sign in sign up
<<
Home , Fire department, Helitack, Nomex

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Inside Management News from 2008 Inside Fire Management News from 2008

December 2008 Cover photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wildland fire Blue Goose Crew conducts an initial attack on the Deacon Fire on the Klamath National Forest in in June. Introduction For ’s Sake

This collection of articles showcases The Evans Road Fire, ignited by examples of U.S. Fish and Wildlife lightning on June 1 near Pocosin Service fire management activities Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in during the past year. Additional North Carolina, grew quickly onto and current stories are featured on the refuge eventually burning more www.fws.gov/fire. than 41,500 acres. The fire was fully contained after several months.

Despite the hot and dry weather conditions lingering over the Evans Road Fire, made good progress controlling the incident. Pumps, sprinklers, and miles of hose were used to flood areas which continued to smolder deep into the soil throughout the incident.

Typical of swampy areas, peat soils consisting of organic matter burned and held intense heat. Soaking the peat with water was the only way to fully extinguish the underground Smoke blows along Evans Road, namesake for the fire. About 21.6 million gallons of largest refuge fire of the year, which burned for nearly water were pumped into the fire six months. area during one 24-hour period.

Large amounts of standing water was used to help cool the peat burning deep underground on the Evans Road Fire. This is the only way to effectively suppress burning in peat soils typical of swampy areas..

Inside Fire Management — News from 2008 Page 1 A major concern was standing The fire grew to 4,884 acres before hazard trees with root systems being contained. Control lines burned and weakened by the around the fire were fully secured fire. Such unstable trees can fall in early September and the fire was unexpectedly near people or onto a declared out on October 7. hot area causing the fire to flare-up. After burning for 121 days, the The refuge is managed largely South One Fire became the longest to restore, enhance and protect duration fire on record to ever burn wetland habitats for waterfowl and in the state of Virginia. The cost other animal and plant species. to suppress the fire is still being calculated and is expected to exceed $11 million.

Longest Burning Fire in VA “Being able to so smoothly work across state and regional lines with Nearly four months after it started the National Wildlife Refuges in on June 9, the South One Fire on North Carolina to share personnel Great Dismal Swamp National and resources was critical for us,” Wildlife Refuge was declared fully said Tim Craig, Fire Management extinguished. The fire was started Officer for the refuge. Hundreds by equipment being used of firefighters from federal, state to harvest Atlantic White Cedar. and local agencies worked together

A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service engine and firefighters monitor the smoke column to the north from the South One Fire burning on the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.

Page 2 Inside Fire Management — News from 2008 to put the fire out. Over 240 drown any remaining heat. people were assigned to work the The Great Dismal Swamp incident at one point in early July. National Wildlife Refuge, located Fighting the fire involved operating in southeastern Virginia and equipment such as fire engines, bull northeastern North Carolina, dozers, water pumps and mowers. has a burned area recovery plan in place and will replant the rare The fire burned through slash Atlantic White Cedar stands that on the ground created during were affected. logging operations to salvage cedar trees blown down during a The refuge provides unique 2003 hurricane. The flames crept forested wetlands for migratory deep into the peat soils where fire waterfowl including ducks, geese, continued to smolder and spread, and tundra swans. Many mammals eventually spreading back up also live on the refuge such as to vegetation on the surface. white-tailed deer.

The depth of the fire created lots of work for firefighters. Crews spent weeks flooding hot areas with an Hurricane Response extensive water delivery system including multiple pumps and hoses Six days after Hurricane Ike to thoroughly soak hot spots to made landfall on Galveston prevent the fire from growing. Island, Texas, several U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employees Smoke lingered over the fire and serving on the Southern Area into surrounding communities Type 2 Incident Management for many weeks as the vegetation Team were called to assist the continued to smolder. In late Federal Management September, a coastal storm moved Agency (FEMA) as part of an over the area dropping four to five Infrastructure Assessment Task inches of rain on the fire, helping to Force, to assess the impact of the

Galveston officials listen to Incident Commander Tony Wilder explain the rapid assessment his team conducted.

Inside Fire Management — News from 2008 Page 3 hurricane on residents of the city lost his home to Hurricane Katrina of Galveston. in 2005. “What this assessment doesn’t show” he said, “is the The assignment to support FEMA human element.” Many Service was different from those the team employees and facilities were usually undertakes managing large affected by hurricanes in 2009. fires, such as in Virginia and North Carolina earlier in the year. Team The team also worked with Incident Commander Tony Wilder, local elected officials and media Fire Management Officer at outlets to keep citizens of the area Mississippi Sandhill Crane National informed. In addition to Wilder, Wildlife Refuge, and team members six other Service employees tackled a range of atypical from the Southwest, Southeast, problems as they arrived to the Northeast and Mountain-Prairie hurricane-devastated area. Regions worked on the team. Their Communication and planning assignment lasted for 13 days. were critical elements as the team established their Incident Command Post with no services or conveniences at their disposal. It Takes a Village

The team worked with utility The village of Evansville, located in professionals to conduct the the foothills of the Brooks Range infrasture assessment including within the Kanuti National Wildlife security, water, energy, accessibility Refuge in north central Alaska, and telecommunications for successfully completed a two-year Galveston. They acquired project to reduce the unnatural information by any means possible accumulation of vegetation about the condition of these surrounding the community. If services and produced a 72-hour left in place, the vegetation would report to outline their findings. have provided a direct path for fire Wilder personally identified with to travel from natural areas into the residents of the area because he the community.

Dense vegetation surrounds private property in the village of Evansville prior to application of Firewise principles to reduce the threat of fire moving from the natural area around the home to the home itself.

Page 4 Inside Fire Management — News from 2008 The same property shows vegetation thinned with Firewise techniques to increase the odds of the home surviving during a event.

As part of the project, firefighters A large, shaded fuel break from the refuge thinned dense designed to slow a moving fire stands of black spruce in and was also created at the north end around the village. The removal of of the village, where stands of the trees will help prevent fire from black spruce previously continued spreading into the community by unabated directly to the north onto creating a break in the flammable the refuge lands. Much of black vegetation and by making the area spruce was removed from this area more accessible to fire engines. due to its propensity to carry fire. The slash which resulted from the Healthy birch trees, which are more thinning effort was put into piles fire-resistant, were left standing. and burned with the help of the local volunteer , as Firefighters also cleared an weather conditions allowed. overgrown fire break, created years ago east of the village, providing In addition to the broad scale an additional barrier to stop an thinning, Firewise assessments advancing fire. were completed throughout the village. Firewise is a program In all, nearly 60 acres were treated sponsored by multiple federal, as part of this effort to reduce state, local, and tribal hazardous conditions. The project, agencies that provides guidelines funded by the U.S. Fish and to make a home more survivable Wildlife Service, was completed in the event of a fire. All public in June. buildings and 90 percent of all residences had the recommended A side benefit of the project was Firewise thinning work completed the development of open dialog as a result. between the village and the Service,

Inside Fire Management — News from 2008 Page 5 which will continue to support natural way to eliminate unnatural the mutually beneficial goal of accumulations of vegetation. protecting communities near follow-up after the natural areas. goats using and chippers to cut and eliminate the high branches growing outside the reach of the animals. Taking a Bite Out of Risk The use of goats also reduces With a diet of shrubs, branches, and concerns with smoke along grass, goats have become a creative California’s busy highways at the Sacramento River and associated with the alternate tool Stone Lakes National Wildlife of prescribed burning. Refuge Refuges to reduce overgrown managers have developed a vegetation in wildland urban monitoring program to determine interface areas. In their recent the long-term effectiveness of assignment to the refuges, the using goat grazing versus other goats cleared several hundred acres management techniques. that would have had to have been thinned manually by handcrews. The refuges, located in northern California, first introduced goats Trainers Lend a Hand last year to areas at risk of wildfire. When the record-breaking fire Along with manual thinning and season in California quickly prescribed fire, goat grazing is escalated last June, National Guard part of a combination of methods and firefighters from overseas refuge managers rely on to manage were called in to help. They were hazardous fuels and maintain first trained by the U.S. Fish and habitat. Both refuges provide Wildlife Service, with help from Hundreds of goats nibble to reduce critical winter habitat for migratory the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of accumulations of hazardous birds along the Pacific Flyway. Land Management, and National fuels in areas of the Sacramento This year, the goats will rotate Park Service. River and Stone Lakes National to other parts of the refuges Wildlife Refuges. during the summer to provide a Loren DeRosear, Regional Fire Management Coordiantor in the Southwest, served as lead instructor for the first round of military training. His team including Steve Schumacher from the Midwest Region and firefighters from other agencies conducted classroom training for more than 500 members of the California National Guard. The training was a condensed version of basic wildland firefighting focusing on fire behavior and weather.

With training complete, crews received fire gear, were assigned advisors from federal agencies,

Page 6 Inside Fire Management — News from 2008 and mobilized to incidents. Once on that Floats site, the crews were field-qualified before working on the fireline. Last summer, national wildlife Service Training Specialist Dale refuges in the Columbia River Bitner also played a key role in the Basin in Washington and Oregon logistics for the military training. used a new tool to fight fires. The Mid-Columbia Basin National At the same time, 44 firefighters Wildlife Refuge Complex recently from and New Zealand converted a government jet boat arrived at the National Interagency to a fire boat complete with a high Fire Center to be trained and volume pump, a turret, hundreds oriented on U.S. wildland fire of feet of hose, hand , food and operations, including the use of fire drinking water, as well as other shelters. Fire Outreach Coordinator items necessary to support fire Kelly Cardoza from the Pacific suppression activities. Region served on the training cadre with firefighters from the Bureau The boat can be used for a variety of Land Management and the of tasks. The water pump and National Park Service. large turret allow crews to spray water directly from a river or lake The Australian and New Zealand to knock down flames burning contingent worked in the United within 100 feet of the water’s States for about a month before edge. The boat can also be used returning home in mid-August. as a platform to pump water to a line of hose going from the river The California National Guard to a fire some distance away. bolstered firefighting efforts Firefighters can also transport throughout September. Service personnel and equipment with the firefighters continued to help train boat or use it to scout and monitor military resources all summer. the fire.

A from the Mid-Columbia National Wildlife Refuge Complex uses the pump and nozzle on the fire boat to douse flames.

Inside Fire Management — News from 2008 Page 7 The fire boat was used extensively which encompasses refuges in on two of the five large fires the Washington, Oregon, Idaho, refuge complex had this season. Hawaii, and Guam. Cooperators During both the 262 and 730 from other federal, state, county Fires, which ignited in late July, and local fire agencies have firefighters tested the effectiveness requested the fire boat to support and efficiency of the fire boat. fire suppression efforts on their The boat was primarily used to incidents. knock down flames during both incidents. It proved to be a very useful tool helping firefighters gain the upper hand on both blazes by Training Future Leaders allowing crews to get water into hard to reach, thick vegetation Firefighters from the U.S. Fish and that typically grows along the edge Wildlife Service have been actively of water. working along side firefighters from other federal, state, and local The Mid-Columbia Basin National fire agencies as members of the Mid Wildlife Refuge Complex is home to Plains interagency wildland fire extensive waterfowl and migratory crew. The 20-person crew comprises bird populations. The boat firefighters from the Service, U.S. allows refuge managers a unique Forest Service, Bureau of Indian opportunity to access and protect Affairs, National Park Service, critical habitat. and Kansas Forest Service, as well as the municipal fire departments This is the first boat to be from the greater Denver area. constructed and deployed as a tactical fire suppression Each time the crew gets called resource in the Pacific Region, to a fire, firefighters from these

The Mid Plains interagency hand crew fights fire with fire on the northwest side of the Basin Complex Fire in California. The crew helped to keep the fire from reaching a narrow canyon where many homes are located.

Page 8 Inside Fire Management — News from 2008 agencies unite to form a firefighting The Mid Plains crew completed hand crew. two assignments this year to fight fire in California each lasting for “Typically at least 50 percent of two weeks and one assignment to the crew is made up of U.S. Fish Wyoming. and Wildlife Service firefighters,” said Bill Waln, Fire Management Officer at Quivira National Wildlife Refuge. “Our agency sees the crew Recycling Old Cottonwood as a perfect opportunity to help develop the future leaders of our In January, fire managers at Camas fire program.” National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Idaho completed a project to Part of the intent of the Mid Plains reduce hazardous fuels adjacent to crew is to provide firefighters private residences and the refuge from the various fire agencies an headquarters buildings. The project opportunity to gain critical on-the- involved the removal of dead ground experience that will benefit cottonwood trees and debris which them throughout their career in would have given fire a direct path fire. In a crew setting such as this, to the nearby structures. Large firefighters also get a chance to wind driven fires are typical for the develop and fine tune leadership area which lies in the upper Snake skills during a fire situation. River plain.

Critical to ensuring a crew’s A thriving population of songbirds safety, which is always the top lives in the cottonwood trees on priority in wildland fire fighting, is the refuge. By eliminating the strong leadership and teamwork. dead vegetation in the cottonwood To strengthen these attributes, grove, refuge managers were a qualified crew boss from one of also able to enhance songbird the agencies takes charge of the habitat and protect it from being group for the duration of their fire lost to fire. assignment, which typically last for 14 days. The project started in the fall of 2007, when the refuge rented Since the crew is made up of an excavator to pile the dead different people from different vegetation. The trees died agencies each time they are sent to primarily from continued drought an incident, fire managers from the and old age. The Snake River area provide a week-long training Interagency assisted opportunity each year prior to fire by bucking the trees. This helped season for all potential firefighters the excavator to build more that may participate on the crew compact piles in order to get the during the season. As part of the fire to burn more completely when week, the firefighters go through the piles were lit. Nearly 30 large formally sanctioned firefighter piles were constructed. training as well as practical and field training. The objective is for The hotshot crew also used the potential crew members to have larger logs to make benches, a sense of cohesion early in the placing them on the nearby trail year that will carry into any fire for visitors to the refuge to use as a assignments. resting spot during walks.

Inside Fire Management — News from 2008 Page 9 Early in 2008, while there was snow winds, with extreme and erratic on the ground, firefighters from flames. More than 65 people and 20 the refuge ignited the piles. Over homes were evacuated in the direct 45 tons of dead vegetation was path of the fire. Service crews were eliminated as a result. joined by 15 other fire departments and the Texas Forest Service.

The Service crews stayed to assist until the fire was contained early the next morning. The fire burned for five days and was controlled May 5. Two unoccupied structures and one barn were lost. There were no injuries.

The Snake River Interagency Hotshot Prescribed Burn Pays Off Crew crafts benches out Lightning was the probable cause of cottonwood of a wildfire that started on May logs on Camas 25 in the Upper Mississippi River National National Wildlife and Fish Refuge Wildlife Refuge. in Savanna, Illinois, burning 66 acres of public land managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and The refuge provides critical habitat nine acres of adjacent private land. for a variety of migratory birds and songbirds. Several state record The fire began on the refuge’s songbird observations have been 9,857-acre Lost Mound Unit, which made in cottonwood stands on the sits adjacent to an area that refuge refuge. Tundra and trumpeter firefighters had recently treated swans also visit the lakes, ponds, with a prescribed burn. The treated and marshlands which make up parcel prevented the wildfire about half of the refuge. from spreading to 4,000 acres of grasslands to the south. However, the wildfire spread north into an area that had not been treated Moving Fast in Texas and onto bordering private land, threatening four empty warehouses On April 30, U.S. Fish and Wildlife and some rail cars stored near Service fire crews from Texas, the railroad tracks. The fire was Arizona, Nevada and Georgia were extinguished by the Hanover Fire first to respond to a 1,900–acre District, and did not on two private ranches in Brooks damage either the warehouses or County, Texas. The crews, in route rail cars. to assist a local fire department on another fire, spotted the new fire Prior to becoming a part of the and quickly changed plans. National Wildlife Refuge System in 2003, the site was operated by the Upon arrival, they found the fire U.S. Department of Defense and being driven by 30-mile-per-hour had been a weapons depot and an

Page 10 Inside Fire Management — News from 2008 artillery proving and testing facility or waterways are not available. On from 1918–1919. Because of the February 24, Service fire personnel potential for unexploded ordnance, got to see just how effective the the refuge is restricted from new equipment will be in helping to disturbing the ground with disking control . or mowing . On that day, a homeowner living In some areas, only grass serves as near the Maga-Tahohpi Waterfowl a buffer between refuge land and Production Area was burning private property. To lessen the risk paper in a burn barrel when a of future wildfires spreading onto spark escaped into the grass on his private land, refuge firefighters private property starting a fire that will continue to conduct prescribed quickly grew and moved onto the burning along boundary areas to federal land. The homeowner called reduce flammable vegetation. the local volunteer fire department for assistance.

“We had burned a 2-mile-long black New Black Liner Stops Fire line in that area last October,” said Mountain-Prairie Region Late last year, the U.S. Fish and Prescribed Fire Specialist Charles Wildlife Service Huron Wetland Frohme, who noted that the grass Management District in South in the area grows 2 to 3 feet tall. Dakota tested and approved the use of a new Black Liner Machine “The idea is pre-suppression. You designed to help fire management get the line in place in advance and staff create more effective then when you do your prescribed fire break lines, or black lines, fire, your holding operations are particularly in Wildland Urban eased up. You do not have to wait Interface (WUI) areas where for the line to be burned and you do natural fire breaks such as roads not have to eat smoke all day.”

Black line created by new machine provides a barrier against future fire.

Inside Fire Management — News from 2008 Page 11 Frohme said the black line that flourish. In recent years, Mesquite was burned in October 2007 clearly trees on the refuge began to stopped the fire in February. “You dominate native vegetation, can see where the fire burned right choking out the open semi-desert up to it,” he said. He noted that the grassland. Fire is an essential tool on-site fire department was able used throughout the U.S. Fish to contain the 2-acre fire within an and Wildlife Service to reduce hour using hand tools, with a fire accumulated brush and other engine used to mop-up area. overgrown vegetation. Unchecked, the accumulation quickly becomes “It’s a good tool to have and hazardous fuel for dangerous we’re going to keep testing it and wildfires that threaten communities tweaking it, and we’re definitely and natural areas. going to be using it again,” he said. In addition to land within the refuge boundaries, adjacent private land was also treated during the Using Fire in Arizona prescribed burn. Firefighters from the National Park Service, the Firefighters safely completed a Bureau of Land Management and 12,000-acre prescribed burn on the the U.S. Forest Service assisted 118,000-acre Buenos Aires National with the project. This is the first Wildlife Refuge in Sasabe, Arizona. burn to be implemented under a The burn was conducted in stages new interagency fire management between June 11 and June 18. plan for the local area.

The refuge uses periodic planned The refuge provides grassland and burns to cost-effectively regenerate wetland habitat for threatened natural areas and help wildlife and endangered plants, animals

A firefighter lays fire on the ground along control lines during prescribed fire activity at Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge.

Page 12 Inside Fire Management — News from 2008 The Blue Goose Crew poses while assigned to the Gould Fire on the Klamath National Forest in California.

and birds including the Masked crew. “This is definitely an effort Bobwhite Quail. It is also home that the Service cannot afford not to wildlife such as mule deer, to fund.” white-tailed deer, pronghorn, javelina and mountain lions. Over the course of the summer, the crew spent time fighting fires in California, Washington, and Oregon for a total of 54 Blue Goose Flies Again days assigned to incidents. This year a permanent assistant Fire season 2008 marked the superintendent position was added second season for the Blue Goose to the ranks of the crew and two wildland firefighting crew based people who worked on the crew in Washington at the Mid-Columbia last year filled in other critical River National Wildlife Refuge supervisory positions. Complex. The 20-person crew, created in 2007 by a partnership “Adding depth to our leadership between the U.S. Fish and allows us to be more flexible in Wildlife Service and the Columbia the types of assignments we Basin Job Corps, gives agency take and ensures we produce a firefighters and Job Corps students quality product for our customers. a chance to gain experience and It also gives us more opportunity enhance skills in the field of to provide one-on-one mentoring wildland fire. to crewmembers.” said Blue Goose Superintendent Jason Riggins. “The Blue Goose Crew provides a unique opportunity for our young Detailers from the Service’s firefighters to gain high quality fire Pacific, Southwest, Midwest and experience in a very professional Mountain-Prairie Regions, along setting,” said Steve Jakala, with the National Park Service, Regional Fire Coordinator for the U.S. Forest Service and Job U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Corps students worked together Midwest Region and a member to build a cohesive yet diverse of the Service’s National Fire crew in terms of experience, Leadership Team that funds the culture, and developmental needs.

Inside Fire Management — News from 2008 Page 13 Although the 2008 fire season was As the fire moved toward the not as active for the crew as the fuel break, firefighters used it prior year, crew supervisors took successfully to help contain the advantage of time not assigned incident and to prevent the fire to fires to provide crewmembers from moving into the heavy brush with additional classroom and field and grass within the refuge training. Specific training was boundary. Without the fuel break given in topics such as studying in place, a much more complex and the elements of high reliability dangerous fire situation would organizations, tactical decision have occurred. games, wildland fire ignition operations, and basic air operations. The interior of the refuge is covered with unexploded ordnance and very thick brush that would have limited the options for fire suppression. Fire Break Slows Spread Also, many homes are adjacent to the refuge and could have been When four separate fires ignited threatened or destroyed if the fire from May 23 and 28, firefighters had not been caught. Instead, only from the Puerto Rican island three primitive structures were of Vieques were able to test the damaged or lost to the fire. effectiveness of their pre-existing fuel break, a line cleared of The fuel break was originally vegetation designed to stop or slow created prior to the establishment fire spread. of the refuge when the area served as a bombing range for the U.S. All four fires started on the Navy. The Service now maintains boundary of the Vieques National the fuel break annually to help keep Wildlife Refuge. The largest of fire from moving either onto or off the fires, the Tres Casas Fire, of refuge managed lands. started in dry grass and grew quickly. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service firefighters, along with the local fire department (known as Signing Up for Adventure “Bomberos”), arrived on the scene and began extinguishing the flames. In the world of biology, the partnership between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Fire AmeriCorps Management Program and volunteers work AmeriCorps’ National Civilian on a fire as part Community Corps would be of a . considered a symbiotic, or mutually beneficial, relationship. In 2006, Steven Hubner, the fire program’s fuels coordinator for the Northeast Region, learned of 15 young adults available as first-time wildland firefighters through AmeriCorps’ program. He took the volunteers on crew assignments on four fires in Nevada and Utah.

Page 14 Inside Fire Management — News from 2008 Hubner, in partnership with AmeriCorps, started by former funding from AmeriCorps and President Bill Clinton in 1993, is instructional support from an 11-month volunteer program Shenandoah National Park, for people between the ages of subsequently provided classroom 19 and 24. It is modeled after the and field training to nearly 100 Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) AmeriCorps firefighters. This programs in the 1930s and 1940s. effort has produced a ready supply Upon completion of the program, of firefighters to fill staff shortages members receive a $5,000 when multiple wildfires are burning stipend for college expenses. in different parts of the country.

The AmeriCorps crews also assist with prescribed burning Lake Named for Firefighter programs on refuge lands in the Northeast, including the fire On June 9, Medicine Lake partnership in Virginia. All but National Wildlife Refuge in eastern three of the 42 qualified firefighters Montana hosted the dedication in 2007 were deployed to some of Swanson Lake in memory of type of fire assignment. The long time U.S. Fish and Wildlife 2008 AmeriCorps crews became Service firefighter Shannon available for assignments in July. Swanson.

In turn, the Service provides Shannon spent several years AmeriCorps volunteers with working on the refuge during valuable experience in responding which time the lake, which would to fires, as well as hurricanes, later be named after him, became tornados, floods and ice storms. one of his favorite spots. An avid Several past volunteers are fisherman and hunter, Shannon considering careers in fire spent many hours along the shores management. of the water.

Beth Madden, Shannon Swanson’s wife, kneels by the rock and plaque which officially name Swanson Lake. Beth is a biologist on the Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge.

Inside Fire Management — News from 2008 Page 15 Shannon began his career as a conducted an overdue prescribed firefighter on the Devil’s Lake burn on the Soberg Waterfowl National Wildlife Refuge in North Production Area this past year Dakota. He helped to develop many they restored not only the wildlife- aspects of the Fire Management rich prairie and wetlands, but also Program for the Service throughout the community’s acceptance of its Mountain-Prairie Region which prescribed burns in the area. encompasses portions of the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, and The Soberg Water Fowl Production the Continental Divide. Area is 65 acres of rolling prairie and wetlands, native grasses and He became the first person to wildlife surrounded by residential hold the prescribed fire specialist subdivisions. Prescribed burns are position on the Medicine Lake necessary to reduce overgrown National Wildlife Refuge, building vegetation that could fuel a wildfire a professional and effective around homes and the natural area. program of burning. He was also instrumental in the creation of the The last prescribed burn on Soberg North Dakota Dispatch Center. was in 2000, after which nearby The center was the first state level residents raised objections about dispatch center sponsored by the the impact of drifting smoke, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in essentially ending prescribed burns the nation. there for several years.

Many former Service colleagues In response, the refuge created and friends joined Shannon’s a new burn plan that divided the family, wife Beth, and the Medicine area into four units requiring four Lake National Wildlife Refuge different wind directions, which staff at the dedication ceremony. complied with the Minnesota They honored his memory and Department of Natural Resources recognized his love of life and smoke management plan. In nature by dedicating a plaque to 2007, Refuge Fire Management officially name Swanson Lake. Officer Lee Nelson began a public education effort to re-establish The presentation of the plaque was support for prescribed burns. made by Brian McManus, Chief, Fire Management Branch for the Nelson first met with the Lakeville Service who supervised Shannon Fire Department chief and invited for 3 years in North Dakota. The his department to observe a plaque is a gift to the refuge from burn in the first unit and use the the national branch located in activity as a training opportunity. Boise, Idaho. The event was so successful that the fire department participated Ducks Unlimited hosted a barbecue again in April when refuge and fire following the ceremony. department firefighters burned 30 acres in Soberg’s Unit 2.

That operation was captured on Winning Over Homeowners videotape by fire department staff and was aired for a month on When the staff of the Minnesota Lakeville’s cable access television, Valley National Wildlife Refuge further educating the community

Page 16 Inside Fire Management — News from 2008 Cattails burn as part of a research study in upstate New York.

about prescribed fire. In addition, study to determine the effects of firefighters distributed information prescribed fire on cattail growth about the burns to area homes and whether burning during the prior to each event to help raise plant’s growing or dormant season community awareness about the makes a difference. planned activities. Firefighters from Iroquois, Nelson said the prescribed burns Sunkhaze Meadows, Moosehorn created an opportunity for the and Long Island National Wildlife two fire staffs to collaborate, Refuges participated in the and also helped increase public study, which was conducted as a understanding of prescribed fire partnership between the Service’s and wildland fire behavior. two regional offices and the U.S. Geological Survey. “The lessons learned were that we need to cooperate with everyone,” Controlling cattails is important to he said. “The prep work doesn’t the health of the marsh ecosystem. start when you lay the black line,” If they are not kept in check, said Nelson. “It starts months cattails spread to create a stand before with the burn plan, the of dense vegetation that does not cooperators and public education.” serve wildlife needs. In addition, prescribed burns expose the marsh mud flats, helping native vegetation seeds germinate and benefiting Setting Cattails Ablaze wetland-dependent wildlife.

In October 2007, U.S. Fish and Five hours after the start of the Wildlife Midwest and Northeast burn, the fire was fully ignited. By Regions conducted a prescribed noon the next day it was officially fire in a 30-acre area of cattails on declared out. Nearly all the cattails Knowlesville Marsh in the Iroquois and other types of vegetation National Wildlife Refuge in upstate were consumed by the fire, but New York. The burn was part of a it appeared that the cattail root

Inside Fire Management — News from 2008 Page 17 systems were only partially burned The burn was lit in a high mountain due to moist conditions. valley to improve wetlands used by geese and ducks. In other parts More samples were collected in of the valley which have recently 2008 and compared to help refuges burned, many more birds, moose, learn the best way to use fire to elk, deer, and antelope have arrived control cattails. to browse the fresh vegetation. Fire typically stimulates plant growth by recycling nutrients back into the soil, providing a natural fertilizer. Fire Teaches Lessons The refuge staff is planning to burn Firefighters at the Red Rock more areas over the next several Lakes National Wildlife Refuge years. Future burns will rely on in Montana contained an escaped natural barriers such as streams prescribed fire on Monday, and also roads as containment lines September 22. The burn was to prevent escapes. initially lit on September 9, but escaped containment lines when The refuge, located in southwest a cold front passed over the area Montana, offers a unique setting three days later, bringing strong surrounded by steep mountains gusty winds with it. reaching 10,500 feet. The remote area provides secluded habitat The fire moved across the lines to a variety of species, including burning primarily in the brome trumpeter swans and white-faced grasses. It burned deep into the ibis, as well as providing pristine soil in a thick layer of dead grasses streams for native fish. that had accumulated over several decades without fire in that area. This situation required extra work for firefighters, as hot Thinking Ahead Works embers and ash burning deep underground needed to be fully When lightning ignited the Kathy’s extinguished to ensure the fire Pond Fire on July 1, firefighters was out. from Mid-Columbia River National Wildlife Refuge, along with other cooperating agencies, got a chance Prescibed burn to test the effectiveness of a fuel spreads outside break that was created in 2004 by of planned clearing vegetation that could fuel a area on remote refuge, causing wildfire. Gusty, erratic winds from no damage, a thunderstorm pushed the fire but teaching toward homes that the fuel break firefighters was designed to protect. Hot, dry better weather made the fire situation containment even more dangerous. techniques. Fortunately for the local residents, firefighters were able to use the fuel break to stop the flames from overtaking their homes, and held the fire at 527 acres. Reducing

Page 18 Inside Fire Management — News from 2008 flammable vegetation in advance directly threatened by the fire, can slow or stop fire from moving jumped in to help neighborhood in a given direction, and reduce the residents and to assist with the fire fire intensity. This safety measure suppression efforts as it flanked exposes firefighters to less heat and toward their homes. fewer flames, and allows for more direct attack. Brian McManus, Chief of the Service’s Fire Management Branch Fire managers on the refuge had had just settled in for the evening identified this as an area of concern with his family when the president due to the amount of flammable of the Homestead Rim homeowners vegetation close to private property association knocked on his door and homes. Starting in 2004, fire alerting him of the fire. McManus crews began a cycle of clearance went to size up the situation, and annual maintenance for the returned home to put on his , area. A dense stand of Russian and then went to the edge of the olive, dead cottonwood, and black subdivision that the fire would locust trees were cut and piled. reach first. Other dead vegetation was also removed and added to the piles. “I explained to my neighbors When weather conditions allowed, what they could do to prepare the piles were burned. The themselves for the fire to reach us,” refuge also plows a disk line along said McManus. “I gave them some the border each year to provide simple, quick items to do so they additional protection to adjacent did not feel so helpless.” homes and property. Service employees Chad and Sarah The entire hazardous fuels Fisher also live in Homestead Rim. reduction project encompassed Sarah, Fire Branch Administrative about eight acres and was cost- Officer, was on her way home from effective at around $9,000. In a fire assignment in northern this case, being proactive likely California when the fire started. prevented damage to homes, Road closures kept her from reduced risk to firefighters and getting to her home until the reduced firefighting costs by situation had calmed down. Chad, providing firefighters a safe Fire Branch Training Specialist, place from which to attack the was at home with their son. spreading flames. “I got a message on my cell phone from Chad saying ‘Can’t talk now. Fighting fire at the house. Beckett Fire in the City is with Michael. We’re good at the house. Gotta go.’ which summed up On August 25 when the human- the situation for me,” said Sarah. caused Oregon Trail Fire blew “But, I really just wanted to get through a densely populated home.” southeast Boise community, area residents found themselves asking Chad, whose career includes neighbors from the wildland fire stints on engines, in , community for direction. U.S. Fish and as a , noted and Wildlife employees, living that the experience will change in Homestead Rim subdivision his perspective the next time he

Inside Fire Management — News from 2008 Page 19 Chief, Fire Management Branch Brian McManus talks about fire management to a community group at the Garden City Library.

is involved in a wildland urban the Columbia Village subdivision interface situation during a fire where 10 homes were eventually assignment. “I will have a lot destroyed and 9 others badly more empathy and compassion for damaged by the 93-acre fire. people whose homes are in the path of a fire,” he said. “Emotions run Later, Cardoza worked with a high and people have to make last local cooperative to minute critical decisions about what deliver a and prevention is most important to them.” skit to an elementary school in the same subdivision. By dressing Chad and Brian’s suppression work up as clowns, and using puppets, and presence on the fireline aided music, and age-appropriate humor, in the eventual containment of the cooperators from surrounding flanking fire which came very close city fire departments and federal to the edge of their subdivision. wildland fire agencies present Residents of Homestead Rim important fire safety messages to watched homes above them smolder children at many area schools . well into the night. “Fire is definitely an emotional “One of our biggest tasks was topic for our neighborhood right to help calm our neighbors in an now,” said Cardoza, who plays the intense, highly emotional situation,” role of fire clown Coco. “I had a few said McManus. students come up to tell me about losing their homes or to describe Another Service employee, Kelly their personal experience with the Cardoza, was asked to evacuate fire. Our being there was timely and her home in another neighborhood seemed to give them an opportunity that was in the path of the fire. to talk about it in a safe situation.” Cardoza, who works in a shared fire outreach position for both for the Chad Fisher participated in a panel Fire Management Branch and the discussion with Boise’s Mayor, Pacific Region Fire Management Boise’s City Fire Department group, lives with her family in Chief and others at the Idaho

Page 20 Inside Fire Management — News from 2008 Wildland Fire Conference in Boise a 30-acre wildfire close to an to study the Oregon Trail Fire. interstate highway. The panel gave a description of what happened during the fire and Fisher recounted his emotions being a father and husband instead The Training Guy of a firefighter that night. The panel proved to be a highlight of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conference. firefighter Chris Wilcox has become a strong force in interagency With Boise’s heightened community wildland fire training. Wilcox serves as the Service’s representative awareness and curiosity about and co-chair of the Wildland Fire how wildland fire burns and Leadership Committee, a national what wildland fire professionals group chartered under the National do, McManus and his staff have Wildfire Coordinating Group to continued to answer requests develop and manage the leadership and conducted community curriculum for the interagency presentations about fire wildland fire community. management. One of these was held The use of experiential learning at the Homestead Rim subdivision tools are an important part of a week after the fire. McManus, the curriculum. To learn from the Cardoza, and other firefighters successes and failures of the past, in particular events which were of from the city of Boise and the national significance to fire policy, Bureau of Land Management spoke and often included firefighter at the meeting, which was planned fatalities, the group sponsors “staff for 45 minutes but extended by rides,” modeled after a military participants to 2 hours. training technique utilized to review past battles. Another public presentation given by McManus and Cardoza was held Wilcox, Fire Management Officer in the nearby suburb of Garden at the Bosque del Apache National City, which recently experienced Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico, has

Chris Wilcox, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fire Management Officer at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, addresses staff ride participants at the site of the Dude Fire fatalities .

Inside Fire Management — News from 2008 Page 21 been involved in the development the reports of the fire and been to of multiple staff rides. He and his the site before, retracing the steps counterparts from other agencies of the crew and studying the details choose well documented incidents gave me a deeper understanding of which allow other firefighters to what actually happened that day.” walk in the foot steps of decision makers and gain an in depth understanding of what led to the ultimate outcome.

During a staff ride, participants conduct a preliminary study of an incident, visit the actual site to For more information on gain a perspective of the situation the U.S. Fish and Wildlife that occurred, and then integrate Service Fire Management the lessons learned into current Program, please see our operations. When possible, fire website at managers who worked on the actual www.fws.gov/fire. incident are present to share the information they had and thinking process at the time that led to specific decisions. Staff rides have been developed and conducted for such well known fires as Mann Gulch (Montana, 1949), South Canyon (Colorado, 1994), and Cerro Grande (New Mexico, 2000). The final integration phase encourages participants to reflect upon those lessons which can be applied to ensure mistakes on these incidents are not made again.

Recently, Wilcox, along with five other Service fire personnel from the Southwest Region, and a U.S. Forest Service firefighter and a firefighter from Sedona Fire Department, led two groups through a staff ride of the Dude Fire (Arizona, 1990), which killed six firefighters. Participants included Bureau of Indian Affairs employees from the Western Region and the U.S. Forest Service Risk Management Council.

“Chris and his group did an excellent job facilitating the staff ride,” said Forest Service Risk Management Specialist Larry Sutton. “Even though I had read

Page 22 Inside Fire Management — News from 2008