WILDFIRES - Not Just Whistling Dixie

Looking West at Lassen and Burn Area

 

WILDFIRES - Not Just Whistling Dixie

By Don Amador

August 10, 2023

 

As residents and property owners in the historic town of Lahaina struggle to try and cope with the catastrophic wildfire-caused loss of life, homes, and businesses owners (including  a life-long friend of mine) , I am reminded about similar wind-driven firestorms that have impacted California and other western states over the last 15-20 years.

NASA - Dixie Fire Burn Footprint 

 

While the aforementioned losses are devastating and hard to process, the impacts from mega wildfires to public land access and recreation opportunity cannot be understated for the millions of people who visit federal areas for OHV and other forms of recreation with family and friends.

 

Having spent most of my personal life and professional career recreating and working on federal OHV recreation areas impacted by intense wildfires, I think it is important for those touched by these events to understand the devastating long-term effects these fires can have on them.

View of Lassen with Dixie Fire Burn Area in Foreground

West Prospect LO - Elevation 8,172 ft.

 The American Psychological Association (APA) states that trauma is an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, rape or natural disaster. Immediately after the event, shock and denial are typical. Longer term reactions include unpredictable emotions, flashbacks, strained relationships and even physical symptoms like headaches or nausea.

Dixie Fire Impacts - Lassen NF

 

APA goes on to say that accidents or wildfires are typically unexpected, sudden and overwhelming. For many people, there are no outwardly visible signs of physical injury, but there can be nonetheless an emotional toll. It is common for people who have experienced disaster to have strong emotional reactions.

 

Health professionals at the Mayo Clinic state that Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that’s triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event.

 

The Mayo Clinic also states that most people who go through traumatic events may have temporary difficulty adjusting and coping, but with time and good self-care, they usually get better. If the symptoms get worse, last for months or even years, and interfere with your day-to-day functioning, you may have PTSD.

 

Over the last year, I have had the privilege to talk with residents, recreationists, and land managers who lived through the 2021 Dixie Fire in northern California that burned through 963,309 acres of rural communities, private timber property, and lands managed by the Forest Service and other government agencies. 

 

LINK TO NASA VIDEO OF DIXIE FIRE BURN PATH/TIMELINE

https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4993/

 

 

Listening to their stories of courage in overcoming the loss of a home or business and their resolve to rebuild and persevere was stirring and inspires me to continue supporting pre and post fire forest health and fuel mitigation projects and to help private sector non-profit post fire recovery efforts of fire damaged recreation facilities. 

 

# # # 

 

QWR NEWS RELEASE - Launch of New Post Wildfire Recovery Program

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Don Amador

Phone: 925.625.6287

Email: damador@quietwarriorracing.com

Date: September 4, 2018

*Contact Don Amador if you need additional photos

 NEW OHV WILDFIRE RECOVERY PROGRAM

OAKLEY, CA (Sept. 4) –  Quiet Warrior Racing (QWR), a national recreation consulting company, is launching its new program in response to current and future wildfire impacts at popular Forest Service, BLM, and state off-highway vehicle (OHV) areas.  The Post Wildfire Recovery Strike Team module will work to help address the effects that catastrophic wildfires can have on OHV route and trail facilities.

Don Amador at Wildfire Recovery Area

BLM's Fort Sage OHV Area

Intense wildfires can destroy important OHV management tools such as trail delineators, signs, kiosks, and campground facilities.  Costly soil erosion and water quality trail structures can often be obliterated by dozers creating access routes for firefighters or blading fire lines around the blaze.

The program will help facilitate numerous volunteer post-fire recovery projects at OHV recreation sites in collaboration with stakeholders such as OHV clubs, volunteers, OHV Industry and other grant programs, land agencies, and conservation groups in the delivery and implementation of post-fire mitigation efforts.

Chris Conlin, Former Deputy Director of the California Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division and Boating and Waterways Division, states, “I strongly endorse QWR’s efforts to create a trail stewardship program that is sharply focused on important post-wildfire recovery efforts on federal and state recreation units that are being devastated in the 2018 Wildfire Season.”

“Both Don Amador and I have been long-time advocates for creation of OHV-specific post-wildfire recovery and rehabilitation programs.  I believe this Strike Team will have a strategic role in current and future collaborative efforts to deliver crucial post-fire recovery assets at important public land recreation sites,” Conlin concludes. 

“Don Amador, President of Quiet Warrior Racing/Consulting, states, “It’s clear to me that OHV recreation sites in California and the West will continue to face the likelihood of more intense wildfires over the next 10-20 years.  I believe creation of our wildfire recovery program it relevant and timely given the impacts that the Mendocino Complex, Carr, and Ferguson Fires had on popular destination OHV areas.”

“I look forward to working with our land agency, OHV club, and conservation partners to recover and reopen recreation areas devastated in the 2018 Wildfire Season,” Amador concludes.

For information about opportunities to partner, sponsor, or support the program please contact Don Amador at: damador@quietwarriorracing.com

LINK TO THE POST WILDFIRE RECOVERY STRIKE TEAM MODULE

http://www.quietwarriorracing.com/recovery.html

# # #

Don Amador has 28 years of experience in the field of OHV recreation management, federal/state land-use policy, and post-wildfire recovery.  Don is president of Quiet Warrior Racing/Consulting, an OHV recreation consulting company. Don serves as Core-Team Lead for FireScape Mendocino, a forest-health collaborative that is part of the National Fire Learning Network.  Don also serves as Operations Chief for the Post-Wildfire OHV Recovery Alliance.   Don is a contributor to ModernJeeper.com.

Amateur Off-Road Events are Educational Opportunities

Youth at Tech Station

2015 Shasta Dam GP

Amateur off-road events are great family-oriented venues where competitors challenge their skills on designated OHV trails.  In addition, they can provide an important real-time in-the-field educational opportunity for professional advocates, volunteers, club members, and land managers to share new management concepts, review trail maintenance and restoration projects, and practice enforcement of OHV-related rules and regulations.

Recently, QWR had the privilege to help with tech services at the AMA National Shasta Dam Grand Prix held at the BLM’s Chappie-Shasta OHV Area near Redding, California.   Hosted by the Redding Dirt Riders, this event afforded us chance to help educate riders - young and old alike - about riding with current vehicle registration, sound compliant exhaust, and U.S. Forest Service approved spark arresters.

QWR Riding with BLM Staff on Trail Review

Chappie-Shasta OHV Area

Before and after the event, QWR was able to tour a number of recent and proposed trail and restoration projects with BLM recreation and fire/fuels staff.  This was a great opportunity to see how the use of modern trail management techniques are used to address water quality and soil erosion.  In addition, it was important to see how fire/fuel reduction projects might help reduce the intensity of a wildfire.

BLM's, Sky Zaffarono, at Current Trail Maintenance Project

Chappie-Shasta OHV Area 

This last weekend, QWR was at Round One of the AMA Sanctioned SRT D36 Northern California Championship Enduro Series.  The 61^st Annual Sawmill Brand Q Enduro was hosted by the North Bay Motorcycle Club. 

Sara Mathews, the Outdoor Recreation Planner for the BLM’s Ukiah Field Office, was on hand to help oversee the event and to practice the field-level application/enforcement of California’s OHV regulations related to spark arresters, registration, and sound compliant exhaust.   QWR, RDR, and BLM were also able to tour trail and restoration projects.

BLM's, Sara Mathews, Checking Spark Arrester

Cow Mountain National Recreation Area

Trail Armor on Climbing Turn

Cow Mountain National Recreation Area

The 2015 Sawmill Enduro was held at the BLM’s Cow Mountain National Recreation Area (NRA) near Ukiah, California. This NRA was designated by Congress specifically for OHV use in 2006.

The ever growing number of retiring BLM and Forest Service recreation staff and line-officers who are experienced with managing OHV recreation is problematic.  QWR believes a lot of corporate knowledge is being lost.  Additionally, said retirements have even a greater impact on OHV because those personal and professional relationships that have been developed over the last 20-30 years are lost as well.  

QWR believes it is incumbent on the OHV community to make sure that relationships are cultivated with new federal and state recreation staff and leadership.  It is not just enough to ask for a meeting at the district office.  While those meetings are important, it is even more critical that you ask for agency staff to meet you in the field to review issues, ideas, and solutions.

Often times, new agency staff are not familiar with OHV recreation and in some cases have never taken a ride in a 4WD, ATV, dirt-bike, or SxS.  At that introductory meeting in the office, try and schedule a time when you can meet recreation staff in the field or at an event.  There is no substitute for taking a ride together in a SxS or other OHV and discussing trail and resource management from that close perspective.