RIM FIRE RECOVERY UPDATE page 2

What is tim hughes Salvage Logging?

In the aftermath of the Rim Fire, over 154,000 acres of the Stanislaus National Forest suffered from various degrees of burn severity and tree mortality. As snags and fire-damaged trees weaken and fall, they pose an immediate danger to the lives, safety and property of people in the area. It is critical to provide a safe environment for both public use and the administration of affected roads and facilities. The Rim Fire Recovery Project includes the salvage of fire- killed trees to capture their economic value. This removal process is the first of multiple recovery and restoration projects that will be undertaken over the next several years. While retaining old forest structure such as large snags and downed logs is important, the tremendous number of dead trees across a vast landscape creates the need for harvesting portions of this perishable commodity in a timely manner. Leaving all Pinecrest benches were crafted locally from cedar trees killed in the Rim Fire. dead trees would create a large and dangerous fuel load, making it more prone to future high-intensity fires as standing dead tress fall and accumulate on the forest floor. Community Spirit Dead tree removal after the Rim Fire is expected to continue for up to five years. If removed as salvage logs for lumber within the next two years, the value of the dead trees would pay for this work and potentially for other future restoration treatments. After two years the dead trees could still be used as clean electri- Many might call the Rim Fire a disaster and National Forest for use in recovery projects. cal cogeneration fuel, rather than being left as fuel on site for yet good things often come out of the most The Trust matched their dona- future forest fires. trying circumstances. Attitude and the spirit tion dollar for dollar. Rim Fire salvage logging will leave burned forest areas across of a community are what really count. In In May residents helped U.S. Forest Service the landscape with enough habitat for wildlife species such as Tuolumne County, people have chosen to botanist Margaret Willits with an invasive the Black Backed Woodpecker which are dependent on post-fire rise to the occasion. weed pulling event in the Mi-Wok area. environments. The project will also leave a deer connectivity Consider the beautiful park benches at Non-native plants often take advantage of corridor linking to wintering grounds Pinecrest Lake. Eighty incense cedar benches disturbed soils. Removing non-native plants favored by local deer herds at lower elevations. Removing salvage were hand-crafted from wood recovered gives native species a chance to flourish. Pull- and non-merchantable material would also achieve desired off the Rim Fire. Ron Sherrod, a Vietnam ing Tumble Mustard, before it could seed, is forage and cover ratios while clearing the way for the migrating veteran out of Newcastle, , headed another way residents have teamed up with deer as well as other wildlife. up the project. The wood for the benches the Forest Service to improve conditions. Future projects will address reforestation, ecosystem restora- was milled in Twain Harte by a family Not only are locals involved, but regionally tion, fuels treatments, and other resource management activities. business run by Brian Garber. According the forest is receiving support as well. The to Sherrod, all of the employees hired on U.S. Forest Service Regional Office in Vallejo the project came from within a 50 mile ear-marked $170,000 for trail repair on the radius of Pinecrest Lake. Materials were also Stanislaus. Recreation drives the economy of purchased within neighboring communities, the area and attracting hikers can boost local making this a true local success story. businesses. Repairing trails in the backcoun- Christina, David and Bethany Wilkinson try is yet another example of how the forest is also chose to make a difference. With an awe- literally rising from the ashes of the Rim Fire. inspiring smoke column looming over their Good things happen when people get involved. backyard, they knew they had to help the forest recover. By working through the Groveland be part of the RECOVERY effort! visit our website Area Involved Neighbors non-profit organiza- www.fs.usda.gov/main/stanislaus/workingtogether tion, they were able to raise $12,132 by selling to learn about upcoming Rim Fire Recovery Rim Fire T-shirts. On June 17, they turned over volunteer opportunities. Salvage timber sales can help defray costs of a fire recovery. the check in that amount to the Stanislaus Na- page 3 Plant Ecology After a Sierra Wildfi re dustin vaughn

California poppies create a splash of color in the foothills burned by the Rim Fire.

cology is the study of the interactions between are put at risk each summer to battle blazes in the WUI zone. living organisms and their environment. Human Th ere is, however, more to this beings are key players in that evolving story. Not story. onlyE do we get to witness priceless occurrences in the Th ough wildland fi res can be destructive, they are also great outdoors, but we also act as great agents of change. nutrient recyclers. Where some plant An event such as the Rim Fire can leave behind a species suff er, others thrive. Plant devastated landscape. Charred areas can show signs of life oft en fl ourishes following a forest fi re, increasing biodiversity. Fields life but it may be many years before they return to their of bicolor lupine readily colonized pre-fi re state, if they don’t burn again before the recov- the area burned by the Rim Fire. Seeds from an uncommon form Gilia, Indian Paintbrush and morel of Bleeding Heart, called Golden ery is complete. mushrooms sprang up as well, using Ear Drops, lurk dormant in the seed Th e terrain in the Stanislaus In modern times, we have come the more open habitats that were bank for many years. When charate National Forest rises from 870 to to view fi re as a scary, unnatural created. Mushrooms take advantage and other nutrients are released by 11,540 feet. Sandwiched between element; something we used to of the new soil substrate and absorb fi re, this triggers the plant to bloom. those elevations are tangled fi elds think we had to suppress at all nutrients from dying trees. Fire, as a Scorching causes a similar reaction of chaparral, oak woodlands and costs. Places where we recreate are disturbance, kick starts ecosystems. in other species, increasing germina- conifer forests with towering Sugar suddenly closed. It threatens our Following a fi re, nutrients are tion. Fire sends a clear message to and Ponderosa Pines. Above that, homes, our timber and it leaves a released into the ash. Forbs such as vegetation: reproduce or die. alpine meadows give way to the high black scar on the landscape. Increas- Soap Root survive underground as Chaparral is a plant community country. Plants in each zone are ingly, people live on the edge of the bulbs. Aft er the fl ames have passed, designed to burn. Volatile oils in adapted to those elemental forces wildland urban interface (WUI) it responds quickly to the nutrient one of its components, chamise, that have forged the environment and when wildfi res get big, homes fl ush by sending up large strap-like also called greasewood, promote over time. and lives are threatened. Firefi ghters leaves. continued on page 7 page 4

Stanislaus AREAS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC (7/9/2014) 2 108 Mi-Wuk Ranger District STANISLAUS EMIGRANT ecrest r EMIGRANT National Forest . to k slaus in 12 e 1 Hull Creek OHV Riding Area F P ke WILDERNESS NATIONAL FOREST ni 1 Open Areas a S t Long La 4 •2 Crandall Peak and Deer Creek Riding Areas S AS OF July 9, 2014 9 Barn 3 Mi-Wuk • River Ranch Campground lavey Riv 31 For more details on open- Village C •4 Hull Creek Campground ings and closures, please YOSEMITE Richardson 2 11 Mtn. contact the pertinent •5 Frasier Flat Campground (not pictured) Mi-Wok Ranger WILDERNESS district office by using Twain District Office •6 Riverside Day Use Area k the phone numbers listed Harte ree •7 North Fork Day Use Area (Tuolumne River) C below. Closures are also Reynolds listed at: www.fs.usda.gov/ •8 Frasier Flat Day Use Area (not pictured) 31 Kibbie k Mtn. detail/stanislaus.html •9 Lyons Reservoir Day Use Area (on PGE land) 49 Stanislaus National Forest Supervisors Mono ree Mi-Wuk Ranger District •10 Cottonwood Road (1N04) is open until it hits the closure area Office 14 C Cherry YOSEMITE Sonora Vista Lake 209-586-3234 11 • 3N01 is open to the Bourland Meadow and Box Springs trailheads 7 d Lake NATIONAL PARK Tuolumne 3 C Summit Ranger District 108 Indian 10 ee C C Eleanor •Summit Ranger District Rancheria 6 R Rd. Duckwall (not affected by fire) mne 12 Clavey River from 3N26 above Hull Creek Campground (North end only) Tuolu Ridge 209-965-3434 Tuolumne 14 •13 Aspen Meadows Pack Station (not pictured) Duckwall Groveland District Jamestown Mountain k Woods Groveland Ranger District Hetch • ree 209-962-7825 Ridge Wa r C Hetchy Res. 14 State Highway 120 rd e 17 Calaveras District s 15 31 (not affected by fire) • Evergreen Road (county road) F e River

r 209-795-1381 16 r

Harden Flat Road – west of Yosemite Lakes Road to Highway 120 y • o n e Tuolumne lavey Riv

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. d For information on hunting 17 R 17 • Yosemite Lakes Road (county road) iver w b zones, maps and open sea- J a North Mtn. •18 Access to Sunset Inn via Golden Arrow Road to Harden Flat Road Harden Lake sons visit: www.dfg.ca.gov/ Camp wildlife/hunting/deer/ •19 Lumsden Road (Forest Route 1N10) between Mather Ferr deermaps.html Ferretti Road and Lumsden Bridge Campground etti Rd 12 • . ge 20 20 Dimond O Campground 120 CA Dept. of Fish & Wildlife Pine Mtn. Rid 31 Jawbone 209-234-3420 •21 Lost Claim Campground Lake 23 22 Groveland 28 15 120 •22 Lumsden Campground 49 17 Big Oak 19 Rim of the GLOSSARY World Vista 25 OF TERMS •23 Lumsden Bridge Campground Flat 14 120 33 120 12 21 32 Rd. •24 Pines Campground Groveland Ranger 24 35 Transect – a sample area District Office 16 30 36 17 18 oga •25 Sweetwater Campground Big Oak Flat Entrance Ti that is marked, allowing for repeat visits to gather •26 Anderson Valley Dispersed Camping Area To Yosemite National Park (OPEN) valuable information over •27 Montgomery Gulch Dispersed Camping Area time such as the presence of •28 Tuolumne Wild and Scenic River open for boating certain bird species, plants and seedling data. •29 Bower Cave Day Use Area Don PedRimro Fire •30 Carlon Day Use Area 29 Allotment – an area of land Res. Crane Flat LLLLEEYY 26 B designated for grazing via •31 Middle Fork Day Use Area ig VVAA Highways Oak tenured permits. Some Rim Fire . •32 Rainbow Pool Day Use Area F EEMMIITTEE grazing allotments have Highways Coulterville lat YYOOSS

33 Rim of the World Vista Day Use Area Other Major Roads Rd r

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e ced R generation to the next. •34 Trumbull Peak Day Use Area Mer

Emigrant Wilderness M Emigrant Wilderness •35 Carlon Fall Trailhead 34 WUI – wildland urban Lake Tuolumne Wild & Scenic River rk interface; an area of land •36 Little Golden Forest Trailhead Tuolumne Wild & ScenicMcC lRiverure 0 1 2 3 4 5 140 Glaci where fuels from wild areas N Fo El Portal er •NOTED CLOSURES (see website for complete list) Miles 41 Point R intermingle with communi- 0 1 2 3 4 5 d. ties raising the danger of C Sand Bar Flat Campground and Day Use Area are CLOSED (not shown) Miles wildland fires to homes. •C God’s Bath, Cherry Lake and Trailheads to the East are CLOSED 49 • page 5

2 108 STANISLAUS EMIGRANT ecrest r EMIGRANT . to k slaus in 12 e ke WILDERNESS F ni P 1 NATIONAL FOREST a S t La 4 S Long Mi-Wuk 9 Barn 31 lavey Riv Village C YOSEMITE Richardson 2 11 Mi-Wok Ranger WILDERNESS Mtn. District Office Twain k ree Harte C Reynolds 31 Kibbie k Mtn. 49 Stanislaus National Forest Supervisors Mono ree Office 14 C Cherry YOSEMITE Sonora Vista Lake

7 d Lake NATIONAL PARK Tuolumne 3 C 108 Indian 10 ee C C Eleanor Rancheria 6 R Rd. Duckwall mne Tuolu Ridge Tuolumne 14 Duckwall

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Pine Mtn. Rid 31 Jawbone Lake 23 22 28 15 120 49 Groveland 17 Big Oak 19 Rim of the World Vista 25 Flat 14 120 33 120 12 21 Groveland Ranger 24 32 Rd. 16 30 35 District Office 36 17 oga 18 Big Oak Flat Entrance Ti To Yosemite National Park (OPEN)

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49 page 6 allen johnson allen morris johnson morris

Fuel treatments provide defensible space. Fire Adapted Communities

Lighter fuels are evident around this Hwy. 120 fuel break. The Rim Fire was the third largest fire in Cali- through the untreated fuels on the downhill Partnerships at Work fornia’s recorded history. What a lot of people side of a nearby road, the intensity of the don’t know is how its growth and severity fire front was reduced overall. This 742 acre were somewhat mitigated by fuels treatments project, completed by the Forest Service, had the U.S. Forest Service had in place before the a significant impact on the area’s safety. (SWIFT) Southwest flames even grew legs. Previous mechanical thinning and Lighter fuel loads create defensible space prescribed burns in the Bear Mt. area also Interface Team allowing firefighters to more safely suppress resulted in reduced severity from the Rim wildland fires. The Rim Truck Fuel Break Fire. Though flames swept through the area, is an example. This 15 mile long fire break it burned surface fuels with low flame heights For over 15 years, The Southwest Interface Team (SWIFT) has treated approximately 420 acres near the com- instead of racing through the tops of the trees. been actively protecting communities in our area. SWIFT is munities of Pine Mt. Lake, Groveland and Big Are all fires necessarily bad? The answer a group comprised of a variety of government and external Oak Flat. Stainslaus National Forest and Cal- to that seems to come down to timing and partners, including the U.S. Forest Service, that works collabor- Fire personnel, working under the cooperative planning. atively to create fire adapted communities. Strategically protect- umbrella of the Southwest Interface Team, Wildland fires are unplanned and often ing homes in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) is their goal. were responsible for this effort. Four miles of occur during the hottest, driest months. Prescribed burns, fuel breaks and ground mastication efforts the fuel break were constructed by the Forest Combine those conditions with steep slopes are the tools they use to achieve that objective. and CalFire added an additional 11. and a severe and these conflagrations Fuel treatments buy firefighters a margin of safety. Punching The Rim Fire progressed south into the can defy the best of fire suppression forces. in dozer line is faster and easier when heavy fuels have already Tuolumne River drainage quickly after its Prescribed burns and thinning opera- been removed. Holding a fire is easier where fuels are lighter. August start. Within two days, it was rapidly tions are planned and conducted under set Backfires can be conducted off of treated areas. approaching the community of Groveland. weather conditions. Smaller areas of land Once a fuel break has been created, it is important to main- Firefighters were able to establish a dozer are ignited individually and control lines tain that safety zone. Fire danger resumes as fuel stacks up over line within the existing fuel break and were are established. Fuels near the fireline are time. Homeowners can help by removing cured grass annually. successful in holding the fire there, protecting removed to ensure that radiant heat and spot Dead woody debris and ladder fuel must be mitigated to keep the communities as intended. fires don’t cross the line. fuel loadings light so fire doesn’t move from the ground into the The Peach Growers fuel treatment area is Helping neighboring communities stay tree tops. another good example. Lighter fuels allowed safe involves response, resilient land- Protecting homes and providing defensible space is what firefighters to easily construct dozer line scapes and creating fire-adapted neighbor- SWIFT is all about. By reducing fuel loads near high-risk com- near some recreation cabins and to burn out hoods. In the case of the Rim Fire, it appears munities, SWIFT hopes to make a difference in Tuolumne and the area, starving the fire of potential fuel. that taking preemptive measures can make Mariposa Counties. Although high intensity fire behavior pushed all of the difference. page 7 Mending Fences Plant Ecology & Fires continued from page 3

Th e modern history of the west is very closely tied to livestock the spread of a wildfi re. Th ough chamise and other shrubs are top-killed in the burning process, many species resprout from grazing. Today, the Forest Service concentrates its eff orts on the base. managing vegetation resources across the landscape to serve a Extreme lack of water is another factor that makes our Cali- fornia brush fi elds so fl ammable. And yet these hardy shrubs multitude of resource needs. survive drought conditions that could wither a human in three ANCHERS and cattle share our use agency interested in meeting the diverse days fl at. How do they manage it? By early summer, they have national forest lands across the needs of the public, the Forest Service is entered a stuporous state of shut down to conserve moisture. country. During the Rim Fire, 14 ensuring that the ranching infrastructure Prior to that, their entire physiology was geared grazingR allotments were impacted by the damaged by the Rim Fire is not overlooked towards water conservation. blaze. Initially, grazing on six of these was in the recovery process. $525,000 has been In the brush, thick, waxy leaves retain suspended to allow the vegetation a chance ear-marked for repairing 30 miles of fenc- precious water. Breathing holes, called to adequately recover. Forage was already ing to keep grazing cattle within prescribed stomata, are located on the undersides impacted by severe drought conditions and boundaries. Twelve water troughs will also of leaves where they are protected from then by the in- be purchased. sun-blast and the resultant evaporation. tensity of the fi re. Time and eff ort are Manzanita even has vertically oriented Range managers needed to make this leaves that minimize sun exposure. recommend happen, with the Trees in the mixed conifer forest must taking allotments help of volunteers. also adapt. Fir trees are one example. With out of rotation if Five Tioga High their conical shape they can readily shed fi re has heavily School students, a wet snow pack, known locally as Sierra cement, rather than impacted more employed by the breaking. Snow is just one dynamic force they contend with. than 30 percent Youth Conserva- Lightning strikes have started wildland fi res in the conifer- of the landscape tion Corps, will ous forest for thousands of years. Many tree species, such as in question. All stage equipment Lodgepole Pine and Giant Sequoia are well adapted to fi re. Stand six of the allot- for the project. Th e replacing fi res burn through large swaths of Lodgepole, clearing ments met those California Con- the way for new growth. Serotinous cones which open under in- criteria. servation Corps tense heat reseed the area rapidly producing a forest of saplings. Post-fi re on-site photo: keith riggs (CCC) will spike Even the mighty Sequoia likes fi re. Bare mineral ash is the monitoring has continued. Th e Stanislaus out two crews for eight to 10 weeks to build preferred substrate of this stately giant. Egg shaped Sequoia National Forest recognizes the need to rein- approximately 13 miles of fence along the cones also open when heated and the seeds rain down in state grazing rights on those plots that are border with Yosemite National Park. “Spik- debris-free zones. Th ick bark forms a defensive layer around the showing signs of acceptable recovery. Graz- ing out” means roughing it in the woods. mature trunk, protecting it from the fl ames while the seedlings ing may resume in some areas this year, as Simple supplies, camping gear and a cook establish themselves in the ash. conditions improve. More heavily impacted will help to make the backcountry camp suc- Certain bird species like Black Backed Woodpeckers sites, that are not faring as well, will remain cessful. National Park Service sawyers and (BBWOs) and Lazuli Buntings do well following a fi re. Unique out of rotation until next year. foresters will join the CCC to drop hazardous physiology allows the BBWOs to capitalize on the structure of Plants need a full season to grow and set trees along the proposed fence line. a burned forest. Snag patches above 5,500 feet are the preferred seed. Soils that were disturbed by the pas- Th e Student Conservation Association zones for these birds. In the Rim Fire area, an in-depth analysis sage of the fi re also have an opportunity to (SCA) is providing additional workers to shows that habitat such as this will be left for the woodpeckers, stabilize as vegetation colonizes the burned build interior fence lines near cattle allot- allowing up to 77% of the pairs to survive. Balancing the com- area. Non-use allows time for these elements ments. Other groups may eventually pitch in plexity of needs across the landscape following a fi re becomes to heal so they can once again support cattle as well. Mending fences with our neighbors vital. Woodpecker habitat is one of many concerns. grazing and the families that own these is important to the Forest Service and we are Clearly these mountains are subject to powerful energies. businesses which produce the beef that feeds busy doing that one fence post at a time. Change and fl ux are normal. Carving out a piece of turf in this the country. To learn more about grazing on public post-fi re environment is critical. Th e fl ora and fauna in the Ranching in these mountains is a tradition lands, please visit: http://svinet2.fs.fed.us/ Sierra have been adapting to these elemental forces for millen- that spans several generations. As a multiple rangelands/uses/ nia. How are we, as humans, adjusting? page 8 Know Before You Go ryan burnett ake Tahoe, Yosemite and the Stanislaus National Forest are cherished and accessible areas in the mountains for an overnight destination. The Forest offers a full range of year-round recreation Lopportunities. Three primary trans-Sierra routes traverse the forest, offering great views through a range of life zones (3,000’ - 9,500+’). A network of for- est roads and trails encourages discovery of nature and history. Visitors enjoy Black Backed a variety of activities including wildlife viewing, hiking, fishing, camping, Woodpeckers picnicking, and off-road vehicle use. favor snag patches. Whitewater rafting is another option. Knowing what Forest areas are open is Running the rapids of the historic Tuolumne particularly important this year since many River can be thrilling, not to mention breath- Forest closures are still in effect because of taking. Portions of this waterway were desig- the Rim Fire. For your safety, please obey nated as a Wild and Scenic River in 1984. these closures. Openings and closures are The Wilderness areas on the Forest host fluid. Contacting district offices prior to a spectacular landscape of volcanic vents, starting your adventure is the best way to Audubon Visits cirques and cinder cones as well as sheer stay safe, informed and in compliance. granite cliffs. Fiery geologic forces from More information is available at: long ago forged this volcanic landscape. www.fs.fed.us/visit/know-before-you-go. the Stanislaus Even mudflows can be seen in Blue Can- Type in Stanislaus National Forest for details yon via a trailhead located near Highway on the closure order or review the centerpiece 108. Before you grab your hiking boots, map. Calaveras and Summit Ranger Districts One of Audubon magazine’s key feature writers, Jane Braxton stop at a nearby ranger district office for were not impacted by the fire and are fully Little, visited the Stanislaus National Forest in May. Her mis- maps and directions. operational, though not listed on the map. sion was to observe the area burned by the Rim Fire to examine bird populations and how they are responding to the fire. Rolling out of the tent at 4 a.m. to be on the road by five takes verve but if you want to learn about birds, the old saying is true: The early bird does indeed get the worm. Surrounded by morning mist and the first hint of a sunrise, Little’s work takes her up rugged mountain slopes. By working with scientists on established transects, early morning hours are used to capture data on species inhabiting the footprint of the fire. Transect lines are sample areas laid out in advance, photo courtesy of oars allowing biologists to revisit the same spot multiple times to gather information. Keenly trained ears help professionals to recognize and catalog 80-100 different bird calls along these lines with ease. By watching these transects over time, scientists hope to gain insight into what happens with bird populations after a fire. They’re looking at the issue from a wide perspective and have been visiting other large burned areas in the Sierras since 2009 including the Chips, Storrie, Cub and Moonlight fires. Want to learn more? Jane’s article will be available in Audu- bon magazine this July. Whitewater rafting trip on the Wild & Scenic Tuolumne River.

Produced in cooperation with the USDA This publication is also available online in Forest Service, which is an equal opportu- PDF format at: www.3forests.us/rimfire nity service provider and employer. Front cover photo: Dustin Vaughn