NOWITNA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE FIRE MANAGEMENT PLAN December 2004 REVIEW AND APPROVALS __________________________________________ _____________________________ Prepared by Fire Management Officer Koyukuk, Date Nowitna, Innoko, Selawik and Yukon Delta NWR __________________________________________ _____________________________ Submitted by Refuge Manager Date __________________________________________ _____________________________ Reviewed by Regional Fire Management Coordinator Date __________________________________________ _____________________________ Reviewed by Regional Chief National Wildlife Date Refuge System __________________________________________ _____________________________ Approved by Regional Director Date TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................................1 A. PURPOSE OF THE FIRE MANAGEMENT PLAN ......................................................... 1 B. ACHIEVING LAND AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES .................... 1 C. COMPLIANCE................................................................................................................... 1 D. COLLABORATIVE PROCESS......................................................................................... 1 E. DESCRIPTION OF THE REFUGE ................................................................................... 2 F. GENERAL REFUGE FIRE INFORMATION................................................................... 3 1. Historical/ecological role of fire ......................................................................................... 3 2. Refuge fire history .............................................................................................................. 6 3. Fire Frequency and Behavior.............................................................................................. 7 4. Vegetation classes and fire effects...................................................................................... 7 5. Seasonal fire cycle ............................................................................................................ 12 6. Ecological impacts of fire suppression ............................................................................. 12 7. Economic importance ....................................................................................................... 13 8. Refuge management decision impacts on fire management............................................. 13 9. Archaeological/cultural/historic resources........................................................................ 15 II. RELATIONSHIP TO LAND MANAGEMENT PLANNING/FIRE POLICY ............................15 A. AGENCY FIRE/RESOURCE MANAGEMENT POLICY............................................. 15 B. RELATIONSHIP TO ENABLING LEGISLATION....................................................... 16 C. PURPOSE OF THE REFUGE.......................................................................................... 16 D. LAND AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN DIRECTION................................ 17 III. WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES..................................................................19 A. GENERAL MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS ...................................................... 19 1. Wildland fire suppression ................................................................................................. 19 2. Wildland fire use............................................................................................................... 20 B. WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES..................................................... 20 1. Broad Refuge-level fire management goals:..................................................................... 21 2. Refuge specific fire management goals and objectives: ................................................... 21 C. WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT OPTIONS............................................................ 23 D. DESCRIPTION OF WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES BY FIRE MANAGEMENT UNIT ........................................................................................................... 24 1. Wild and Scenic River Fire Management Unit................................................................. 25 3. Uplands Fire Management Unit........................................................................................ 29 4. Fire management departures ............................................................................................. 31 5. Determining the validity of appropriate management response (AMR)........................... 31 6. Constraints to specific strategies....................................................................................... 31 7. Selection of options and rationale..................................................................................... 33 IV. WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM COMPONENTS..........................................34 i A. WILDLAND FIRE SUPPRESSION ................................................................................ 34 1. Suppression authority and planning.................................................................................. 34 2. AIWFMP Suppression response levels............................................................................. 35 3. Escaped fires ..................................................................................................................... 36 4. TYPE I and TYPE II Incidents ......................................................................................... 36 5. Fire season ........................................................................................................................ 37 6. Preparedness ..................................................................................................................... 37 7. Wildland Urban Interface.................................................................................................. 38 8. Detection........................................................................................................................... 40 9. Initial and extended attack ................................................................................................ 40 10. Air quality ....................................................................................................................... 40 11. Future areas of special concern....................................................................................... 40 B. WILDLAND FIRE USE................................................................................................... 41 C. PRESCRIBED FIRE......................................................................................................... 44 1. Prescribed fire ................................................................................................................... 44 2. Monitoring and evaluation................................................................................................ 44 3. Prescriptions...................................................................................................................... 46 4. Affected vegetation types ................................................................................................. 46 5. Fire behavior parameters................................................................................................... 46 6. Environmental parameters ................................................................................................ 47 7. Drought indices................................................................................................................. 47 8. Phenologic parameters...................................................................................................... 47 9. Hazard and Wildland Urban Interface debris disposal ..................................................... 48 10. Prescribed fire review ..................................................................................................... 48 11. Reclassification review ................................................................................................... 49 12. Air quality and smoke management ............................................................................... 50 13. Qualifications needed...................................................................................................... 50 14. Minimum documentation................................................................................................ 51 15. Annual prescribed burning activities .............................................................................. 51 16. Long-term prescribed burn program............................................................................... 51 D. NON-FIRE FUEL APPLICATIONS ............................................................................... 52 E. EMERGENCY STABILIZATION AND REHABILITATION/RESTORATION ......... 52 F. REMOTE ACCESS WEATHER STATIONS (RAWS).................................................. 53 V. ORGANIZATION AND BUDGET ..............................................................................................53 A. REFUGE FIRE MANAGEMENT TEAM RESPONSIBILITIES AND QUALIFICATIONS ................................................................................................................. 53 B. INTERAGENCY COORDINATION .............................................................................. 54 C. NORMAL