Big Thicket National Preserve 9/13/2004 Fire Management Plan Big Thicket National Preserve Fire Management Plan 2004 Prepared~: ;;;&~ --A /C-J , ,/' t;/tr/oy David F. McHugh v' Fire Management Officer Big Thicket National Preserve Fire Eco gist Big Thicket National Preserve Superintendent Big Thicket National Preserve 1 Big Thicket National Preserve 9/13/2004 Fire Management Plan TABLE OF CONTENTS I Introduction / Overview . 6 II Relationship to Land Management Planning and Fire Policy . 7 A. NPS Management Policies . 7 B. Big Thicket National Preserve Authorization . 8 C. General Management Plan . 9 D. Resource Management Plan . 9 E. Desired Future Condition . 9 III Wildland Fire Management Strategies . 10 A. General Management . 10 B. Wildland Fire Management Goals . 10 C. Wildland Fire Management Options . 12 1. Wildland Fire Suppression 2. Prescribed Fire 3. Wildland Fire Use 4. Non-Fire Applications D. Description of Fire Management Units . 14 EACH CONTAINS: a) Natural and Cultural Resources b) Objectives c) Management Constraints d) Fire History e) Fire Management situation 1) Historical Weather Analysis 2) Fire season 3) Fuel Characteristics 4) Fire Regime Alteration 5) Control Problems 6) Other Elements of the fire environment 7) Values-At-Risk; Urban-Interface 1. General Area . 16 2. Big Sandy Creek . 34 3. Hickory Creek . 43 4. Turkey Creek . 50 5. Beech Creek . 60 6. West Hardin Area . 65 7. Neches River Floodplain . 71 8. Stream Corridors . .77 IV Wildland Fire Management Program Components . 82 A. General Implementation Procedures . 82 B. Wildland Fire Suppression . 82 1) Fire Behavior . 82 2 Big Thicket National Preserve 9/13/2004 Fire Management Plan 2) Preparedness Actions . 87 a) Fire Prevention Activities b) Training c) Readiness d) Fire Weather and Fire Danger e) Preparedness and Staffing Plan 3) Pre-Attack Plan . 90 4) Initial Attack . 90 5) Extended Attack . 96 6) Records & Reports . 97 C. Wildland Fire Use . 98 D. Prescribed Fire . 99 1) Planning and Documentation . 99 2) Exceeding existing Prescribed Fire Burn Plan . 105 3) Air Quality and Smoke Management . 105 E. Non-Fire Fuel Treatments Applications . .107 F. Emergency Rehabilitation and Restoration . 110 V Organization and Budget Parameters . 111 VI Monitoring and Evaluation . 115 VII Fire Research . 117 VIII Public Safety . 118 IX Public Information and Education . 119 X Protection of Sensitive Resources . 119 XI Fire Critiques and Annual Plan Review . 120 XII Consultation and Coordination . 121 3 Big Thicket National Preserve 9/13/2004 Fire Management Plan XIII Appendix Appendix A References Cited . 122 Appendix B Definitions . 125 Appendix C Species List . 126 Appendix D NEPA / NHPA Complience . 165 Appendix E Unit Specific Information 1. Preparedness Inventory . 167 2. Prescribed Fire Prescriptions . 171 3. Sample Prescribed Burn Plan . 172 4. Cooperative Agreements . 185 a. Texas Interagency All-Risk . 186 b. Big Thicket National Preserve & Texas Forest Service . 191 c. National Park Service & Texas Forest Service . 204 d. Big Thicket National Preserve & Alabama-Coushatta Tribe . 212 e. Interpark Agreements . 215 Padre Island National Seashore Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park San Antonio Missions National Historical Park Appendix F Fire Monitoring Plan . 224 Appendix G Preattack Plan . 249 Equipment . 249 Fire Call-up List . 250 Run Cards . 251 Fire Size-Up . 258 Pipeline Map and Company Information . 261 Treatment Units and Vegetation Maps . 265 Transition Plan . 278 Delegation of Authority. 284 Appendix H Long-Term Prescribed Fire and Hazardous Fuel Reduction Plan . 286 Appendix I Prevention Plan . 290 Appendix J Equipment Rental Agreements . 312 Appendix K Fire Resource Contracts . 313 Appendix L Burned Area Emergency Stabilization and Rehabilitation Plan . 314 Appendix M Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy Complience . 315 4 Big Thicket National Preserve 9/13/2004 Fire Management Plan LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Big Thicket Fire Management Unit Map . 15 Figure 2. Rainfall Pattern 1998-2003 . 17 Figure 3. Annual Prescribed Burn Acreage 1980-2003 . 32 Figure 4. Wildfire Occurance by month . 33 Figure 5. Big Sandy Fire Management Unit Map . 34 Figure 6. Hickory Creek Fire Management Unit Map . 43 Figure 7. Turkey Creek Fire Management Unit Map . 50 Figure 8. Beech Creek Fire Management Unit Map . 60 Figure 9. West Hardin Fire Management Unit Map . 65 Figure 10. Neches Floodplain Fire Management Unit Map . 71 Figure 11. Stream Corridor Fire Management Unit Map . 77 Figure 12. Appropriate Management Response . 93 Figure 13. Prescribed Fire History 1976 – 2003 . .104 LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Area of Fire Management Units . 16 Table 2. Acreage by vegetation Type . 25 Table 3. Relative Abundance of dominate species by vegetation type . 28 Table 4. Correlation of fire behavior Fuel Models with vegetation types . 83 Table 5. Comparative fire behavior predictions . 84 Table 6(a-g). Boundary Statistics . (at the end of each FMU description) Table 7. Preparedness level schedule . 89 Table 8. Approximate fire response times . 95 Table 9. Records and Reports . 98 Photographs Photo 1. Tyler County – Doucette 1907-08 . 30 Photo 2. Tyler County 1907 . 31 5 Big Thicket National Preserve 9/13/2004 Fire Management Plan I. INTRODUCTION The primary objective of the fire management program is to allow fire to function in its natural ecological role (a goal of the 10 Year Plan), restore ecosystem balance (stand structure and diversity) of phyric communities, and manage hazardous fuels in the Urban Interface (a goal of the Cohesive Strategy) through the use of prescribed fire and mechanical treatments. Wildland fire response is based on ecological, social, and legal consequences. The plan describes a range of appropriated management actions that are consistent with resource management objectives, public health issues, firefighter and public safety, environmental laws and regulations, activities of the area, and is based upon the best available science. It incorporates mitigation, burned-area rehabilitation, hazardous fuel reduction, and restoration activities. It satisfies Directors Order 18’s requirement that all areas with vegetation capable of sustaining fire will develop a Fire Management Plan. The preserve’s first Fire Management Plan was approved in 1982, and quickly developed initial attack capabilities and an active prescribed fire program through collaboration with local interagency partners, principally the Texas Forest Service, US Fish & Wildlife, National Forests of Texas, and Texas Nature Conservancy. Over twenty years of interaction with preserve resource management staff and managers has defined land management goals. The national FIREPRO program in the early 1990’s provided non-ONPS funding, creating staff positions dedicated to fire management actions (not collateral duty assignments). The severe fire season of 2000, and subsequent years, provided the impetus for the Presidential Report on Managing the Impact of Wildfires on Communities and the environment, a National Fire Plan, the 10-Year Comprehensive Strategy (and Implementation Plan), and the Healthy Forest Initiative. This impetus also resulted in a standardized format requirement for fire management plans, and increased collaboration. On December 17, 2002 the preserve conducted Internal NEPA scoping, invited members of local government (Tyler County Commissioners), other land management agencies (Bureau of Indian Affairs, Alabama - Coushatta Tribe, The Nature Conservancy, USDA Southern Research Station, Texas Parks & Wildlife, US Fish & Wildlife) and local conservation groups (Stephen F. Austin University, Big Thicket Association), to develop a list of impact topics. An interdisciplinary group was formed to create fire management alternatives and determine the level of fire effects (see NEPA Compliance section). All persons that attended scoping sessions and local land management agencies will be sent a draft copy of the Fire Management Plan for comment. It will also be posted on the preserve’s web page for public comment. The Texas Forest Service has the primary initial attack responsibility in the Big Thicket area, and increasing collaboration on all fire management activities will be pursued. The plan will implement fire management policies and help achieve resource management and fire management goals as defined in: the Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy and Program Review, Managing Impacts of Wildfires on Communities and the Environment, and Protecting People and Sustaining Resources in Fire Adapted Ecosystems – A Cohesive Strategy (USDOI/USDA), and A Collaborative Approach for Reducing Wildland Fire Risks to Communities and the Environment: 10- Year Comprehensive Strategy Implementation Plan. This Fire Management Plan meets National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements through the use of the Categorical Exclusion for Fire Management Plans published in the Federal Register (Vol 68, NO.108, pages 33814-33824). The standard Environmental Screening form and decision memorandum (per Environmental Statement Memorandum ESM03-2) is in Appendix C. National Historical Preservation Act (NHPA) requirements have been meet through an initial assessment of structures by Dethloff and Treat [1975] and clearance by the Texas State Historical Preservation Office (SHPO). The authority for fire management is broadly stated in the "Organic Act" of the National Park System (Title 16 USC 1), dated August 25, 1916: 6 Big Thicket National Preserve 9/13/2004 Fire Management Plan "...The service thus established shall promote and regulate the use of the Federal areas known as national parks, monuments, and reservations...by such means and measures as conform to the fundamental purpose of the said parks, monuments, and reservations, which purpose is to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations." Authorities for procurement, personnel, and other administrative activities necessary to accomplish wildland fire suppression missions are contained in the.