WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT PLAN WHITTLESEY CREEK NWR 2003 WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT PLAN WHITTLESEY CREEK NWR GREAT LAKES-BIG RIVERS REGION Prepared: /s/ Cal Gale____________________________________12/20/02______ Cal Gale Date Fire Program Analyst, R.S. Staffing Services, Inc. ___________________________________________________________ Pam Dryer Date Project Leader, Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge Concurred: ___________________________________________________________ Brian McManus Date Regional Fire Management Coordinator ___________________________________________________________ Tom Worthington Date Chief, Refuge Operations ___________________________________________________________ Nita Fuller Date Chief, Division of Refuges Approved: ___________________________________________________________ William Hartwig Date Regional Director U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FIRE MANAGEMENT PLAN FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE WHITTLESEY CREEK NWR TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................... 1 COMPLIANCE WITH USFWS POLICY ................................................................................. 2 FIRE MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES ..................................................................................... 4 DESCRIPTION OF REFUGE..................................................................................................... 5 CULTURAL RESOURCES ............................................................................................................... 5 FISH AND WILDLIFE..................................................................................................................... 6 VEGETATION................................................................................................................................8 PHYSICAL RESOURCES................................................................................................................. 8 STRUCTURES AND FACILITIES...................................................................................................... 9 WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT SITUATION............................................................... 10 HISTORIC ROLE OF FIRE............................................................................................................. 10 Pre-settlement Fire History................................................................................................... 10 Post-settlement Fire History ................................................................................................. 10 Prescribed Fire History ......................................................................................................... 10 RESPONSIBILITIES ...................................................................................................................... 10 Project Leader ....................................................................................................................... 11 Zone Fire Management Officer ............................................................................................ 11 Incident Commander............................................................................................................. 11 Initial Attack Modules .......................................................................................................... 12 INTERAGENCY COORDINATION .................................................................................................. 12 PROTECTION OF SENSITIVE RESOURCES..................................................................................... 13 WILDLAND FIRE ACTIVITIES............................................................................................. 15 FIRE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES .............................................................................................. 15 PREPAREDNESS .......................................................................................................................... 16 Historical Weather Analysis ................................................................................................. 16 Fire Prevention...................................................................................................................... 16 Hazard Reduction for Structure Protection........................................................................... 17 Staffing Priority Levels......................................................................................................... 17 Training................................................................................................................................. 17 Supplies and Equipment ....................................................................................................... 17 DETECTION ................................................................................................................................ 18 COMMUNICATIONS .................................................................................................................... 18 PRE-ATTACK PLAN.................................................................................................................... 18 FIRE MANAGEMENT UNITS ........................................................................................................ 18 Fire Effects............................................................................................................................ 19 Fuel Types............................................................................................................................. 19 i MARCH, 2003 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FIRE MANAGEMENT PLAN FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE WHITTLESEY CREEK NWR Fire Behavior ........................................................................................................................ 19 SUPPRESSION TACTICS............................................................................................................... 20 Suppression Conditions ........................................................................................................ 20 Wildland Fire Situation Analysis.......................................................................................... 20 Aircraft Operations ............................................................................................................... 20 REHABILITATION AND RESTORATION ........................................................................................ 21 REQUIRED REPORTING............................................................................................................... 22 FIRE INVESTIGATION.................................................................................................................. 22 PRESCRIBED FIRE ACTIVITIES.......................................................................................... 23 PRESCRIBED BURN PROGRAM OBJECTIVES................................................................................ 23 FIRE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES .............................................................................................. 24 PRESCRIBED FIRE PLANNING ..................................................................................................... 24 Annual Activities .................................................................................................................. 24 Prescribed Burn Plan............................................................................................................. 24 Strategies and Personnel ....................................................................................................... 25 Monitoring and Evaluation ................................................................................................... 25 Required Reports .................................................................................................................. 26 Prescribed Burn Critique....................................................................................................... 26 AIR QUALITY / SMOKE MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES ................................................ 27 FIRE RESEARCH...................................................................................................................... 28 PUBLIC SAFETY....................................................................................................................... 29 PUBLIC INFORMATION AND EDUCATION...................................................................... 30 FIRE CRITIQUES AND ANNUAL PLAN REVIEW ............................................................ 31 FIRE CRITIQUES ......................................................................................................................... 31 ANNUAL FIRE SUMMARY REPORT ............................................................................................. 31 ANNUAL FIRE MANAGEMENT PLAN REVIEW............................................................................. 31 CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION........................................................................... 32 APPENDICES............................................................................................................................. 33 APPENDIX A: REFERENCES CITED............................................................................................. 33 APPENDIX B: DEFINITIONS........................................................................................................ 35 APPENDIX C: