fuel treatment making a difference

Fuel TreatmentMaking a Difference

Steve Harbert Tim Rich

Burn Boss RefresherFebruary 2009

1Burn Boss Refresher 2009

How can Fuel Treatments “Make a Difference”?

• Ecosystem Restoration

• Protection

Why here, why now?


Why be Effective?Available FS and BLM land in PNW: 20.7 MM acres2008 Accomplishment / % of available: 130 M acres = 0.6 %In 15 years, % of available treated: 9% (6%/decade) Wildfire Acres/year

309 M Acres


Principles of Stand Level Fuel Treatments

1. Surface fuels2. Ladder fuels3. Canopy fuels4. Leave large trees


Treatment Strategies

Fuel Breaks

DFPZ Extensive vs. Intensive

SPOTS


SPOTS


An Assessment of Fuel Treatments on Selected Fires in the Pacific Northwest

A report to Fire Directors Ken Snell and Carl GossardUSDA Forest Service, Region 6; Oregon State BLMOctober 2007


Three Fires, Three Strategies

Monument Fire – Umatilla NF GW Fire – Deschutes NF Egley Fire – Burns Fire Zone


GW Fire Results


July 6th to July 22nd


Egley Complex Assessment

42% of assessment area had treatments High severity areas were statistically

different Post-fire photographic evidence supports

the fuels treatment effectiveness conclusion.

In some treatment areas weather overpowered the veg/fuels treatment.

Newer treatments were more effective.


Egley Prescriptions

Underburning (3869 acres) Marginally significant

Commercial Harvest (17990 acres) Wide variety, and significant

Pre-commercial thin and piling (~16940 acres) Very significant Changed Rx intensity


Egley - 220 spur

Treated area south of 220 spurUntreated area south of 220 spur


Egley - BARC Severity

Egley Complex - BARC Severity

40%41%

27% 37%

23% 18%

3%9%0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

No Treatment 57,456 ac. Treated 41,070 ac.

NO DATA

UNBURNED / VERY LOW

LOW SEVERITY

MODERATE

HIGH SEVERITY


Egley – Treatment Age

Egley Complex - Percent of high and moderate severity by age class of treatment

45.0%

30.7%

1.1%

2.9%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

Treatment Age >12 years old Treatment Age <11 years old

Moderate Severity High Severity


Fuels Program Validation

When the fuels specialist asks… “Where will you have your next big fire, and where are you going to treat?”

Do you have an answer?Develop a strategy, articulate,

monitor.


RecommendationsA fuels strategy

The Burn Boss should know the fuels and vegetation strategy;

Has a responsibility during burn plan preparation to help craft specific burn plan objectives:

Implements the burn plan to help achieve the overall strategy.


Steve and Liz Harbert

2nd bullet was a recommendation from the assessment.I suggest using that as the lead and add a couple of subbullets.

RecommendationsSuppression Effectiveness

Enhancing suppression effectiveness should be part of the fuels/veg strategy. Treatment location

Use past treatment data in developing wildfire strategies. Treatments should become an integral part

of WFSA/WFDSS development. Treatment maps should be a part of the

briefing package given to Incident Management Teams.



Again 2nd bullet directly from the assessment.2nd and 3rd sentences become sub-bullets.

RecommendationsLeave some tracks

Map treatments Data in GIS is best Planned vs. implemented When Maintenance program Suppression There is a formal monitoring process Part of post burn activities



Same.Re-enforce collecting data, storing in GIS and using for long term monitoring.

Questions?

Treatment Effectiveness Report: http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/fireuse/success/success-stories.html

Angora Fire Report: http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/angorafuelsassessment/

Remote Sensing Application Center (BARC, BAER & MTBS):

http://www.fs.fed.us/eng/rsac/baer/barc.html

Lessons Learned Center: http://www.wildfirelessons.net/Home.aspx



Same.Re-enforce collecting data, storing in GIS and using for long term monitoring.

fuel treatment making a difference

Documents