Maryland Forest Service Directors Report. to the. Maryland State Firemen s Association

Transcription

1 Maryland Forest Service Directors Report to the Maryland State Firemen s Association December 7, 2008

2 During the past legislative session, changes were made to the authority of Forest Wardens within the Department of Natural Resources. This change was initiated to better reflect the actual capabilities of the Maryland Forest Service to respond to wildfires. The amended language was passed by the legislature and became effective October 1, The Forest Service then revised the Wildfire Response Zones policy that also took effect on October 1, This report highlights the recent law change, wildfire response history, personal capabilities, equipment availability, and implementation of the new Wildfire Response Zones policy. Legislative change NR effective 10/01/2008 (changes highlighted) Duties of forest and park wardens generally; duties of wardens as to extinguishing fires. (a) Enforcement.- A forest or park warden shall enforce every forest and park law, rule, and regulation of the State and protect State forest reserves, State parks, scenic preserves, parkways, historic monuments, and recreational areas. (b) Reporting.- The forest or park warden shall report any violation of law to the Secretary as soon as possible, assist in apprehending and convicting offenders, and make an annual report to the Secretary on forest conditions in the forest or park warden's immediate neighborhood. (c) Extinguishing fires.- If any forest or park warden sees a forest fire, or is requested by a fire company to assist with a fire plow or provide incident command expertise at the scene, the forest or park warden shall: (1) Go immediately to the fire and employ those persons and means as the forest or park warden deems necessary to extinguish the fire; (2) Keep an itemized account of all expenses thus incurred and send the account immediately to the Secretary; (3) Control and direct any person and apparatus engaged in extinguishing forest fires; (4) Summon inhabitants of the county over the age of 18 years, if able, to assist in extinguishing fires, and also require use of personal property needed for this purpose; and (5) Use the members of the Junior Forest Fire Fighters Service between the ages of 14 and 18 years inclusive, either paid or unpaid, provided they have the written consent of their parents or guardians. (d) Penalties.- Any person summoned who is physically able, but who refuses or

3 neglects to assist, or allow the use of man power, equipment, or other material required, is liable to a penalty of $10. (e) Trespassing.- An action for trespass may not lie against a forest or park warden or anyone working under the forest or park warden's direction, for entering on any person's land to extinguish a fire, plow furrows, tear down fences, or start a back fire to check a fire that may be approaching. Forest Service Annual Wildfire Response Wildfire Response Year Forest Service Annual Acres Burned Acres Burned ,000 7,000 6,000 5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1, Year

4 Forest Service Average Wildfire Response by County Average # of Wildfire Responses per Year by County ( ) 23 Wocester 22 Wicomico 20 Talbot 19 Somerset 17 Queen Anne 14 Kent 09 Dorchester 05 Caroline 15 Montgomery 13 Howard 12 Harford 07 Cecil 06 Carroll 03 Baltimore 18 St Mary's 16 Prince George 08 Charles 04 Calvert 02 Anne Arundel 21 Washington 11 Garrett 10 Frederick 01 Allegany # Wildfires The above graph represents the average number of wildfire responses per year by county by the Forest Service. Within the limited response area, all counties averaged less than 10 responses per year over the period.

5 During the period of FY02 FY09, the Forest Service has lost a total of 59 authorized positions (PINS). The below graph depicts this PIN loss by fiscal year. Forest Service PIN Loss FY02-FY # PINS FY02 FY03 FY04 FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08 FY09 Fiscal Year The Forest Service workforce is also diverse in training, capabilities, and fireline qualifications depending upon their respective job classification and assigned programmatic duties. Most personnel perform many other functions other than wildland fire management activities. The workforce is also not evenly distributed across the state but concentrated in areas with the greatest need for forestry assistance and State Forest land management responsibilities. The workforce is also ageing with few new hires being brought on board. Some employees can no longer perform the arduous functions of wildland firefighting. Within 5 years 22% of the workforce is also eligible for retirement and recent retirements have left gaps in available coverage. Given these factors and the change to the Forest Warden commission the Wildfire Response Zone policy was revised effective October 1, The intent of the policy is to provide the best possible coverage for wildfire response with the staffing available. The policy maintains an active response within the more rural portions of the state and implements a limited response in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Howard, Montgomery, and Prince George s counties. The Forest Service will still be available by request of the incident commander to assist with a fire plow or provide incident command expertise at the scene. The Operation Order and a listing of Forest Service facilities and equipment by Region and County are attached for your information.

6 MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES FOREST SERVICE Operation Order Effective: October 1, 2008 Wildfire Response Zones General Objective This order supersedes Wildfire Response Zones and all previous operation orders and policies pertaining to wildfire response protocol. The MD DNR Forest Service is mandated in Annotated Code NR Duties of Forest Wardens with the responsibility for suppression of wildfires within Maryland. This operation order establishes policy and procedures for suppression of wildfires and wildfire response protocol. Implementation The DNR Forest Service has the primary responsibility for suppression of wildfires on all lands within the state. However the agency relies heavily on the initial attack capability of the local volunteer and career fire service agencies within Maryland. The Forest Service shall establish Fire Response Zones to delineate the duties of employees for wildfire suppression response. All Forest Service field employees will receive basic wildfire training (refer to Wildland Fire Training Operation Order) and be available for wildfire response regardless of the Fire Response Zone their office is located in. All field employees will assist in coverage of regional on-call fire schedules (refer to Fire Readiness Operation Order). Fire Response Zones (see Map Figure 1) 1. Limited Response Zone (Blue): Counties of Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Howard, Montgomery, and Prince George s. This zone will maintain a limited wildfire response area. If a Forest Service employee sees a wildfire or is requested by a fire company to assist with a fire plow or to provide incident command expertise at the scene, the employee shall go immediately to the wildfire and employ those persons and means as deemed necessary by the Forest Service employee to extinguish the fire. The

7 agency shall also provide active response when requested for assistance for wildfires occurring on DNR owned or managed lands. Personnel will be available and on-call to respond to requests for assistance as directed in the Fire Readiness Level Operation Order. The Regional Fire Manager in concurrence with the Regional Forester and State Fire Supervisor is to make an assessment of equipment needs and placement of engines and tractor plow units within the limited response zone with the approval of the Director. 2. Active Response Zone (Yellow): All remaining counties. These counties would continue with current active wildfire response. The Forest Service shall provide initial attack response with engines, tractor plows, and other equipment on wildfires. Personnel will be available and on-call to respond for initial and extended attack operations per the current Fire Readiness Level Operation Order. Engines and tractor plow units will be maintained in this area per current operations. Fire Response Zones will be implemented to provide the best coverage in the most critical areas of the state for potential wildfire threat, given the available resources within the Maryland Forest Service. This operation order is effective immediately. Steven W. Koehn Director / State Forester

8 Map Figure 1

9 Maryland Forest Service Western Region Fire Equipment County Facility T4 Engine T6 Engine T7 Engine 650 Dozer 450 TP 350 TP ATV UTV Allegany Allegany Project (Cumberland) Green Ridge Fire Center (Flintstone) Green Ridge State Forest (Flintstone) 2 Frederick Project Office (Gambrill) Garrett Mt Nebo (Oakland) Savage River State Forest (Grantsville) 1 1 Potomac/Garrett S. F. (Oakland) 1 1 Washington Hagerstown Forestry Office 2 Totals Abbreviations: T4 Engine Type 4 Heavy Brush with 1000 gallon capacity T6 Engine Type 6 Brush with gallon capacity T7 Engine Type 7 Light Brush gallon capacity 650 Dozer 650 Heavy Dozer with winch 450 TP 450 Medium Tractor Plow 350 TP 350 Light Tractor Plow ATV All Terrain Vehicle - 4 Wheeler UTV Utility Vehicle - 6 wheel with 50 gallon capacity

10 Maryland Forest Service Southern Region Fire Equipment County Facility T4 Engine T6 Engine T7 Engine 650 Dozer 450 TP 350 TP ATV UTV Anne Arundel Pasadena Work Center 1 Calvert Hallowing Point (Prince Frederick) 1 1 Charles La Plata Office 2 Tenth District VFD (Pisgah) 1 Prince George Cedarville (SR Fire Center) St Mary's Leonardtown Office 1 1 Mechanicsville VFD 1 Totals Abbreviations: T4 Engine Type 4 Heavy Brush with 1000 gallon capacity T6 Engine Type 6 Brush with gallon capacity T7 Engine Type 7 Light Brush gallon capacity 650 Dozer 650 Heavy Dozer with winch 450 TP 450 Medium Tractor Plow 350 TP 350 Light Tractor Plow ATV All Terrain Vehicle - 4 Wheeler UTV Utility Vehicle - 6 wheel with 50 gallon capacity

11 Maryland Forest Service Central Region Fire Equipment County Facility T4 Engine T6 Engine T7 Engine 650 Dozer 450 TP 350 TP ATV UTV Tanker Baltimore Cub Hill Ranger Station Carroll Morgan Run Office 1 Mercer Property (Patapsco) 1 Cecil Black Hill Ranger Station 1 1 Elk Neck State Forest Harford Bel Air Office 2 Madonna Ranger Station 1 1 Montgomery Woodbine Office 1 Totals Abbreviations: T4 Engine Type 4 Heavy Brush with 1000 gallon capacity T6 Engine Type 6 Brush with gallon capacity T7 Engine Type 7 Light Brush gallon capacity 650 Dozer 650 Heavy Dozer with winch 450 TP 450 Medium Tractor Plow 350 TP 350 Light Tractor Plow ATV All Terrain Vehicle - 4 Wheeler UTV Utility Vehicle - 6 wheel with 50 gallon capacity Tanker 1200 gallon capacity

12 Maryland Forest Service Eastern Region Fire Equipment County Facility T4 Engine T6 Engine T7 Engine 650 Dozer 450 TP 350 TP ATV UTV Tanker Marsh Unit Caroline Martinak (Denton) Ayton Nursery (Preston) 1 Dorchester Church Creek Fire Center Queen Anne Upper Shore Project (Centreville) 1 Somerset Lower Shore Project (Princess Anne) Wicomico Powellville Fire Center (Pittsville) Worcester Nassawango Fire Center (Snow Hill) 1 1 Chesapeake Forest Lands (Snow Hill) Pocomoke State Forest (Snow Hill) 1 Totals Abbreviations: T4 Engine Type 4 Heavy Brush with 1000 gallon capacity 350 TP 350 Light Tractor Plow T6 Engine Type 6 Brush with gallon capacity ATV All Terrain Vehicle - 4 Wheeler T7 Engine Type 7 Light Brush gallon capacity UTV Utility Vehicle - 6 wheel with 50 gallon capacity 650 Dozer 650 Heavy Dozer with winch Tanker 1200 gallon capacity 450 TP 450 Medium Tractor Plow Marsh Unit One Bombardier & One Marsh Master II with 110 gal capacity

13 Maryland Forest Service Fire Equipment Summary Region T4 Engine T6 Engine T7 Engine 650 Dozer 450 TP 350 TP ATV UTV Tanker Marsh Unit Western Southern Central Eastern Headquarters Totals Abbreviations: T4 Engine Type 4 Heavy Brush with 1000 gallon capacity T6 Engine Type 6 Brush with gallon capacity T7 Engine Type 7 Light Brush gallon capacity 650 Dozer 650 Heavy Dozer with winch 450 TP 450 Medium Tractor Plow 350 TP 350 Light Tractor Plow ATV All Terrain Vehicle - 4 Wheeler UTV Utility Vehicle - 6 wheel with 50 gallon capacity Tanker 1200 gallon capacity Marsh Unit One Bombardier & One Marsh Master II with 110 gallon capacity

14 Respectively Submitted, Steven W. Koehn, Director / State Forester

15 Maryland Forest Service Report to the Maryland State Firemen s Association December 7, 2008

16 Wildfire Report The Forest Service has responded to 543 wildfires burning 2,421 acres through November of The four regions reported the following statistics for the year: Region # Wildfires Acres Burned Western Southern Central Eastern 294 2,122 The following graphs depict the number of wildfire starts per month that the Forest Service responded to so far in 2008: 2008 Wildfire Starts # Wildfire April March February January July June May August 25 October September 11 December November Month The Forest Service has also completed 24 prescribed burns this year on 517 acres. Interagency Fire In 2008, the Forest Service dispatched a total of three 20-person Type 2 Initial Attack and ten single resource assignments. The three crews and seven of the single resource assignments were in Northern California. One fire service individual also served two fire assignments in Montana and one in Texas on a hurricane assignment.

17 Training The Wildfire Management Staff completed the fall Basic Fire Courses in October with 41 students completing the course. The class will included the NWCG training courses S-130 Wildland Firefighter; S-190 Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior; L-180 Human Factors on the Fireline and I-100 Introduction to ICS. The classroom portion of the Basic Fire Courses is now available online by going to the Forest Service website: then click Wildfire Training. Course administration information is also available on that link. The individual would then be required to complete an eight hour field day skills course and evaluation to receive a NWCG training certificate. The course is also available on CD. Personnel / Staffing The three contractual conversions into classified positions were completed for Forester positions in Montgomery County, Green Ridge State Forest (Allegany), and the Forest Planner in headquarters. Interviews for the Program Manager for the Urban Forestry program will be conducted December 2. In October, the Department of Natural Resources lost 46 positions. This resulted in the elimination of five vacant positions in the Forest Service including two positions that were accepting applications to hire. Those positions included two fiscal & human resource positions in headquarters and three Forester positions in Charles County, Chesapeake Forest (Worcester), and the Western Region Watershed position. This leaves the agency currently with only one vacant Forester position. An exception to hire request has been submitted to DBM to hire a two year contractual position using federal grant funds to conduct Firewise planning activities in the Eastern Region. Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) The 2008 VFA grant awards were announced in August with 37 fire departments in twelve counties receiving awards for $90,112. Projects were to be completed and documentation submitted by November 26. As of December 1, reimbursement has been processed for 31 departments for $75,395, three extensions for departments awaiting delivery of ordered items, and one grant cancelled by the fire department. The below spreadsheet details the awards and reimbursements to date:

18 2008 Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant Reimbursement Volunteer Fire Department County Actual Project Cost Request Award Reimbursement Arcadia VFC Baltimore $4,000 $2,000 $2,000 $2,000 Barton Hose Company Allegany $4,632 $2,304 $2,304 $2,304 Bedford Road VFD Allegany $4,561 $2,193 $2,193 $2,193 Benedict VFDRS Charles $85,000 $3,000 $3,000 Extension Cecilton VFC Cecil $0 $1,300 $1,300 $0 Church Creek VFC Dorchester $7,678 $2,670 $2,670 $2,670 Clear Spring VFC Washington $5,960 $2,980 $2,980 $2,980 Cobb Island VFD Charles $6,626 $3,000 $3,000 $3,000 Cordova VFA Talbot $2,838 $900 $900 $900 Corriganville VFC Allegany $5,900 $2,950 $2,950 $2,950 Crisfield VFD Somerset $6,175 $2,770 $2,770 $2,770 East New Market VFC Dorchester $4,118 $2,080 $2,080 $2,059 Eldorado Brookview VFC Dorchester $6,626 $3,000 $3,000 $3,000 Ellerslie VFC Allegany $1,745 $836 $836 $836 First Hose Co of Boonsboro Washington $4,211 $2,085 $2,085 $2,085 Flintstone VFD Allegany $5,972 $2,986 $2,986 $2,986 Freindsville VFRD Garrett $19,750 $3,000 $3,000 $3,000 Funkstown VFC Washington $3,847 $2,000 $2,000 $1,924 Good Will VFD (Lonaconing) Allegany $6,230 $3,000 $3,000 $3,000 Hoopers Island VFC Dorchester $5,626 $2,814 $2,814 $2,813 Hyattstown Montgomery $5,555 $2,719 $2,719 $2,719 Lake Shore VFC Anne Arundel $6,100 $3,000 $3,000 $3,000 LaVale VFD Allegany $2,975 $1,500 $1,500 $1,488 Linkwood Salem VFD Dorchester $5,984 $3,000 $3,000 $2,992 Lloyds VFC Dorchester $9,000 $3,000 $3,000 Marion VFD Somerset $6,559 $3,000 $3,000 $3,000 Maryland Line FPA Baltimore $6,304 $3,000 $3,000 $3,000 Mt. Vernon VFD Somerset $2,658 $1,555 $1,555 $1,329 Neck District VFC Dorchester $9,780 $3,000 $3,000 $3,000 Oldtown VFD Allegany $6,219 $3,000 $3,000 $3,000 Potomac Fire Company # 2 Allegany $3,070 $1,535 $1,535 Potomac Valley VFC Washington $2,613 $1,539 $1,539 $1,307 Ridgely VFD Caroline $4,500 $2,250 $2,250 Extension Shaft VFD Allegany $5,473 $2,593 $2,593 $2,593 Taylors Island VFC Dorchester $3,221 $1,553 $1,553 $1,553 Upper Montgomery VFD Montgomery $9,048 $3,000 $3,000 Extension Vienna VFC Dorchester $5,888 $3,000 $3,000 $2,944 Total $286,442 $90,112 $90,112 $75,395

19 Heavy Equipment Replacement In November, the Forest Service took delivery of a new Marsh Master II. It is an amphibious unit that will be used mainly on marsh fires on the eastern shore. The unit can be used of tracking of firelines in the marsh and also has a 110 gallon suppression unit. It is stationed at the Dorchester County office in Church Creek. Respectively Submitted, /s/ Montgomery R. Mitchell Monte R. Mitchell, State Fire Supervisor