Appendix H Barry Point Fire – Retrospectives and Lessons Learned Excerpts from the 2011 Fremont – Winema National Forest and Lakeview District Bureau of Land Management, Fire Management Plan, that are applicable to the Barry Point Fire. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Land and Resource Management Plan Guidance Fremont National Forest - Land and Resource Management Plan: ―This Plan calls for implementing wildfire suppression tactics based on a policy of appropriate suppression response. Managers will have the option to confine, contain, or control a wildfire. Based on professional judgment and assessment of contributing factors such as expected weather, fire danger, and value of the resources threatened. Suppression costs will be reduced by eliminating the demand to take aggressive action on all fire reports and increasing flexibility to respond to specific situations with the appropriate level of effort.‖ (page 46) Winema National Forest - Land and Resource Management Plan: The forestwide fire protection objective states: ―All wildfires must receive an appropriate suppression response for each management area.‖ (page 4-10) Goals and Objectives Fremont National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan – Goals (page 51, page 118) A fire protection and fire use program that is cost efficient and responsive to land and resource management goals and objectives will be provided and executed. (page 118) All wildfire will receive an appropriate suppression response utilizing a strategy of confine, contain, or control. (page 118) Wildfire that threatens life, property, public safety, or improvements will receive aggressive suppression action using a control strategy. (page 118) All high investment timber areas, such as seed orchards and evaluation plantations will be protected from fire by taking aggressive initial attack and by considering their location in subsequent line location and attack strategies. (page 118) Aspen stands will be avoided whenever possible in the construction of fire lines, new roads or facilities such as rock pits (page 103) Fremont National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan – Objectives (page 49) To provide responsive, courteous public service in all management activities. 1 To identify, design, and achieve a high level of multiple-use coordination in all resource management activities. To maintain or improve the productivity of the soil in all resource management activities. To re-establish all degraded land to a productive state by the year 2000. To increase public awareness of, involvement in, and support for Forest Service resource management objectives. To produce thrifty stands of commercial timber within the requirements provided by law, policy, regulations, and fiscal restrictions while providing for other resource uses. To maintain or improve vegetative condition of rangelands through the use of available silvicultural practices and livestock management while providing for other resource uses. To provide sufficient habitat quantity, quality, and diversity to maintain self-sustaining populations of all vertebrate native fish and wildlife species. To provide for increases in or maintain habitat quantity or quality of those species which 1) are officially listed as endangered or threatened at the state or federal level to insure population recovery and/or 2) are management indicator species. To reintroduce extirpated species that will have a minimal effect on other resource programs in coordination with ODF&W. To maintain air quality at a level that meets or exceeds applicable federal and state standards and regulations. To re-establish channel stability (by re-establishing a good or better riparian ecological condition) and to improve water quality (decrease in sediment and late season water temperature) on class I and II stream courses. To meet or exceed state water quality standards and protect identified beneficial uses. To maintain water quantity consistent with downstream needs and resource protection. To restore and maintain all riparian areas in a condition which enhances riparian dependent resource values. To improve and maintain trout habitat to support self-sustaining trout populations. To promote cooperation and coordination with individuals, corporate landowners, and state and federal agencies on matters of mutual interest. To provide a natural-appearing forest character that is attractive to the sensitive highway, forest road, trail, or developed site user. 2 To maintain the Gearhart Mountain Wilderness to enhance natural ecosystems and to provide for a Wilderness recreation experience in south central Oregon. To provide opportunities for a non-motorized recreation experience, with a high degree of isolation from sights and sounds of human activities, in a natural setting which may have very subtle alterations. Standards and Guidelines Fremont National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan – (Page 118) 1. A fire protection and fire use program that is cost efficient and responsive to land and resource management goals and objectives will be provided and executed. 2. All wildfire will receive an appropriate suppression response utilizing a strategy of confine, contain, or control. 3. Wildfire that threatens life, property, public safety, or improvements will receive aggressive suppression action using a control strategy. 4. All high investment timber areas, such as seed orchards and evaluation plantations will be protected from fire by taking aggressive initial attack and by considering their location in subsequent line location and attack strategies. 5. Prescribed fire will be considered for use in meeting management objectives in areas where ecological studies show that fire has played a significant role in ecosystem development. Bald Eagle Management: Bald eagle management areas are highest priority for wildfire suppression if potential for damage to habitat is high.‖ (page 135) Fuel treatment by fire around active nest sites will take place outside nesting season (March 1 to July 15) if fire activities and smoke would affect nesting eagles.‖ (page 136) National Bald Eagle Management Guidelines - LINK Other raptors (page 108) - Active nests of raptors (red-tailed hawks, great horned owls, long-eared owls, sharpshinned hawks, Cooper's hawks, pygmy owls, flammulated owls, turkey vultures, American kestrels, Swainson's hawks, etc.) should be protected. Active raptor nests found in project areas will be left standing with at least four adjacent large trees for cover and perches. The nest and perch trees may be harvested after the young have left the area, usually by August 15. Attempt to make an agreement with timber purchasers to retain active nest, perch, and cover trees. Major activities such as logging and road construction adjacent (300 yards) to active raptor nests, should be postponed until young have fledged (usually around July 30). 3 Northwest Forest Plan - Standards and Guidelines Fire/Fuels Management (pages C-35 – C-36) FM-1. Design fuel treatment and fire suppression strategies, practices, and activities to meet Aquatic Conservation Strategy objectives, and to minimize disturbance of riparian ground cover and vegetation. Strategies should recognize the role of fire in ecosystem function and identify those instances where fire suppression or fuels management activities could be damaging to long-term ecosystem function. FM-2. Locate incident bases, camps, helibases, staging areas, helispots and other centers for incident activities outside Riparian Reserves. If the only suitable location for such activities is within the Riparian Reserve, an exemption may be granted following review and recommendation by a resource advisor. The advisor will prescribe the location, use conditions, and rehabilitation requirements. Use an interdisciplinary team to predetermine suitable incident base and helibase locations. FM-3. Minimize delivery of chemical retardant, foam, or additives to surface waters. An exception may be warranted in situations whereoverriding immediate safety imperatives exist, or, following review and recommendation by a resource advisor, when an escape would cause more long-term damage. FM-5. Immediately establish an emergency team to develop a rehabilitation treatment plan needed to attain Aquatic Conservation Strategy objectives whenever Riparian Reserves are significantly damaged by wildfire or a prescribed fire burning outside prescribed parameters. Other - In Riparian Reserves, the goal of wildfire suppression is to limit the size of all fires. When watershed and/or landscape analysis, or province-level plans are completed and approved, some natural fires may be allowed to burn under prescribed conditions. Rapidly extinguishing smoldering coarse woody debris and duff should be considered to preserve these ecosystem elements. In Riparian Reserves, water drafting sites should be located and managed to minimize adverse effects on riparian habitat and water quality, as consistent with Aquatic Conservation Strategy objectives. Inland Native Fish Strategy - Standards and Guidelines Applicable to all areas not covered by Northwest Forest Plan Fire/Fuels Management (pages A-11 – A- 12) FM-1. Design fuel treatment and fire suppression strategies, practices, and actions so as to not prevent attainment of Riparian Management Objectives, and to minimize disturbance of riparian ground cover and vegetation. Strategies should recognize the role of fire in ecosystem function and identify those instances where fire suppression