduced streamwater quality through sedimentation; death of freshwater aquatic life through sedimentation and siltation; destruction of coral reef ecosystem through sedimentation and siltation. Total $1,200 — a Based on Resource Value Guide, Division of Forestry and Soil Resources, Guam Department of Agriculture, Mangilao, GU, 1983. Volume 62 • No. 1 • Winter 2002 27 REFORESTATION SUCCESS IN GUAM In Guam, the rate of deforesta spp.), because they grow quickly in Forestry Division introduced tion exceeds the rate of refores infertile soils. In 3 to 5 years, they Papuan wattle (Acacia tation. Often, deforested govern form dense stands that are 20 to 30 auriculiformis) and mangium ment lands are converted to feet (6–9 m) high, which slowly (Acacia mangium) in the Cotal agricultural use or to housing suppress the grasses beneath. Once Conservation Reserve off Cross development. Since early 1970, the nitrogen-fixing species are Island Road. These species grew the Division of Forestry and Soil established and the soil condition vigorously. Today, almost the Resources in the Guam Depart has improved, enrichment planting entire reserve is planted with ment of Agriculture has tried to of broadleaf species is possible. acacia species. Establishment of convert the deforested and fire- the forest stands shows that it is prone savanna into less flam In the past 10 years, reforestation possible to successfully reforest mable forest stands. activities on Guam have acceler the harsh and badly denuded areas ated. Reforestation of badly denuded in Guam and that highly flam Reforestation methods in Guam and highly acidic areas in the mable grasslands can be converted rely on nitrogen-fixing exotic southern portion of the island has into fire-resistant tree stands. species, such as acacia (Acacia been successful. In 1980, the Guam Benefits included safer wildland fire suppression at a minimum cost by reducing fuels and establishing fire-resistant forest stands. Acacia planting (background) for fuels conversion and soil erosion control. Photo: Division of Forestry and Soil Resources, Guam Department of Agriculture, Mangilao, GU, 2001. 28 Fire Management Today RECYCLING FOREST SERVICE FIRE ENGINES Dennis Orbus ave you ever wondered what happens to old green fire Used fire engines fight wildland fires in isolated H engines after shiny new ones areas on Micronesian and Polynesian islands. replace them? Fortunately for many folks, the For more information on this P.O. Box 96090, Washington, DC USDA Forest Service recycles used program, contact April Baily, USDA 20090-6090, 202-205-0891 (voice), ■ fire engines and indefinitely lends Forest Service, Washington Office, [email protected] (e-mail). them to forestry and public fire departments on Pacific Islands in Micronesia and Polynesia. Custom Engine loaned to built to fight forest, brush, and the Hawaii Division grass fires in remote, backcountry of Forestry and Wildlife on Kauai. areas of California, the engines have This engine was proven valuable in reaching isolated one of six sent to areas prevalent on Micronesian and Kauai after Hurricane Iniki Polynesian islands. struck the island in 1992, leaving an As part of a nationwide fire protec enormous fuel- loading problem. tion program in Hawaii, Guam, Photo: Dennis American Samoa, and the Com Orbus, USDA monwealth of Northern Mariana Forest Service, Islands, the Forest Service ships the Pacific Southwest Region, Sacra operational engines at no cost to mento, CA, 1992. cooperating fire departments. A full complement of handtools, hoses, nozzles, fittings, and personal American Samoans protective equipment usually training on an engine. The accompanies the engines. Cleveland National Forest in California To help reduce life and property loss loaned the engine to the Department caused by wildland and rural fires, of Public Safety in the Forest Service also offers fire Pago Pago harbor training and other technical assis in American tance, matching grants, and help in Samoa. Photo: Don Studebaker, USDA obtaining firefighting supplies. Last Forest Service, year, Pacific Island cooperating fire Pacific Southwest departments received $761,000 in Region, Sacra mento, CA, 1996. matching grants for a variety of fire protection projects. Dennis Orbus is the assistant director of Fire and Aviation Management, Pacific Southwest Region, USDA Forest Service, Sacramento, CA. Volume 62 • No. 1 • Winter 2002 29 PENNSYLVANIA’S FIREWISE MEDAL COMMUNITIES PROGRAM H. Alan Zentz, John Berst, and Paul Sebasovich wning a home in the rural countryside of the United Throughout the Northeast, OStates—far from the frenzy that about 25,000 wildland fires occur each year, often surrounds life in the big threatening homes and communities city—is a dream come true for many people. The natural setting of that are unprepared. a country landscape, where homes are built primarily for their aes In 1998, members of the task force Several communities have initiated thetic value and economic consider applied for and received a grant of hazard mitigation activities, which ations, affords an opportunity for an $35,000 through the Forest include proper signing of roads and attractive lifestyle. Service’s Northeastern Area. They residences, fuel reduction, rural used these funds to formulate a water delivery, and improving Unfortunately, too often rural marketing plan and develop prod- existing road infrastructure. homeowners ignore the need to ucts to implement a pilot Pennsyl protect their ideal dwellings from vania Firewise Medal Communities Recognizing the success and the threat of wildland fire—a program in Monroe and Pike benefits of the countywide pilot natural part of the ecosystem. In Counties in northeastern Pennsyl- project, the task force sought to the 20-State region served by the vania. expand the project statewide. In the USDA Forest Service, State and fall of 2000, the Pennsylvania Private Forestry, Northeastern Area, To date, the communities of Emeral Bureau of Forestry received a lack of proper fire planning when Lakes, Sierra View, The Shawnee $500,000 hazard mitigation grant constructing new rural housing and Group, Saw Creek Estates, Winona for this purpose. The grant was inconsistent fire protection stan Lake, and Thornhurst Country Club made possible through the National dards for existing housing are Estates have completed their Fire Plan, and the funds were major problems. emergency action plans and com- provided by the Forest Service’s munity fire hazard assessments. Northeastern Area. Pilot Project In late 1996, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and FIREWISE COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS Natural Resources, Bureau of Forestry, in cooperation with the On September 24–26, 2001, the Pennsylvania Department of Conserva Pennsylvania State Emergency tion and Natural Resources, Bureau of Forestry, helped the National Management Agency, established a Fire Protection Association (NFPA) conduct a 3-day Firewise Commu Wildland–Urban Interface Task nities workshop in Hidden Valley, PA. At the workshop, attendees Force to address the growing learned how to improve fire hazard safety in the wildland–urban wildland–urban interface problem. interface, create and nurture local partnerships, and integrate Firewise concepts into community and disaster mitigation planning. Alan Zentz is the wildland–urban interface/ prescribed fire staff specialist, USDA Forest Service, Fire and Aviation Management, Firewise Communities workshops are sponsored in part by NFPA and Northeastern Area, State and Private the USDA Forest Service, in cooperation with local stakeholders. For Forestry, Newtown Square, PA; and John more information on the program, see the article by Cynthia Bailey Berst is the State fire supervisor and Paul beginning on page 4. For dates and locations of Firewise Communities Sebasovich is the fire prevention officer, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation workshops, visit the Firewise Communities Website at 30 Fire Management Today By broadening the program, other Reducing fuels and maximizing access communities will have an opportu for firefighters and equipment increases nity to become a Pennsylvania Firewise Medal Community and to the probability that rural homes mitigate identified wildland fire will survive a wildland fire. hazards by mechanically reducing hazardous fuels, creating better • Complete a self-administered Medal Communities. On request, a public understanding and aware community fire hazard assess representative from the Bureau of ness of existing wildland fire ment; and Forestry visits a community to hazards, and conducting workshops • Contact the local district forestry assess its qualifications for medal in high-risk communities. The task office to request that a Bureau of status. The Bureau then notifies the force will develop a training/media Forestry representative visit the community of its awarded medal packet to educate communities, community or property to review status and presents a handsome form and maintain partnerships, aid and assess the community fire plaque for display in a public area. in technology transfer, facilitate hazard assessment rating. planning and assessment, and Gold Medal. A Gold Medal Firewise inform State and local media. Medal Criteria Community has: To reward communities that plan Firewise Medal • A wildland fire hazard assessment Communities for and prevent a wildland fire emergency, the Pennsylvania (using the form contained in the All communities are invited to Bureau of Forestry, in cooperation NFPA’s Standard 299) with a participate in the new Pennsylvania with the Pennsylvania Emergency score of less than 50; Firewise Medal Communities Management Agency and the Office • An approved EAP, designed by the program. Firewise communities are of the State Fire Commissioner, Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry those that avoid potential fire established criteria for Firewise in cooperation with the Pennsyl- emergencies by addressing and correcting fire hazards, thereby preparing themselves for the threat WILDLAND FIRE HAZARD ASSESSMENT of a wildland fire. The National Fire Protection Association has published a wildland fire Communities must accomplish the hazard assessment form, with associated explanatory material, in following to qualify for Firewise Standard 299: Protection of Life and Property from Wildfire. The form Medal status: helps rural homeowners determine their actual fire hazard rating and is also used to qualify a community for Firewise medal status. The • Review all pertinent information form and accompanying material are available from any Pennsylvania and materials in the Firewise district forestry office. Medal Communities packet; • Prepare an emergency action plan Potential fire hazards on properties located in or adjacent to the (EAP), with the involvement of wildland–urban interface include: the local county emergency management association (EMA); • One road used as both an entrance and exit to the development; • Contact the Pennsylvania district • Road width less than 20 feet (6 m); forestry office to request a copy of • Dirt or stone roads; the National Fire Protection • Many roads with grades greater than 5 percent; Association’s Standard 299: • Turnaround areas with an outside radius less than 50 feet (15 m); Protection of Life and Property • Dead-end roads longer than 200 feet (61 m); from Wildfire, which provides • Average lot size less than 1 acre (0.4 ha); local firefighter and landowner • Streets without signage; services, wildland fire protection • Developments with large areas of dense, dry brush or dead wood; information, and a wildland fire • Many hilly areas with slopes greater than 30 percent; and hazard assessment form (see • Wood shake/shingle roofs. sidebar); Volume 62 • No. 1 • Winter 2002 31 vania Emergency Management Firefighters using hose to Agency and the Office of the State cool down a structure damaged by fire in the Fire Commissioner, that the wildland–urban interface. county EMA reviews and updates Pennsylvania’s Firewise annually; Medals Communities Program is designed to • A safety committee that regularly help local homeowners discusses fire and safety concerns reduce the risks they face and implements remedies; from wildland fire, a natural part of the • An annual 4- to 8-hour commu ecosystem in Pennsylva nity fire and safety educational nia. Photo: USDA Forest program approved by county EMA Service, 1990. or fire officials; and • Seasonal wildland fire safety • Familiarize the local fire depart • Keeping rain gutters free of leaves awareness programs approved by ment with the development’s and debris; county EMA or fire officials. street system, water sources, • Using a spark-arresting screen on access points, and contact people; chimneys. Silver Medal. A Silver Medal • Check to ensure that hydrants are • Covering crawlspace entrances; Firewise Community has: functioning properly; • Enclosing areas beneath decks • Create an alternate emergency and balconies; • A wildland fire hazard assessment escape route if the development • Screening louvers and vents; score between 50 and 68; has only one entrance/exit; • Prominently posting the tele • An approved EAP that the county • Keep roadways accessible for phone number of the nearest fire EMA reviews and updates annu emergency equipment by limiting department; ally; street parking to areas wide • Trimming trees, brush, or high • A safety committee that regularly enough to accommodate two-way vegetation within 30 feet (9 m) of discusses fire and safety concerns traffic flow; the home; and implements remedies; and • Create a defensible space around • Keeping pine trees 75 feet (23 m) • An annual 1- to 2-hour commu common-area buildings by from the home; nity fire and safety educational removing flammable vegetation • Stacking firewood at least 50 feet program approved by county EMA to a distance of 30 feet (9 m) from (15 m) from the home; or fire officials. structures; • Keeping grass that is within 30 • Thin and prune vegetation in feet (9 m) of the home less than 4 Bronze Medal. A Bronze Medal common areas; and inches (10 cm) high; Firewise Community has: • Ask the local power company to • Screening incinerators; prune when vegetation grows to • Keeping fuel tanks farther than • A wildland fire hazard assessment within 10 feet (3 m) of utility 10 feet (3 m) from the house; and score between 69 and 80; lines. • Maintaining a 12-foot-wide (4-m • An approved EAP that the county wide) driveway by cutting back EMA reviews and updates annu Firewise Homeowners vegetation. ally; and Implementing the following tips • A safety committee that regularly will improve the likelihood that a For more information about the discusses fire and safety concerns home will survive a wildland fire. Pennsylvania Firewise Medal and implements remedies. During a fire, homes and yards are Communities program, contact temporarily transformed into Paul Sebasovich, Pennsylvania Firewise Developers fuelbeds. Homeowners can reduce Department of Conservation and Developers that comply with the the fuel and decrease the potential Natural Resources, Bureau of following specific Firewise guide for loss by: Forestry, 400 Market Street, RCSOB lines—established by builders from 6th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17105 around the United States—will • Replacing wood shingles with 8552, 717-787-2925 (voice), 717 mitigate the damage caused by a fire-resistant roofing; 783-7960 (fax), [email protected]. ■ wildland fire to houses located in or • Removing dead leaves, needles, pa.us (e-mail). adjacent to the wildland–urban and branches; interface. 32 Fire Management Today NO DEMOBING BEFORE REHAB! Mary Zabinski n May 29, 2000, just 3 weeks after the Cerro Grande Fire was The Viveash Fire marked the first time that Oignited in northern New rehabilitation was virtually completed before the Mexico’s Bandelier National Monu incident management team was demobilized. ment, the Viveash Fire erupted some 30 miles (48 km) to the east, on the Santa Fe National Forest. A tion (BAER) team began its assess crown fires across millions of acres human-caused blaze, Viveash grew ment. Planning to rehabilitate in the Rocky Mountain West. What to 2,000 acres (800 ha) by the end dozer lines commenced on June 4, was unique is that the Viveash Fire of its first day. Residents of nearby with the fire at 28,283 acres (11,445 marked the first time that BAER ranches and canyons were soon ha) and containment expected 5 was virtually completed before the evacuated. days later. Viveash eventually incident management team (IMT) burned 29,000 acres (11,700 ha) in was demobilized. A Plume-Dominated the watersheds of Cow Creek, Bull Event Creek, and the Gallinas River, “This is unique to the fire manage The dry previous winter had left tributaries of the Pecos River on the ment program in the U.S.,” said little snowpack in the area. Fuel Santa Fe National Forest’s Pecos– Wayne Robbie, ecological inventory moisture was low and fire danger Las Vegas Ranger Districts. The fire coordinator for the Southwestern extreme. On its second day, Viveash burned through ponderosa pine and Region of the USDA Forest Service. roared through another 20,000 spruce–fir forests to elevations Robbie also served as Viveash BAER acres (8,000 ha), sending up a exceeding 11,000 feet (3,400 m). team leader. smoke column 20,000 feet (6,000 m) high. The fire moved northeast Integrated Teamwork “Historically, incident management ward, spotting a half mile to a mile Although gripping, the story of teams have focused primarily on (0.8–1.6 km) ahead of the main fire. Viveash was hardly unique in a suppression or other forms of Viveash became a fuel-driven, summer marked by a frenzy of emergency action,” Robbie said. “So plume-dominated event. By May 31, its third day, Viveash had spotted into the Gallinas River watershed, threatening the munici pal water supply for Las Vegas, NM, and Mexican spotted owl habitat. The next day, some 1,500 acres (600 ha) more burned, but after noon thundershowers and high humidity slowed fire activity. By June 2, evacuees were allowed to return to their homes. On June 3, the fire was considered 70 percent contained and the burned area emergency rehabilita- Mary Zabinski is a writer/editor for the Aftermath of a high-intensity burn in the Lower Cow Creek drainage on the Viveash Fire in USDA Forest Service, Southwestern Region, May/June 2000. In the background, a burned area emergency rehabilitation team assesses Albuquerque, NM. fire effects. Photo: Robert Eatner, USDA Forest Service, Albuquerque, NM, 2001. Volume 62 • No. 1 • Winter 2002 33 Support from incident management teams rehabilitation of the resource cut down on the time it took for rehabilitation damage caused by fire suppression is incumbent on the team to treatments and provided crews and complete. But burned area emer needed equipment. gency rehabilitation is traditionally organized by the local unit and line officer. The BAER team works independently of the incident management team, although they both are responsible to the local line officer.” Robbie said that what was unique about Viveash was the integration of fire suppression and BAER objec tives, with both teams working together to accomplish the goals of protecting life and property. “At any one time, the BAER team was assisting with fire suppression damage rehab on dozer lines, and the IMT was assisting with BAER,” said Robbie. “The large fires we had last year resulted in a higher percentage of the burned area being in a higher severity class. Given Log erosion barrier installed on a slope following the Viveash Fire. Photo: Wayne Robbie, that, we knew it was going to be USDA Forest Service, Albuquerque, NM, 2001. logistically difficult to accomplish any kind of treatments on the ground. Therefore, support from the IMT on both the logistical and operational side was necessary to get the BAER objectives accom plished in a timely manner.” IMT support improved BAER efficiency, he said, cutting down on the time it took to install treatments and providing crews and necessary equipment, including aerial re sources (see sidebar). “The other aspect of having a team is their buying power,” said Robbie. “By working with an incident management team, the BAER team was able to acquire equipment and services and whatever products were needed for the treatments. It’s easier to acquire that when you have an organization in place that’s Effects of aerial and hand seeding 5 months after the Viveash Fire. Photo: Wayne Robbie, used to dealing with procurement. USDA Forest Service, Albuquerque, NM, 2001. 34 Fire Management Today As fire suppression becomes more complex, the “So, typically, what may have taken responsibilities of incident management teams will a month or two in regards to BAER implementation only took 2 weeks expand to include more rehabilitation. from the standpoint of implement ing treatments out on the ground. And what we’re realizing, too, is that the crews that were used in REHABILITATION ON THE VIVEASH FIRE this effort had actually developed some skills that they wouldn’t The 2000 Viveash Fire on New Mexico’s Santa Fe National Forest normally have—such as how to marked the first time that burned area emergency rehabilitation install treatments in addition to (BAER) was virtually completed before the incident management their firefighting skills. This en team (IMT) was demobilized. The fire saw four IMTs cycle through hances their utility to a greater over 40 days of activity. Although the IMTs did not conduct the BAER degree, so that now we not only assessment, they were instrumental in implementing BAER treat look at type 2 crews for suppression ments on the ground through fire crews and aerial operations. efforts, but also for helping in other Treatments included: aspects of fire management, specifi cally, the BAER treatments. • Aerial seeding; • Contour felling; Future Payoffs • Removing hazardous trees; “When we look at the broader • Erecting log erosion barriers; context of fire in the future,” • Erecting trash racks (poles placed to catch debris) in stream chan Robbie continued, “in addition to nels; and suppression and fire use, these • Placing straw wattles (straw encased in tubular mesh) hauled in by teams will probably have a higher helicopter. level of involvement in rehab, which goes hand in hand with the whole picture of ecological restora tion. Now you can get these projects done in an organized way over a short period of time.” Robbie believes that IMT responsi bilities will expand as fire suppres sion becomes more complex. Expanded responsibilities will include the ability to manage what happens after a fire, such as flood ing and other catastrophic events. Viveash provided just such an opportunity for IMTs to build the skills they will need. ■ Volume 62 • No. 1 • Winter 2002 35 AUTHOR INDEX—VOLUME 61 Achtemeier, Gary L. Simulating nocturnal Editor. An agency strategy for fire manage Jimenez, Justin; Burton, Timothy A. Are smoke movement. 61(1): 28–33. ment. Executive summary. 61(4): 14–15. helibuckets scooping more than just Alexander, Martin E.; Thorburn, Robert W. Editor. Author Index—Volume 60. 61(1): water? 61(1): 34–36. Fireline safety training course available 42. Jolley, Stephen M. Fighting fire without on CD-ROM. 61(2): 45. Editor. First annual photo contest (correc fire: Biomass removal as a prelude to Andersson, Kelly. NIFC FIRE RAWS unit tion). 61(4): 48–49. prescribed fire. 61(3): 23–25. survives burnover. 61(2): 39–42. Editor. Managing the impact of wildfires on Keane, Robert E. Can the fire-dependent Bachmann, Andreas; Allgöwer, Britta. A communities and the environment: A whitebark pine be saved? 61(3): 17–20. consistent wildland fire risk terminology report to the President in response to the Keeley, Jon E. We still need Smokey Bear! is needed! 61(4): 28–33. wildfires of 2000 (executive summary). 61(1): 21–22. Barrett, Stephen W. Fires 2000: Fact vs. 61(2): 9–11. Ligman, Teena. Indiana man recognized for fiction. 61(4): 26–27. Editor. Protecting people and sustaining 42 years of volunteer service. 61(1): Britton, Carlton; Mitchell, Rob; Racher, resources in fire-adapted ecosystems: A 37–38. Brent; Fish, Ernest. Fire ignition from cohesive strategy. Executive summary. Mangan, Richard J. Equipment standardiza horseback. 61(3): 21–22. 61(4): 16–17. tion reduces costs on wildland fires. Brown, Hutch. The 1910 fires: A new book Editor. Reader comments on wildland fire 61(3): 11–14. by Stephen J. Pyne. 61(4): 45–47. terminology. 61(1): 39. Mangan, Richard J. Issues in reducing costs Brown, Hutch. Before helicopters: Blimps Editor. Review and update of the 1995 on large wildland fires. 61(3): 6–10. for wildland firefighting? 61(4): 50. Federal Wildland Fire Management Manley, Jeffrey; Keifer, MaryBeth; Brown, Hutch. Policy initiatives in wildland Policy. Executive summary. 61(4): 7–10. Stephenson, Nathan; Kaage, William. fire management. 61(4): 4–6. Editor. Subject Index—Volume 60. 61(1): Restoring fire to wilderness: Sequoia and Brown, Hutch. Reducing fire danger: Is 43–45. Kings Canyon National Parks. 61(2): current policy on course? 61(4): 18–25. Editor. Tabular crosswalk between the 1995 24–28. Brown, Hutch. Reducing fire suppression and 2001 Federal Fire Policies. 61(4): Moore, Bud. Trial by bulldozer: costs: A national priority. 61(3): 4–5. 11–13. Roadbuilding in roadless areas. 61(2): Bunnell, Dave. Six National Fire Use Awards Editor. Websites on fire. 61(1): 40. 37–38. presented for 1998 and 1999. 61(4): Editor. Websites on fire. 61(2): 28. Romero, Francisco. Workforce diversity 39–44. Editor. Websites on fire. 61(3): 31. program: A progress report from the Butler, Bret W.; Bartlette, Roberta A.; Editor. Websites on fire. 61(4): 47. Payette National Forest. 61(3): 26–28. Bradshaw, Larry S.; Cohen, Jack D.; Farnsworth, Allen. Fighting the Pumpkin Snyder, Gary. Control burn. 61(2): 36. Andrews, Patricia L.; Putnam, Ted; Fire—Indirect attack and aerial ignition. Snyder, Gary. Sustainable forestry practices: Mangan, Richard J.; Brown, Hutch. The 61(4): 34–38. Science can suggest them but the culture South Canyon Fire revisited: Lessons in Finn, Moira. British Columbia Forest must choose the path. 61(2): 33–36. fire behavior. 61(1): 14–20. Service adds new software for wildland Stiger, Everett M. “Sonny.” Forecasting fire DellaSala, Dominick A.; Frost, Evan. An firefighting. 61(2): 43–44. season severity. 61(3): 15–16. ecologically based strategy for fire and Ingalsbee, Timothy. Wildland fire use in Williams, Gerald W. Lookouts of yesteryear fuels management in national forest roadless areas: Restoring ecosystems and used blasting signals. 61(1): 41. roadless areas. 61(2): 12–23. rewilding landscapes. 61(2): 29–32. Williams, Gerald W. Fireline humor from Dombeck, Mike. How can we reduce the fire Jenkins, Stephen M. Wildland fire commu 1931. 61(1): 33. danger in the Interior West? 61(1): 5–13. nications: The Mexican connection. Wyant, Timothy G. Dozer safety: Know your Dombeck, Mike. A National Fire Plan for 61(1): 23–27. terrain and wear your seatbelt! 61(3): future land health. 61(2): 4–8. 29–30. ■ Dombeck, Mike. A tribute to America’s wildland firefighters. 61(1): 4. 36 Fire Management Today SUBJECT INDEX—VOLUME 61 Art A National Fire Plan for future land health. Equipment standardization reduces costs Control burn. Gary Snyder. 61(2): 36. Mike Dombeck. 61(2): 4–8. on wildland fires. Richard J. Mangan. First annual photo contest (correction). Websites on fire. Editor. 61(1): 40. 61(3): 11–14. Editor. 61(4): 48–49. Websites on fire. Editor. 61(4): 47. Prescribed fire from horseback. Carlton Britton; Rob Mitchell; Brent Racher; Ernest Fish. 61(3): 21–22. Aviation Costs Equipment standardization reduces costs Are helibuckets scooping more than just Fire Behavior water? Justin Jimenez; Timothy A. on wildland fires. Richard J. Mangan. Burton. 61(1): 34–36. 61(3): 11–14. The 1910 fires: A new book by Stephen J. Before helicopters: Blimps for wildland Fighting fire without fire: Biomass removal Pyne. Hutch Brown. 61(4): 45–47. firefighting? Hutch Brown. 61(4): 50. as a prelude to prescribed fire. Stephen NIFC FIRE RAWS unit survives burnover. Fighting the Pumpkin Fire—Indirect attack M. Jolley. 61(3): 23–25. Kelly Andersson. 61(2): 39–42. and aerial ignition. Allen Farnsworth. Issues in reducing costs on large wildland The South Canyon Fire revisited: Lessons in 61(4): 34–38. fires. Richard J. Mangan. 61(3): 6–10. fire behavior. Bret W. Butler; Roberta A. Reducing fire suppression costs: A national Bartlette; Larry S. Bradshaw; Jack D. priority. Hutch Brown. 61(3): 4–5. Cohen; Patricia L. Andrews; Ted Putnam; Awards Richard J. Mangan; Hutch Brown. 61(1): First annual photo contest (correction). Crews 14–20. Editor. 61(4): 48–49. The South Canyon Fire revisited: Lessons in Indiana man recognized for 42 years of Fire Ecology volunteer service. Teena Ligman. 61(1): fire behavior. Bret W. Butler; Roberta A. 37–38. Bartlette; Larry S. Bradshaw; Jack D. The 1910 fires: A new book by Stephen J. Six National Fire Use Awards presented for Cohen; Patricia L. Andrews; Ted Putnam; Pyne. Hutch Brown. 61(4): 45–47. 1998 and 1999. Dave Bunnell. 61(4): Richard J. Mangan; Hutch Brown. 61(1): Can the fire-dependent whitebark pine be 39–44. 14–20. saved? Robert E. Keane. 61(3): 17–20. An ecologically based strategy for fire and Detection fuels management in national forest California roadless areas. Dominick A. Dellasala and We still need Smokey Bear! Jon E. Keeley. Lookouts of yesteryear used blasting signals. Gerald W. Williams. 61(1): 41. Evan Frost. 61(2): 12–23. 61(1): 21–22. Fighting the Pumpkin Fire—Indirect attack and aerial ignition. Allen Farnsworth. Canada Ecosystem Management 61(4): 34–38. British Columbia Forest Service adds new Can the fire-dependent whitebark pine be Fires 2000: Fact vs. fiction. Stephen W. software for wildland firefighting. Moira saved? Robert E. Keane. 61(3): 17–20. Barrett. 61(4): 26–27. Finn. 61(2): 43–44. Control burn. Gary Snyder. 61(2): 36. How can we reduce the fire danger in the Fireline safety training course available on An ecologically based strategy for fire and Interior West? Mike Dombeck. 61(1): CD-ROM. Martin E. Alexander; Robert W. fuels management in national forest 5–13. Thorburn. 61(2): 45. roadless areas. Dominick A. Dellasala and Restoring fire to wilderness: Sequoia and Evan Frost. 61(2): 12–23. Kings Canyon National Parks. Jeffrey How can we reduce the fire danger in the Colorado Manley; Marybeth Keifer; Nathan Interior West? Mike Dombeck. 61(1): Stephenson; William Kaage. 61(2): 24–28. The South Canyon Fire revisited: Lessons in 5–13. Sustainable forestry practices: Science can fire behavior. Bret W. Butler; Roberta A. Restoring fire to wilderness: Sequoia and suggest them but the culture must Bartlette; Larry S. Bradshaw; Jack D. Kings Canyon National Parks. Jeffrey choose the path. Gary Snyder. 61(2): Cohen; Patricia L. Andrews; Ted Putnam; Manley; Marybeth Keifer; Nathan 33–36. Richard J. Mangan; Hutch Brown. 61(1): Stephenson; William Kaage. 61(2): 24–28. Websites on fire. Editor. 61(2): 28. 14–20. Sustainable forestry practices: Science can Websites on fire. Editor. 61(3): 31. suggest them but the culture must Communication choose the path. Gary Snyder. 61(2): Fire Effects A consistent wildland fire risk terminology 33–36. Trial by bulldozer: Roadbuilding in roadless NIFC FIRE RAWS unit survives burnover. is needed! Andreas Bachmann; Britta Kelly Andersson. 61(2): 39–42. Allgöwer. 61(4): 28–33. areas. Bud Moore. 61(2): 37–38. Reader comments on wildland fire termi Wildland fire use in roadless areas: Restor nology. Editor. 61(1): 39. ing ecosystems and rewilding landscapes. Fire Organization Websites on fire. Editor. 61(1): 40. Timothy Ingalsbee. 61(2): 29–32. A consistent wildland fire risk terminology Websites on fire. Editor. 61(2): 28. is needed! Andreas Bachmann; Britta Websites on fire. Editor. 61(3): 31. Education Allgöwer. 61(4): 28–33. Websites on fire. Editor. 61(3): 31. Issues in reducing costs on large wildland Cooperation fires. Richard J. Mangan. 61(3): 6–10. Reader comments on wildland fire termi Indiana man recognized for 42 years of Equipment and Engineering nology. Editor. 61(1): 39. volunteer service. Teena Ligman. 61(1): Are helibuckets scooping more than just 37–38. water? Justin Jimenez; Timothy A. Burton. 61(1): 34–36. Volume 62 • No. 1 • Winter 2002 37 Fire Research Idaho How can we reduce the fire danger in the Websites on fire. Editor. 61(2): 28. Trial by bulldozer: Roadbuilding in roadless Interior West? Mike Dombeck. 61(1): areas. Bud Moore. 61(2): 37–38. 5–13. Workforce Diversity Program: A progress Issues in reducing costs on large wildland Fire Seasons fires. Richard J. Mangan. 61(3): 6–10. Fires 2000: Fact vs. fiction. Stephen W. report from the Payette National Forest. Francisco Romero. 61(3): 26–28. Managing the impact of wildfires on Barrett. 61(4): 26–27. communities and the environment: A Forecasting fire season severity. Everett M. report to the President in response to the “Sonny” Stiger. 61(3): 15–16. Incident Management wildfires of 2000. Executive Summary. Managing the impact of wildfires on The 1910 fires: A new book by Stephen J. Editor. 61(2): 9–11. communities and the environment: A Pyne. Hutch Brown. 61(4): 45–47. Protecting people and sustaining resources report to the President in response to the Before helicopters: Blimps for wildland in fire-adapted ecosystems: A cohesive wildfires of 2000. Executive Summary. firefighting? Hutch Brown. 61(4): 50. strategy. Executive summary. Editor. Editor. 61(2): 9–11. Fighting the Pumpkin Fire—Indirect attack 61(4): 16–17. and aerial ignition. Allen Farnsworth. Reducing fire suppression costs: A national Fuels Management 61(4): 34–38. priority. Hutch Brown. 61(3): 4–5. An ecologically based strategy for fire and Issues in reducing costs on large wildland Simulating nocturnal smoke movement. fuels management in national forest fires. Richard J. Mangan. 61(3): 6–10. Gary L. Achtemeier. 61(1): 28–33. roadless areas. Dominick A. Dellasala and Reducing fire suppression costs: A national Evan Frost. 61(2): 12–23. priority. Hutch Brown. 61(3): 4–5. Policy The South Canyon Fire revisited: Lessons in Fighting fire without fire: Biomass removal The 1910 fires: A new book by Stephen J. as a prelude to prescribed fire. Stephen fire behavior. Bret W. Butler; Roberta A. Bartlette; Larry S. Bradshaw; Jack D. Pyne. Hutch Brown. 61(4): 45–47. M. Jolley. 61(3): 23–25. An agency strategy for fire management. How can we reduce the fire danger in the Cohen; Patricia L. Andrews; Ted Putnam; Richard J. Mangan; Hutch Brown. 61(1): Executive summary. Editor. 61(4): 14–15. Interior West? Mike Dombeck. 61(1): An ecologically based strategy for fire and 5–13. 14–20. Websites on fire. Editor. 61(4): 47. fuels management in national forest A National Fire Plan for future land health. roadless areas. Dominick A. Dellasala and Mike Dombeck. 61(2): 4–8. Evan Frost. 61(2): 12–23. Prescribed fire from horseback. Carlton Indiana Managing the impact of wildfires on Britton; Rob Mitchell; Brent Racher; Indiana man recognized for 42 years of communities and the environment: A Ernest Fish. 61(3): 21–22. volunteer service. Teena Ligman. 61(1): report to the President in response to the Six National Fire Use Awards presented for 37–38. wildfires of 2000. Executive Summary. 1998 and 1999. Dave Bunnell. 61(4): Editor. 61(2): 9–11. 39–44. Information Systems A National Fire Plan for future land health. British Columbia Forest Service adds new Mike Dombeck. 61(2): 4–8. History software for wildland firefighting. Moira Policy initiatives in wildland fire manage The 1910 fires: A new book by Stephen J. Finn. 61(2): 43–44. ment. Hutch Brown. 61(4): 4–6. Pyne. Hutch Brown. 61(4): 45–47. Simulating nocturnal smoke movement. Protecting people and sustaining resources Before helicopters: Blimps for wildland Gary L. Achtemeier. 61(1): 28–33. in fire-adapted ecosystems: A cohesive firefighting? Hutch Brown. 61(4): 50. strategy. Executive summary. Editor. Equipment standardization reduces costs Louisiana 61(4): 16–17. Reducing fire danger: Is current policy on on wildland fires. Richard J. Mangan. Tractor plow safety: Know your terrain and 61(3): 11–14. course? Hutch Brown. 61(4): 18–25. wear your seatbelt! Timothy G. Wyant. Review and update of the 1995 Federal Fireline humor from 1931. Gerald W. 61(3): 29–30. Williams. 61(1): 33. Wildland Fire Management Policy. Fires 2000: Fact vs. fiction. Stephen W. Executive summary. Editor. 61(4): 7–10. Barrett. 61(4): 26–27. Mexico Sustainable forestry practices: Science can How can we reduce the fire danger in the Wildland fire communications: The Mexican suggest them but the culture must Interior West? Mike Dombeck. 61(1): connection. Stephen M. Jenkins. 61(1): choose the path. Gary Snyder. 61(2): 5–13. 23–27. 33–36. Indiana man recognized for 42 years of Tabular crosswalk between the 1995 and volunteer service. Teena Ligman. 61(1): Personnel 2001 Federal Fire Policies. Editor. 61(4): 37–38. The 1910 fires: A new book by Stephen J. 11–13. Lookouts of yesteryear used blasting Pyne. Hutch Brown. 61(4): 45–47. Trial by bulldozer: Roadbuilding in roadless signals. Gerald W. Williams. 61(1): 41. An agency strategy for fire management. areas. Bud Moore. 61(2): 37–38. Reducing fire danger: Is current policy on Executive summary. Editor. 61(4): 14–15. Wildland fire use in roadless areas: Restor course? Hutch Brown. 61(4): 18–25. Issues in reducing costs on large wildland ing ecosystems and rewilding landscapes. The South Canyon Fire revisited: Lessons in fires. Richard J. Mangan. 61(3): 6–10. Timothy Ingalsbee. 61(2): 29–32. fire behavior. Bret W. Butler; Roberta A. Workforce Diversity Program: A progress Bartlette; Larry S. Bradshaw; Jack D. report from the Payette National Forest. Prescribed Fire Cohen; Patricia L. Andrews; Ted Putnam; Francisco Romero. 61(3): 26–28. Can the fire-dependent whitebark pine be Richard J. Mangan; Hutch Brown. 61(1): saved? Robert E. Keane. 61(3): 17–20. 14–20. Planning A consistent wildland fire risk terminology A tribute to America’s wildland firefighters. is needed! Andreas Bachmann; Britta Mike Dombeck. 61(1): 4. Forecasting fire season severity. Everett M. “Sonny” Stiger. 61(3): 15–16. Allgöwer. 61(4): 28–33. Control burn. Gary Snyder. 61(2): 36. 38 Fire Management Today Fighting fire without fire: Biomass removal Safety Training as a prelude to prescribed fire. Stephen Fireline safety training course available on Fireline safety training course available on M. Jolley. 61(3): 23–25. CD-ROM. Martin E. Alexander; Robert W. CD-ROM. Martin E. Alexander; Robert W. Prescribed fire from horseback. Carlton Thorburn. 61(2): 45. Thorburn. 61(2): 45. Britton; Rob Mitchell; Brent Racher; Tractor plow safety: Know your terrain and Websites on fire. Editor. 61(1): 40. Ernest Fish. 61(3): 21–22. wear your seatbelt! Timothy G. Wyant. Wildland fire communications: The Mexican Restoring fire to wilderness: Sequoia and 61(3): 29–30. connection. Stephen M. Jenkins. 61(1): Kings Canyon National Parks. Jeffrey 23–27. Manley; Marybeth Keifer; Nathan Workforce Diversity Program: A progress Stephenson; William Kaage. 61(2): 24–28. Smoke and Air Quality Simulating nocturnal smoke movement. report from the Payette National Forest. Six National Fire Use Awards presented for Francisco Romero. 61(3): 26–28. 1998 and 1999. Dave Bunnell. 61(4): Gary L. Achtemeier. 61(1): 28–33. 39–44. Sustainable forestry practices: Science can Standards United States—Northern suggest them but the culture must Equipment standardization reduces costs Rockies choose the path. Gary Snyder. 61(2): on wildland fires. Richard J. Mangan. Fires 2000: Fact vs. fiction. Stephen W. 33–36. 61(3): 11–14. Barrett. 61(4): 26–27. Websites on fire. Editor. 61(1): 40. Prevention United States—Northwest We still need Smokey Bear! Jon E. Keeley. Suppression Websites on fire. Editor. 61(4): 47. 61(1): 21–22. Fighting the Pumpkin Fire—Indirect attack and aerial ignition. Allen Farnsworth. United States—South Publications 61(4): 34–38. Simulating nocturnal smoke movement. The 1910 fires: A new book by Stephen J. A National Fire Plan for future land health. Gary L. Achtemeier. 61(1): 28–33. Pyne. Hutch Brown. 61(4): 45–47. Mike Dombeck. 61(2): 4–8. An agency strategy for fire management. The South Canyon Fire revisited: Lessons in Wildland–Urban Interface Executive summary. Editor. 61(4): 14–15. fire behavior. Bret W. Butler; Roberta A. A National Fire Plan for future land health. Managing the impact of wildfires on Bartlette; Larry S. Bradshaw; Jack D. Mike Dombeck. 61(2): 4–8. communities and the environment: A Cohen; Patricia L. Andrews; Ted Putnam; We still need Smokey Bear! Jon E. Keeley. report to the President in response to the Richard J. Mangan; Hutch Brown. 61(1): 61(1): 21–22. wildfires of 2000. Executive Summary. 14–20. A tribute to America’s wildland firefighters. Editor. 61(2): 9–11. Wildland Fire Use Policy initiatives in wildland fire manage Mike Dombeck. 61(1): 4. ment. Hutch Brown. 61(4): 4–6. Six National Fire Use Awards presented for Protecting people and sustaining resources Telecommunications 1998 and 1999. Dave Bunnell. 61(4): 39–44. in fire-adapted ecosystems: A cohesive NIFC FIRE RAWS unit survives burnover. strategy. Executive summary. Editor. Websites on fire. Editor. 61(3): 31. Kelly Andersson. 61(2): 39–42. Wildland fire use in roadless areas: Restor 61(4): 16–17. Wildland fire communications: The Mexican Review and update of the 1995 Federal ing ecosystems and rewilding landscapes. connection. Stephen M. Jenkins. 61(1): Timothy Ingalsbee. 61(2): 29–32. ■ Wildland Fire Management Policy. 23–27. Executive summary. Editor. 61(4): 7–10. Tabular crosswalk between the 1995 and 2001 Federal Fire Policies. Editor. 61(4): 11–13. Volume 62 • No. 1 • Winter 2002 39 COST-EFFECTIVE ENGINE PLAYS VITAL ROLE Louie Casaus ew Mexico State officials declared the 2000 fire season to Had the district purchased a similar new vehicle, Nbe the most destructive in it would have set us back $100,000. recorded history—2,500 fires consumed 520,000 acres (210,000 ha). Compounded by extreme (2,839-L) poly tank. The Las Vegas mechanical, sanding, and paint drought conditions, the severe fire District installed an 18-horsepower preparations; welding; equipment activity destroyed several hundred engine and pump, along with a installation; and plumbing. Ready homes and quickly stressed fire Robwen Flowmix 500,* which for action, Engine 44 proved vital to fighting resources. New Mexico delivers a foam concentrate to the district firefighting during the 2000 issued a call for fire suppression water stream. fire season. equipment and personnel, answered by many organizations around the Donated Time Acknowledgments State and throughout the Nation. The grill guard was custom fabri The author wishes to thank Thomas cated by Dominic Montoya- Bachicha, USDA Forest Service, Cost Savings Gonzales, a local fire department Southwest Region, Albuquerque, One piece of firefighting equipment member. Often donating their time NM, for his valuable assistance; and that the Las Vegas District of New and talent, district firefighters all those who showed dedication Mexico’s Energy, Minerals and completed most of the remaining and perseverance in acquiring and Natural Resources Department did readying this exceptional piece of * The use of trade, firm, or corporation names in this firefighting equipment. ■ not have to request was a type 4 publication is for the information and convenience of the reader. Such use does not constitute an official engine, well suited for wildland endorsement of any product or service by the U.S. firefighting. A type 4 engine has a Department of Agriculture. Individual authors are responsible for the technical accuracy of the material tank capacity of at least 750 gallons presented in Fire Management Today. (2,839 L) and can deliver at least 50 gallons (189 L) of water per minute. In 1997, Canon Air Force Base sold a 1992 International 4-by-4 truck to the Las Vegas District. Had the district purchased a similar new vehicle, it would have set us back $100,000! Fortunately, through the dedication and hard work of district firefighters, the cab and chassis were put into service for less than $12,000. The Santa Fe County Fire Depart ment donated the first steel tank— recently upgraded to a 750-gallon Louie Casaus is a district forester for the Forestry Division, New Mexico Energy, Type 4 engine that proved its worth during the 2000 fire season. The Las Vegas District of Minerals and Natural Resources Depart New Mexico’s Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department purchased the vehicle ment, and the program coordinator for the from the U.S. Air Force in 1997. Many district firefighters donated their time and skills to Federal Excess Personal Property Program prepare Engine 44 for active service. Photo: Louie Casaus, Forestry Division, New Mexico in Las Vegas, NM. Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, Las Vegas, NM, 2000. 40 Fire Management Today SMOKEY’S NEW WILDLAND FIRE PREVENTION MESSAGE Madelyn Dillon mokey Bear—the national symbol for wildland fire preven Smokey has refined his message Stion—was created in 1944 by to remind folks that he remains the spokesperson the Forest Service and War Adver for wildland fire prevention. tising Council to promote the prevention of human-caused wildland fires. However, many adults could easily recite Smokey’s and radio spots aired the first public people who grew up listening to slogans, younger people were service announcements in May Smokey’s fire prevention advice unaware of the important role that 2001. have been wondering what he’s Smokey has played in land, water, been up to lately and why they and other natural resource use on For more information about the haven’t heard his familiar slogan, public lands. new Smokey Bear campaign, “Only you can prevent forest fires.” contact Jeannette Hartog, coopera Campaign Kickoff tive fire prevention coordinator, Low Fire Awareness In April 2001, the National Associa USDA Forest Service, Intermoun Smokey Bear is still roaming the tion of Broadcasters in Las Vegas, tain Region, 801-625-5245 (voice), ■ Nation’s wildlands, with a new, NV, officially kicked off the new [email protected] (e-mail). contemporary message, “Wildfires Smokey Bear campaign. Television are caused by people you’d least expect—people like you.” Smokey has refined his original message to remind folks that he remains the spokesperson for the prevention of potentially dangerous, destructive fires ignited by careless wildland visitors. The new message is in tended to reawaken Smokey’s image in the minds of today’s recreation ists on public lands, neighbors living in or near the wildland–urban interface, and even those who only occasionally visit public wildlands. Research conducted in March 2001 determined that wildland fire awareness was low and that adults believed that they could never cause a wildland fire, even though these same people admitted to occasional careless cigarette disposal and campfire use. Researchers also discovered that, whereas older Evolving fire prevention art. In 1943, on the eve of Smokey Bear’s birth, Bambi and friends warned against careless fire use (top left). During Smokey’s heyday in the 1960s, the Bambi theme often subtly reappeared (top right). By 2001, fire prevention messages Madelyn Dillon is the editor of Fire frequently took a less whimsical, more documentary turn (bottom). Illustrations: USDA Management Today, Fort Collins, CO. Forest Service, 1943 and 1964; The Advertising Council, New York, NY, 2001. Volume 62 • No. 1 • Winter 2002 41 GUIDELINES FOR CONTRIBUTORS Editorial Policy Paper Copy. Type or word-process the manu label all photos and illustrations (figure 1, 2, 3, Fire Management Today (FMT) is an interna script on white paper (double-spaced) on one etc.; photograph A, B, C, etc.). At the end of the tional quarterly magazine for the wildland fire side. Include the complete name(s), title(s), manuscript, include clear, thorough figure and community. FMT welcomes unsolicited affiliation(s), and address(es) of the author(s), as photo captions labeled in the same way as the manuscripts from readers on any subject related well as telephone and fax numbers and e-mail corresponding material (figure 1, 2, 3; photo to fire management. Because space is a information. If the same or a similar manuscript graph A, B, C; etc.). Captions should make photos consideration, long manuscripts might be is being submitted elsewhere, include that and illustrations understandable without reading abridged by the editor, subject to approval by the information also. Authors who are affiliated the text. For photos, indicate the name and author; FMT does print short pieces of interest to should submit a camera-ready logo for their affiliation of the photographer and the year the readers. agency, institution, or organization. photo was taken. Submission Guidelines Style. Authors are responsible for using wildland Electronic Files. Please label all disks carefully Submit manuscripts to either the general fire terminology that conforms to the latest with name(s) of file(s) and system(s) used. If the manager or the managing editor at: standards set by the National Wildfire Coordinat manuscript is word-processed, please submit a 3 ing Group under the National Interagency 1/2 inch, IBM-compatible disk together with the USDA Forest Service Incident Management System. FMT uses the paper copy (see above) as an electronic file in one Attn: April J. Baily, F&AM Staff spelling, capitalization, hyphenation, and other of these formats: WordPerfect 5.1 for DOS; Mail Stop 1107 styles recommended in the United States WordPerfect 7.0 or earlier for Windows 95; 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Government Printing Office Style Manual, as Microsoft Word 6.0 or earlier for Windows 95; Washington, DC 20250-1107 required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Rich Text format; or ASCII. Digital photos may be tel. 202-205-0891, fax 202-205-1272 Authors should use the U.S. system of weight and submitted but must be at least 300 dpi and Internet e-mail: [email protected] measure, with equivalent values in the metric accompanied by a high-resolution (preferably system. Try to keep titles concise and descriptive; laser) printout for editorial review and quality USDA Forest Service subheadings and bulleted material are useful and control during the printing process. Do not Attn: Hutch Brown, 2CEN Yates help readability. As a general rule of clear writing, embed illustrations (such as maps, charts, and Mail Stop 1111 use the active voice (e.g., write, “Fire managers graphs) in the electronic file for the manuscript. 1400 Independence Avenue, SW know…” and not, “It is known…”). Provide Instead, submit each illustration at 1,200 dpi in a Washington, DC 20250-1111 spellouts for all abbreviations. Consult recent separate file using a standard interchange format tel. 202-205-1028, fax 202-205-0885 issues (on the World Wide Web at CONTRIBUTORS WANTED We need your fire-related articles and photographs for Fire Management Today! Feature articles should be up to about 2,000 words in length. We also need short items of up to 200 words. Subjects of articles pub lished in Fire Management Today include: Aviation Firefighting experiences Communication Incident management Cooperation Information management (including systems) Ecosystem management Personnel Equipment/Technology Planning (including budgeting) Fire behavior Preparedness Fire ecology Prevention/Education Fire effects Safety Fire history Suppression Fire science Training Fire use (including prescribed fire) Weather Fuels management Wildland–urban interface To help prepare your submission, see “Guidelines for Contributors” in this issue. 42 Fire Management Today ANNUAL PHOTO CONTEST Fire Management Today invites you Rules your photo(s) to the USDA Forest to submit your best fire-related • The contest is open to everyone. Service (see sample statement photos to be judged in our annual You may submit an unlimited below). Include your full name, competition. Judging begins after number of entries from any place agency or institutional affiliation the first Friday in March of each or time; but for each photo, you (if any), address, and telephone year. must indicate only one competi number. tion category. To ensure fair • Photos are eliminated from Awards competition, the judge reserves competition if they lack detailed All contestants will receive a CD– the right to change the competi captions; have date stamps; show ROM with all photos not eliminated tion category for your photo. unsafe firefighting practices from competition. Winning photos • Each photo must be an original (unless that is their express will appear in a future issue of Fire color slide. We are not respon purpose); or are of low technical Management Today. In addition, sible for photos lost or damaged, quality (for example, have soft winners in each category will and photos submitted will not be focus or show camera move receive: returned (so make a duplicate ment). (Duplicates—including before submission). Digital most overlays and other compos • 1st place—Camera equipment photos will not be accepted ites—have soft focus and will be worth $300 and a 16- by 20-inch because of difficulty reproducing eliminated.) framed copy of your photo. them in print. • Photos are judged by a photogra • 2nd place—An 11- by 14-inch • You must own the rights to the phy professional whose decision is framed copy of your photo. photo, and the photo must not final. • 3rd place—An 8- by 10-inch have been published prior to framed copy of your photo. submission. Postmark Deadline • For every photo you submit, you First Friday in March Categories must give a detailed caption • Wildland fire (including, for example, name, Send submissions to: • Prescribed fire location, and date of the fire; USDA Forest Service • Wildland–urban interface fire names of any people and/or their Attn: Hutch Brown, 2CEN Yates • Aerial resources job descriptions; and descriptions Mail Stop 1111 • Ground resources of any vegetation and/or wildlife). 1400 Independence Avenue, SW • Miscellaneous (fire effects; fire • You must complete and sign a Washington, DC 20250-1111 weather; fire-dependent commu statement granting rights to use nities or species; etc.) Sample Photo Release Statement (You may copy and use this statement. It must be signed.) Enclosed is/are ______(number) slide(s) for publication by the USDA Forest Service. For each slide submitted, the contest category is indicated and a detailed caption is enclosed. I have the authority to give permission to the Forest Service to publish the enclosed photograph(s) and am aware that, if used, it or they will be in the public domain and appear on the World Wide Web. Signature Date Volume 62 • No. 1 • Winter 2002 43 5614 subscription(s) to Fire Management Today for $ 13.00 each per year ($ 16.25 foreign). 4/95