Fire as Our Ally

Dave Murcia, NaturalistDave Murcia, NaturalistScott County Conservation Scott County Conservation

BoardBoard DirectorDirector

563.328.3286jmurcia@scottcountyiowa.com

QualificationsQualificationsPositions• Firefighter Type

2 (FFT2)• Prescribed Fire

Crewmember (RXCW)

• Firefighter Type 1 (FFT1) Trainee

• Burn Boss Type 3 (RXB3) Trainee

• Faller A Trainee

TrainingTraining• First Aid/CPR 4 hrs.• I-100 Orientation to Incident Command System (ICS) 2 hrs.• S-131 Firefighter Type 1 8 hrs.

• S-390 Intro to Wildland Fire Behavior Calculations 24

hrs. • ATV Riders Safety Course 8 hrs. • BHV Learn to BEHAVE Plus 8 hrs.

• Firefighter Refresher 8 hrs. • Principles of Flagging Workshop (IDOT requirement) 4 hrs. • S-212 Wildfire Powersaws 24 hrs. • S-290 Intermediate Wildland Fire Behavior 32 hrs.

• S-110, 130, 190, Basic Wildland Fire 40 hrs.

Supportive TrainingSupportive Training

• Refuge Management Training Academy USFWS

120 hrs.• Habitat Evaluation Procedures (HEP) USGS

17 hrs.

• Habitat Management Planning USFWS 12 hrs.

Role of FireRole of FireEcosystems have evolved, adapted, and

flourished with specific fire regimes since the beginning of time. There are some species that literally depend on

fire.

What is Prescribed (RX) Fire?What is Prescribed (RX) Fire?

• The application of fire in a controlled & planned method, under defined weather conditions to meet land or ecological management goals.

Why Burn? ResourceWhy Burn? Resource• Habitat improvement

– Stimulate natives• Warm vs. cool season• Abiotic vs. Biotic

factors

– Invasives, succession– Reduce hazards– Remove litter

• Wildlife improvement– Habitat– Diversity, T&E

Why Burn? ManagementWhy Burn? Management• Wildland Urban

Interface (WUI)– Reduce hazards– Reduce fuel, litter

• Ecological– Succession vs. treatment

• Educate• Training

– Additional personnel– Maintain

qualifications

Fire BehaviorFire Behavior• Direct Effects

– Frequency– Intensity– Topography– Weather

•Moisture•Wind

– Fuel loads/models•Dead vs. alive •Fuel ladders

• Indirect Effects– Grazing – Clear cutting– Age class of

vegetation•Mature overgrown•Young understory

– Development•Urban Interface

Recommended TrainingRecommended Training• NWCG (National Wildfire Coordinating Group) standards• Burn Boss 3 (RxB3): non-complex, low risk prescribed

fire(completed required coursework)

• Burn Boss 1 (RxB1), Burn Boss 2 (RxB2): complex prescribed fires (completed coursework & Burn Boss task book)

Recommended TrainingRecommended Training• Complex fires should also

included squad bosses who have completed:– Fire Fighter Type 1 training OR– S130, Basic Wildland

Firefighting– S190, Intro to Wildland Fire

Behavior– S131, Advanced Firefighter

Training– S290, Intermediate Wildland

Fire Behavior

Recommended TrainingRecommended Training• Attend refresher courses and/or perform on

yearly fire assignment • “Red Card” positions must maintain

qualifications:– Completing S130/S190 once– Pass moderate level pack test

• (25 lbs./2 miles/30 mins./yr.)

– Attend a yearly refresher

Iowa DNR and NWCG Fire Training 2012

• Training CoordinatorRyan Schlater, Fire Specialist (515.233.1161)(Ryan.Schlater@dnr.iowa.gov)

• Register at: http://www.iowadnr.com/Environment/Forestry/FirePrograms.aspx

• Check out: http://www.nationalfiretraining.net/ea/zone_training.html for other training going on in the Big Rivers Forest Fire Compact area!

Class/Fee Dates Location/Details

Self Study Courses:Intro to ICSICS for Single Resource & Initial AttackNIMS an IntroductionNational Response Framework, an IntroductionS-190 Intro to Fire BehaviorS-130/L-180 Firefighter Training/Human Factors on the

FirelineS-260 Interagency Incident BusinessS-290 Intermediate Wildland Fire BehaviorSmoC Smoke Management & Air Quality for Land Managers

Field Days for S-130/S-190/L-180RT-130 Annual Fireline RefresherWCT Pack Tests

DNR 8 Hour ClassesIDNR-VFD Wildland Fire OperationsIDNR-VFD Wildland Fire Engine Operations & TacticsIDNR- Prescribed Fire

Midwest Wildfire Training Midwest Wildfire Training AcademyAcademy

June 2013- Jefferson City, MissouriJune 2013- Jefferson City, Missouri

Recommended Recommended EquipmentEquipment

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):– Nomex- shirt/pants– High top leather boots– Leather gloves– Fire rated hardhat– Eye/ear protection– Fire shelter/fussees (or alternate ignition

source)– Underclothing of natural fiber

• Underwear, T-shirts, socks

Recommended Recommended EquipmentEquipment

• Tools– Drip torch(es)– 2-Way radios – Cell phone– Flappers– Rakes– Backpack pumps– Weather kit– First Aid kit– Drinking water

• Additional items– Chainsaw– Fire weather radio– Mobile water

pumper– ATV– Roadway signage

•Road signs•Flagger signs

Equipment/Property Equipment/Property ProgramsPrograms

• Federal Excess Personal Property (FEPP)– Fire Departments– Permanent equipment

and vehicle loans by:• USDA Forest Service• General services

Administration (GSA)• State Forester

• Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) – Rural VFDs– 50/50 cost share grants– Max of $3500/yr– Purchase of

equipment/training

Gail Kantak, IADNR, Fire Supervisor 515/233-1161

Gail.Kantak@dnr.iowa.gov

Burn PlansBurn Plans• Recommended

– Objectives & Goals• S.M.A.R.T.

– Specific– Measurable– Achieveable– Related/Relevant– Trackable

– Prescription• Weather• Fire behavior• Smoke management

– Ignition & holding plan• Map• Go-No-Go List

– Contingency plan– Site information

(w/map)– Burn site specific

info– Site preparation– Organization

•Personnel•Equipment

– Mop up– Post burn evaluation

Maps

Objectives & GoalsAttribute

NumberIowa FMU Attribute Weighting %

1 WUI Willdland Urban Interface 1.0

2 General Protection-Short Term Recovery .60

3 Social Areas of Special Concern/ Infrastructure .90

4 Sensitive Species/Sensitive Communities .85

5 Threatened and Endangered Species .85

6 Commercial TimberLands .75

7 Natural Areas of Concern .45

8 Cultural/ Historic/ Archeological Resources .51

9 Trust Timber .90

10 Wilderness Areas and Roadless Areas .30

Partnerships in Partnerships in EducationEducation

• NWCG - Rx/Wildland• USFWS• NRCS • IA DNR

– Smokey Bear Program– Fire Prevention

Materials

• County Conservation Boards– School/Public Programs– Training , technical

assistance

• PSCW– Community Awareness – Landowner assistance

• City Departments– Park & Rec– Public Works

• Permits, landowner assistance

• Riverbend Wildland Stewards/Natural Area Guardians (NAGS)– Landowner assistance

• Volunteer burn crews

““There are some who can live without wild There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot.” – Aldo things, and some who cannot.” – Aldo LeopoldLeopold