COMMON SENSE STRATEGY TO ADDRESS FOREST FUELS

Ridgetop/Roadside Fuel Break along M5 

Mendocino National Forest

(Photo taken one year after the 2018 Ranch Fire)

*This is article #1 in a series of pro-active common sense wildfire-related forest health management prescriptions ranging from shaded fuel breaks to biomass power plants sited in close proximity to fuel reduction or post-fire salvage projects.

OPINION

By Don Amador

September 15, 2020

COMMON SENSE STRATEGY TO ADDRESS FOREST FUELS

  The numerous mega wildfires that continue their devastating march across the landscape in California, Oregon, and Washington highlight the need for enhanced collaborative efforts between  land agencies, recreationists,  property owners, and elected officials to plan for and implement common sense cost-effective “low-hanging fruit” forest health, fuel reduction, and post fire recovery projects.

Shaded Fuelbreak Info Sign along Highway 88 Corridor

Eldorado National Forest

I believe the wildfires currently burning this season have not been caused by any one person, specific agency, or group.   Rather, they are the collective result of a decades-in-the-making firestorm of a well-intentioned but misguided fire suppression policy, analysis paralysis, lack of capacity, and litigation.

 

Based on my experience in resource and recreation management, I believe we should focus on common sense and effective forest health projects starting with roadside or ridgetop shaded fuel breaks where a crown fire will drop down – given the right conditions - to the ground and pass through with less severity.

 

Shaded Fuelbreak Along Highway 88 Corridor 

Eldorado National Forest

The objective of a shaded fuel break is to reduce, modify, and manage fuels within designated areas in order to enhance mitigation efforts in the event of a wildland fire situation. A shaded fuel break does not remove all vegetation in a given area.

These shaded fuel breaks can provide wildlife with important post-fire food and shelter.   These projects can also protect system trails, developed facilities, cultural sites, and dispersed camping or day-use opportunities.  Armoring recreation assets makes good sense and is a wise investment for current and future generations.

Also, local agencies such as the Fire Safe of San Mateo County supports creation of shaded fuel breaks that are placed in strategic locations along a ridge, access road, or other location such as around a subdivision.

Fire Safe San Mateo County Shaded Fuel Break Program

http://www.firesafesanmateo.org/resources/shaded-fuel-breaks

It’s hard to focus on future solutions while deadly megafires continue to torch millions of acres of public and private lands in the West, but working with our partners in a proactive manner and making a commitment to be part of the solution at this time is smart and the right thing to do.

 

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Include Trail Specialists in Agency Planning Efforts

Tillamook State Forest Trail Project

Tillamook State Forest OHV program managers highlight the important role that trail specialists have in recreation, resource, and vegetation project planning, development, and implementation.  These holistic concepts were presented by State Forest staff at the 2015 NOHVCC Annual Conference held in Folsom, California.

The Tillamook State Forest is over 350,000 acres and is located about 30 miles west of Portland, Oregon. It contains the Browns Camp, Jordan Creek and Diamond Mill OHV Areas with approximately 250 miles of routes for dirt-bike, ATV, SxS, and 4WD recreationists.

Logging Operation on Forest Service Land

This is an actively managed unit with ongoing logging operations, forest health/fuel reduction projects, and road/trail maintenance.

Shaded Fuel Break Forest Health Project

The OHV recreation staff leads are also engaged with local user groups and clubs since private sector volunteerism is critical to the success of the area.  Volunteers help clear trails of downed trees and provide a work force to assist agency staff with important trail maintenance projects.  Volunteers provide comments on recreation/forest health projects and also show up to county government meetings to show political support for the area.

Half Culvert on FS System Trail

QWR believes that federal and state agencies should include their trail specialists in any planning effort that might impact recreation facilities such as designated system trails, campgrounds, and staging areas.

Today’s system trail network is comprised of routes with engineered soil/water control structures such as rolling dips, half culverts, and sediment catch basins.  These system trails often represent a significant construction or reconstruction investment of taxpayer or user generated funds that can range from $10 to $40 thousand dollars per mile.

Rolling Dip on BLM 4WD Route

Without substantive input from trail specialists, QWR believes these recreation facilities could be impacted by resource activities related to initial wildfire attack, post-wildfire restoration, fuel reduction, timber projects, and vegetation treatments.   Trail management staff should also be part of any programmatic planning efforts related to Forest Plans or Resource Management Plans.

Rock Catch Basin on Rubicon Trail

 With all agency disciplines working together in a collaborative manner, both the protection of our recreation assets and resource values will be ensured.

REPORT - Mega Fires Gut FS Recreation (and other) Accounts

Only "We" Can Prevent Mega-Fires

QWR believes the August 4, 2015 report; The Rising Cost of Fire Operations: Effects on the Forest Service’s Non-Fire Work, gives OHV recreationists and other public land stakeholders an easy to understand explanation on how catastrophic mega-fires are burning through agency resources.

This report highlights how funds are diverted from important accounts that support road/trail maintenance, recreation facilities, restoration projects, forest planning efforts, and cultivation/utilization of partnerships as force multipliers.

LINK TO REPORT

http://www.fs.fed.us/sites/default/files/2015-Fire-Budget-Report.pdf

On page 2, the report states that the depletion of non-fire programs to pay for the ever-increasing costs of fire has real implications, not only for the Forest Service’s restoration work that would help prevent catastrophic fires, but also for the protection of watersheds and cultural resources, upkeep of programs and infrastructure that support thousands of recreation jobs and billions of dollars of economic growth in rural communities, and support for the range of multiple uses, benefits and ecosystem services, as well as research, technical assistance, and other programs that deliver value to the American public.

Prescribed Fire is a Forest Management Tool

On pages 11/12, the report notes the decrease in funding resulting from increased fire costs has limited the agency’s ability to provide vital recreational opportunities on NFS lands, which jeopardizes the thousands of jobs that are part of a growing recreational economy.

Logging is a Forest Management Tool

The agency has been unable to more fully implement sustainable Recreation, Heritage, and Volunteer Services and Wilderness and Wild & Scenic Rivers programs to provide consistent, quality recreation opportunities to the public. Reductions in recreation funding have a direct impact on local economies

supported by these activities, including many small outfitter and guide businesses that depend on

recreation sites and programs on NFS lands. Additionally, the Forest Service’s ability to leverage funds and implement projects with partners and volunteers is constrained by the reductions in funding and staff, substantially affecting services.

A Shaded Fuel Break is a Forest Management Tool

The report concludes that Congress must address the way the agency pays for fighting wildfires by supporting legislation that treats mega-fires as natural disasters such as tornadoes or hurricanes.

QWR believes that approach is worthy of consideration, but falls short in addressing the underlying cause of these mega-fires and that is the agency’s inability to engage in substantive, robust, and multi-dimensional forest health projects.  The solution may be a combination of both concepts?

QWR welcomes comments, criticisms, or observations.  Use the comment box so others can benefit from your comments or send them directly to: damador@quietwarriorracing.com