HFQLG Project Evaluation Form

Transcription

1 HFQLG Project Evaluation Form Project Names: Old Station Timber Sale Jawbone Project interface with Brown s Fire Lost Fire Mastication Project South Station DFPZ Interface with Sugarloaf Fire Project Types: Old Station Timber Sale This project was designed to enhance community protection from wildfire by reducing both surface and ladder fuels adjacent to the Old Station community. It was also designed to improve forest health by reducing conifer stocking and masticating brush (see information and diagrams in Appendix 1, field trip handout). Jawbone Project interface with Brown s Fire A fuel reduction project to provide greater protection to the community of Hat Creek. This mastication and chainsaw thinning project reduced surface and ladder fuels to break up the continuity of vertical and horizontal fuels and reduced the wildfire threat to the community (see photos in Appendix 1, field trip handout). The Brown s Fire entered, and was extinguished within the fuel reduction project area. Lost Fire Mastication Project Implemented a service contract using mastication technique to remove trees 2-9 inches diameter at breast height and brush. Additionally a pheromone treatment was applied to control pine shoot borer moth (see photos in Appendix 1, field trip handout). South Station DFPZ Interface with Sugarloaf Fire Implemented a timber sale contract to develop Defensible Fuel Profile Zones that would be part of a larger strategic system. Before the surface fuels treatment was complete the Sugarloaf Fire burned 140 acres of the project area (see photos in Appendix 1, field trip handout). Forest: Lassen Ranger District: Hat Creek Ranger District Date: June 25, 2010 Attendance: 24 People Agency- Tim Holabird, Congressman Tim McClintock office. Public- Frank Stewart, Counties Forester and Quincy Library Group; Rich Coakley, concerned citizen; Donald Curtis, Hat Creek Valley Fire Safe Council; Dean Lofthus, Fruitgrowers; John Parrish, Hat Creek Valley Fire Safe Council and Chief Old Station Fire Department; Cerise Chico and Wendi Chico, Day Lassen Bench Fire Safe Council; Bruce Olsen, Franklin Logging; Robert Hoover, Sierra Pacific Industries, Burney; Ray Manley, Hat Creek Valley Fire Safe Council and Deputy Fire Chief of Old Station. USFS- Kit Mullen, Acting Lassen NF Forest Supervisor and Hat Creek District Ranger; Scott Stawiarski, Lassen Forest Silviculturist; Matt Staudacher, Acting Hat Creek District Ranger and District Silviculturist; Michael Holmes, Forest Fuels Officer; Debbie Mayer, District Fire Management Officer; Dale Newby, Fuels Officer; Mary Price, NEPA Planner; Colin Dillingham, HFQLG Monitoring Team Leader; Greg Mayer, Timber Sale Officer; Linda Tiffin, Lassen National Forest Visitor Center Manager; Ester Miranda-Cole, Lassen NF Assistant Public Affairs Officer; Don Chase, Plumas NF, Feather River RD NEPA Planner; EJ Solomon, Plumas NF, Feather River RD Culturist.

2 Type of treatment and acres: Old Station Timber Sale: 602 acres of mechanical thinning by commercial timber sale. Total project area includes 1649 acres of mastication, prescribed fire and mechanical thinning. The Old Station project was reviewed during this field trip and the Penny Pines Plantation project was reviewed during the 2009 field trip. Jawbone Wildland Urban Interface (WUI): This project included 95 acres of mastication and 335 acres (120 acres completed) of chainsaw thinning to reduce surface and ladder fuels to break up the continuity of vertical and horizontal fuels and reduce the wildfire threat to the community Lost Fire Mastication Project Implemented 1820 acres of mastication to create a DFPZ. There was also 216 acres of pheromone treatment to control the western pine shoot borer moth. South Station DFPZ Interface with Sugarloaf Fire Implemented a timber sale contract to develop Defensible Fuel Profile Zones that would be part of a larger strategic system. Before the surface fuels treatment was complete the Sugarloaf Fire burned 140 acres of the project area (see photos in Appendix 1, field trip handout). Hat Creek projects 2010 monitoring review Resource Area Attribute Objective Source of Objective Silviculture, Old Station Timber Sale Hydrology, Old Station Timber Sale Soils, Old Station Timber Sale Fuels, Old Station Timber Sale Fuels, Jawbone Project WUI, Jawbone Project Silviculture, Jawbone Project Community, Jawbone Project Improve Forest Health Riparian Protection Soil Cover Surface Fuels Ladder Fuels Fire Fighter Safety Residual Stand Health Community Protection Reduce interspecific competition Protect stream while allowing for treatment in Hat Creek Riparian Zone Meet LRMP objectives to maintain soil cover Less than 5 tons per acre of surface fuels Remove ladder fuels Create area to allow fire fighters ability to fight fire safely Maintain a healthy stand on site Protect the community during wildfire event EA EA Lassen NF LRMP HFQLG FEIS, Appendix J HFQLG FEIS, Appendix J EA Discussion Topic Fire Safe Council Degree Met Partial, more treatment planned No Comments The thinning project will allow for less competition and increased vigor of remaining trees The 300 foot riparian zone was entered with mechanical harvesting equipment to prevent impacts from catastrophic wildfire. Limited soil cover loss post-treatment meets LRMP objectives Follow-up underburn planned to treat surface fuels. Treatment rearranged ladder fuels which allowed fire fighters to suppress Brown Fire Fire crews used project area to stop Brown Fire. Lost majority of stand in most areas due to long burning period during burn out operations Jawbone Mastication area used to help stop the Brown Fire. Burn out operation conducted in the mastication area.

3 Resource Area Fuels, Lost Fire Mastication Silviculture, Lost Fire Mastication Silviculture, Lost Fire Mastication Fuels, Station 4 Timber Sale Attribute Objective Source of Objective Surface Fuels Tree Spacing Insect Infestation Surface Fuels Less than 5 tons per acre of surface fuels Thin trees Reduce moth population so residual stand has proper leader development Less than 5 tons per acre of surface fuels HFQLG FEIS, Appendix J North Coble EA Forest Health Protection Staff HFQLG FEIS, Appendix J Degree Met No Comments Near complete decomposition of masticated material. Trees and brush masticated to remove competing vegetation. Pheromone treatment for western pine shoot borer moth. Although a contract was in place, the project had not yet been completed. Surface fuels not treated prior to Sugarloaf fire, 140 acres of project area killed during wildfire. Discussion of Old Station Timber Sale (post-treatment): Old Station Timber Sale Kit Mullen discusses the purpose of the project. Old Station project was designed to enhance community protection from wildfire by reducing both surface and ladder fuels. It was also designed to improve forest health by reducing stocking density. The target basal area objective of 100 square feet per acre was reached and the resulting stand is expected to respond positively to the newly available resources.

4 Discussion of Old Station Timber Sale (continued): Old Station Timber Sale Fire Safe Council members discuss the effectiveness of the project. Although the timber sale brings the area much closer to desired conditions, the area is not ready to withstand a wildfire yet. A follow-up underburn is planned to complete construction of the DFPZ adjacent to the community of Big Springs and the Big Springs Campground. Old Station Timber Sale District Timber Sale Officer Greg Mayer discusses special management within the riparian zone. To maintain high organic cover on soils to prevent erosion, yarding equipment placed slash along the skid trails and crushed it on top of the soil. This was considered to be an effective mitigation technique. Fire management officers did not consider the small patches of surface fuels to impact the efficacy of the fuels reduction project. Old Station Timber Sale Adjacent to the riparian zone, aspen and cottonwood trees were selected with priority for retention during the harvest operations.

5 Discussion of Jawbone fuel reduction project and Brown Fire: Jawbone Project impacted by Brown Fire Matt Staudacher, District Silviculturist, and Debbie Mayer, District Fuels Management Officer, give an overview of the Jawbone project. They described that the purpose of the mastication project was to rearrange the ladder fuels and give firefighters an opportunity to utilize the site to fight fire from. A fire crew used the fuels reduction project to implement a back fire and the Brown Fire did not burn into the community of Hat Creek. The mastication project, which rearranged but did not remove surface fuels, still allowed much of the stand to be killed by the resultant heat during burn out operations. Discussion of DFPZ construction in historical Lost Fire area: Lost Fire Plantation Mastication Project Mary Price explained the historical Lost Fire and the 1,820 acres of plantation that were masticated along a strategic network to both create a fuel break as well as improve forest health. Lost Fire Plantation Mastication Project Matt Staudacher explained problem with insects attacking the leaders of the pines. Treatment with a pheromone was completed to confuse the insects and prevent damage to the trees. Monitoring indicates the treatment was effective. Future treatment is likely going to be necessary as moth populations rebuild.

6 Sugarloaf Fire/Hat Creek Rim Overlook Kit Mullen explains the devastating effects the Sugarloaf Wildfire had on the forest along the rim. The fire burned up to the ridge from below at high intensity. This momentum carried the fire over the ridge and killed the stand along the Hat Creek Rim. The restroom, which is made out of cement, survived the fire and is still operational. Sugarloaf Fire/Hat Creek Rim Overlook Hat Creek Rim Overlook view point into the Hat Creek Valley. Very few trees survived the intense fire. Sugarloaf Mtn in the background had some survival in the rocky ground where there was less fuel to feed the wildfire. Sugarloaf Fire Tim Holabird from Congressman Tom McClintock s office and Dean Lofthus from Fruitgrowers discuss the effects of the fire. The private land owned by Fruitgrowers has already been salvage logged and McClintock was questioning why more material from National Forest lands was not being salvaged. The forest behind the Hat Creek Rim Overlook (background of photo), had high mortality. Trees further from the rim experienced less fire severity and greater survivorship.

7 South Station (Station 4 Timber Sale Project) as impacted by Sugarloaf Fire District Fuels Management Officer Debbie Mayer explains why the Defensible Fuel Profile Zone failed when the Sugarloaf fire burned at high intensity before the surface fuels were treated. The high intensity fire killed the entire stand, which was harvested as part of the still active Station 4 Timber Sale. Frank Stewart suggested that we get our public affairs officers involved in bringing in more media to tell the story of our treatments and wildfire effects. Follow up actions: Complete surface fuel treatments in Old Station timber sale area. Burn piles in Jawbone Project area. Work with Public Affairs personnel to develop a program to explain the forest and wildfire stories as associated with Herger-Feinstein Quincy Library Group projects. Notes prepared by HFQLG Monitoring Team Leader: /s/ Colin Dillingham Date: July 9, 2010 Reviewed by Acting District Ranger: /s/ Matt A. Staudacher Date: July 21, 2010 (District Silviculturist)

8 Appendix 1. Field Trip Handout Hat Creek QLG Monitoring Field Trip June 25, 2010

9 Stop #1: Old Station Timber Sale NEPA Project: Old Station Wildland Urban Interface Vegetation Treatment Project Decision Signed: August 8, 2008 Project Purpose: This project was designed to enhance community protection from wildfire by reducing both surface and ladder fuels for Old Station. It was also designed to improve forest health by reducing conifer stocking and masticating brush. Treatments Identified: Treatment Description Acres (Approxim Hand Treatment/Mastication/ Prescribed Burn Cut, pile, and burn trees less than 10.0 diameter. Masticate brush and trees as needed to facilitate prescribed burning. Underburn surface fuels Hand Treatment/Pile Burn Cut, pile, and burn trees less than 10.0 diameter. Mechanical Thin/Prescribed Cut and remove conifers until the desired Burn stocking level has been reached. Mechanical Thin/Masticate Cut and remove conifers within the plantation until the desired stocking level has been reached. Treatments Completed to Date: Treatment Acres (Approx.) Hand Treatment/Mastication/Prescribed Burn 150 Hand Treatment/Pile Burn 94 Mechanical Thin/Prescribed Burn Thinning Completed Mechanical Thin/Masticate Plantations Thinning completed Acres within ate) RHCA

10 Old Station Timber Sale: This sale is part of the Old Station Wildland Urban Interface Vegetation Project near Big Springs campground and Hat Creek. The sale was sold on August 8, It was harvested in the winter and spring of Stand 18 is located on the east side of Hat Creek. The following table shows both pre-treatment and post-treatment for that stand. The forest health objective was to reduce the stocking to approximately 100 ft 2 per acre. Conifer Information Stand 18 Pre Treatment Tree Data Trees Per Acre Basal Area Per Acre Canopy Cover 59%-63% 33% Post Treatment Tree Data SDI (>100%MaxSDI) 152 (41.6% MaxSDI) (MaxSDI: 365) Ave. Diameter CWHR EPN3D/EPN4D EPN4P Figure 1. Old Station TS. Post Thinning Figure 2. SVS Post Thinning Simulation 1

11 Stop #2: Jawbone/Brown s Fire NEPA Decision Document: The Jawbone Wildland Urban Interface Fuel Reduction Project Categorical Exclusion/Decision Memo Decision Signed: June 29, 2007 Project Purpose: To provide greater protection to the community of Hat Creek. To reduce surface and ladder fuels to break up the continuity of vertical and horizontal fuels and reduce the wildfire threat to the community. Treatments Identified: Treatment Description Acres Manual Treatment/Piling/Pile 335 Burning/Underburning Mechanical Treatment and Underburning Treatments Completed: Remove small conifers and hardwoods, brush, and other surface fuels. Underburn if needed. Remove brush, small hardwoods, and conifers followed by underburning Treatment Acres (Approx.) Manual Treatment/Piling/Pile Burning/Underburning 120 Mechanical Treatment and Underburning 97 Brown s Fire: The Brown s fire was started by lightning on August 1, It burned through the northern part of the Jawbone project area, including the mastication unit and a portion of the hand treated areas. It burned through the mastication unit and a portion the hand treatment areas. The following photos show portions of Brown Butte both before and after the fire. 95 Figure 3. Brown Butte Before treatment 1 Figure 4. Mastication unit after fire 1 Stop #3 Lost Fire Mastication NEPA Document: North Coble Environmental Assessment First Decision Signed: July 31, 2001 Second Decision (plantation treatment only): August 10, 2007

12 Treatment Purpose: A field evaluation was conducted in February 2006 by Forest Health Protection staff. They noted that the plantation was being attacked by three insects: western pine shoot borer, sequoia pitch moth, and pine needle sheathminer. Of the three insects causing damage, the one causing the most serious infestation was the western pine shoot borer. Treatments: Treatment Description Acres Mastication Removal of trees 2.0 to 9.0 along with brush and other debris (dead branches, etc.) to a spacing of 20 feet by 20 feet MalEx Application Pheromone treatment for western pine shoot borer moth. The following photos show both treated and untreated t 216 Figure 5. Mastication/MalEx Treatment 1 Figure 6. Leader Growth of treated pine 1 Figure 7. Untreated Pine Figure 8. Multiple leaders on untreated pine

13 Stop #4: South Station/Sugarloaf Fire NEPA Decision Document: South Station Project Decision Signed: August 9, 2003 Project Purpose: To develop Defensible Fuel Profile Zones (DFPZs) that would become part of a larger strategic system that spanned the HF-QLG pilot project area. DFPZs would provide fire suppression personnel a relatively safe location to fight wildfire and take suppression action. Treatments Identified: Treatment Description Acres Mechanical Thinning Thin by removing the smallest trees (those receiving little or no sunlight) 5,500 Underburning Prescribed fire to reduce surface 11,850 fuels (needles, twigs, grass). Machine Piling and Burning Pile and burn surface fuels 120 Manual Thinning Chainsaw cutting, hand-piling, pile burning trees less than 10.0 diameter 20 Plantation treatments Aspen Release Treatments Completed to Date: Treatment Thinning, limbing, hand-piling, pile burning, and underburning Conifer removal within aspen areas Acres Completed or under contract Mechanical Thinning 4,500 Underburning 500 Machine Piling and Burning 500 Manual Thinning 0 Plantation treatments Thinning completed Aspen Release 30 Sugarloaf Fire: The Sugarloaf fire was started by lightning on August 1, The fire burned through the western portion of the South Station project area. Although some of the thinning had been accomplished through service contracts and timber sales, not all of the surface fuel work had been completed. A machine-piling contract was in place to treat the remaining surface fuels. However, before the contract was initiated, the fire burned about 140 acres of the area. The Station 4 Timber Sale was also in the area. Work in that timber sale had not started and a portion of the sale was burned. The burned area was harvested last fall and planted this spring. The following photos show portions Sugarloaf fire in the South Station area

14 Figure 9 Sugarloaf Fire in South Station 1 Figure 10 Sugarloaf Fire in South Station 1