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USDA FOREST SERVICE REGION 5 SIERRA CASCADES DIALOG REPORT #11 STILL STANDING – WILDLAND FIRE AND RESILIENCY DIALOG HELD DECEMBER 12, 2013 LIONS GATE HOTEL, SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, AND INYO NATIONAL FOREST, BISHOP, CALIFORNIA OVERVIEW On December 12, 2013, the US Forest Service (USFS) held the eleventh program in the series of the Sierra Cascades Dialog: Still Standing – Wildland Fire and Resiliency. The topic was a timely because of the remarkable recent season of wildland fires in the United States, and specifically with the Rim Fire. (The Rim Fire was the third largest fire in California’s history. It began in August 2013 in the Stanislaus National Forest). Through the Dialog stakeholders explored topics to better understand ecological and community needs and impacts of wildland fires, as well as the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI). The stated program goals were: Explore the impacts of wildland fire on ecological and community resiliency, and the economic, social, and cultural effects of large fires (such as the Rim Fire). Better understand fire resiliency in a natural setting. Better understand the issues and complexities of surrounding land management and wildland fires. Allow participants to provide input that will contribute to the Forest Plan Revision efforts. Approximately 120 stakeholders participated in the six-hour Dialog in Sacramento and 25 stakeholders participated in Bishop, California. Participants included USFS staff and stakeholders representative of diverse interest groups, including conservation/ environmental groups, fire safe councils, contractors, county governments, forest products industry, land managers, local elected officials, private landowners, recreation, rural communities, scientists, state government, and water agencies. Approximately 15 people identified themselves as attending for the first time. People attended from other federal agencies outside of the USFS, as well as local water district and utility representatives. At the Bishop location, a number of local area firefighters also attended. Youth (individual under the age of 25 years) continue to be the missing voice from the audience for these programs. This absence may be attributable to the fact that the Dialog is held during the school day. The intent of the Dialog is for stakeholders to engage in conversation on forest land management issues of regional importance for the Sierra Nevada and the Cascades. The goal of the Dialog is to create shared understanding among participants with diverse Report prepared by Center for Collaborative Policy 2 view points and to explore far-reaching issues. The stakeholder input and the resulting outcomes of the day inform future USFS decisions. Dialog #1 helped the Region to refine the Leadership Intent for Ecological Restoration. The second Dialog on Values, Attitudes and Beliefs has informed the Region’s biological assessment for forest planning and led to the science synthesis. Dialog #3 looked at Improving Rural Economies built on work underway in partnership with County elected officials, the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, the Biodiversity Council, and other initiatives around the state. The fourth Dialog on Science Synthesis identified questions that stakeholders would like the science synthesis process to answer. The fifth Dialog vetted a Collaborative Model for each early adopter forest to use during Forest Plan revision. The current Collaborative Guide includes Dialog participants’ suggestions, and the Forests and Region 5 have developed Collaboration & Communication Plans, recommended in the guide, with stakeholders. The sixth Dialog on Adaptive Management in Forest Planning increased understanding about planning as a cyclical process. The seventh Dialog on Recreation: Social and Economic Benefits informs future forest planning by deepening understanding about demographic trends and the implications for Forests. The eighth Dialog on the Science Synthesis increased understanding about the Science Synthesis report, including how scientists addressed questions identified through the Dialog. The ninth Dialog focused on Bioregional Assessment for Forest Planning by looking at conditions and trends for the bioregional assessment, resulting in a report that was the gist of Dialog #10. As the Summary Report for Dialog #11, this document summarizes the activities of the day, provides highlights to the presentation and captures key content of the discussion to the extent possible since participants worked in small groups. Notes from each facilitated tabletop discussion held at different parts of the day are included at the end of this summary. WELCOME AND DIALOG OVERVIEW Deb Whitall, Ph.D., USDA Forest Service Region 5 Social Scientist welcomed the participants and provided highlights of the Sierra Cascade program. She explained that information from the Dialog “conversations” have helped to influence the USFS strategy for the Forest Plan Revision process. Deb provided background by discussing the Leadership Intent for Ecological Restoration which led to the Science Synthesis work completed earlier in the Dialog series. The importance of a discussion on Wildland fire and management is a large and complex land management and social issue. The Dialog program explores in an interactive way with the public how development, forest uses and experiences, and forest management can co-exist. Through the activities of the day, stakeholders looked at the question and value of fire use and/or suppression. This Dialog provided an opportunity to examine how current trends and historic approaches can conflict with Report prepared by Center for Collaborative Policy 3 each other. The Dialog looked at the challenges of a resilient landscape, creating RESILIENCY: fire-adapted community, and the response to The ability to become strong, wild fires. healthy, or successful again after something bad happens. Going forward with the presentations and discussions, it was important that everyone The ability of something to return had a common understanding of “resiliency.” to its original shape after it has been pulled, stretched, pressed, In her presentation, Deb provided a bent, etc. definition of resiliency that set the tone for the day. FIRE OF THE LANDSCAPE – THE RIM FIRE Susan Skalski, Forest Supervisor, Stanislaus National Forest, is ultimately responsible for all activities relating to natural resource management and protection of vegetation, wilderness, aquatic and terrestrial wildlife, minerals, grazing, soils, fire prevention and suppression, fuels, watersheds, recreation, heritage, and scenic resources within the Stanislaus National Forest. The Rim Fire burned in the Stanislaus National Forest. During the Rim Fire, she was the “go-to” person during the management of, and recovery from, the Rim Fire. Susan provided an overview of the fire, and discussed some of the on-the- ground considerations while fire burned, and in the aftermath of the fire. She spoke of the USDA Forest Service’ response to ensure resiliency of the ecosystem and the future implications of the fire. Highlights of Susan Skalski’s presentation: Impacts of earlier fires left unanswered questions regarding how to manage the forest and fires without funding. What is the future? What is the strategy? Rim Fire occurred on August 17, 2013 and burned 255,000 acres. The media told the story often in reference to Yosemite and Hetch Hetchy. There is now a new mission to help with the restoration. There is a need to “act quickly” during a fire. There were three stages to the recovery: 1) Conduct suppression repair work. 2) Implement Burn Area Emergency Response (BAER) to keep the soil and get the forest through the winter. 3) Develop a long-term plan for the landscape that will manage hazardous trees and salvage drainage. Licensed timber operators can help with fire prevention, suppressions and salvage. Restoration will continue in the spring and fall. THE IMPORTANCE OF FIRE IN THE SYSTEM The morning was designed to showcase the two sides of resiliency – one being ecology based and the other being community based. Malcolm North and Joanne Drummond Report prepared by Center for Collaborative Policy 4 each shared thoughts on fire’s role to achieve resiliency and the importance of fire. The two presenters articulated views that helped provide context for the discussion topics of the group discussion session. Malcolm North, Research Plant Ecologist for the Pacific Southwest Research Station, USDA Forest Service presented on the “Ecological Importance of Wildland Fire.” The practice of fire suppression effects high Sierra density, leads to homogeneity, and allows for fuel accumulation. Suppression shifts fires to result in extreme conditions. Fires at mid-elevation every 12-15 years will reduce surface fuels, thus allowing for lower intensity fires in the future. Research suggests that there will be new fire management practices in the future. Fire can create heterogeneity. “Burn and thin” can be a tool to introduce fire back into the forest system. Joanne Drummond, Executive Director, Fire Safe Council of Nevada County presented on “Creating Fire Resistant Communities.” The Fire Safe Council(s) are leaders in how to create “Firewise Communities” that are able to respond to the “Wildlife Urban Interface” conflicts. Their focus is on safety from catastrophic fires. Fires suppressed for over 100 years have added to the accumulation of fuels in the forest. The common practice is to create a 100 foot zone around a structure. The need is to work
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