U.S. Forest Service Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Program

Transcription

1 U.S. Forest Service Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Program Pre and Post Wildfire Conference Sacramento, CA Feb. 10, 2010 Brent Roath, Regional Soil Scientist/BAER Coordinator USFS, Pacific Southwest Region 1

2 Burned Area Emergency Response Program Objectives Identify significant post-fire threats (to human life and safety, property and critical natural or cultural resources ) and take immediate actions to manage unacceptable risks. 2

3 FS BAER Authority FS BAER fund expenditure limited to National Forest Lands. Other ownership lands - Natural Resource Conservation Service Emergency Watershed Protection program and other local, state, or federally declared emergencies. 3

4 BAER Values at Risk Human life and safety Property (such as NF roads, trails, structures and infrastructure facilities) Cultural Resources Natural Resources 4

5 Emergency program BAER is a rapid assessment process, not a detailed survey. Assessment report completion deadline is 7 days from the fire containment date. Assessment begins before fire containment. RO and WO have 3 business days each to review and make funding decisions. 5

6 Inter-Agency Coordination Early in process, Forest Service BAER Teams contact and maintain communication with other affected governmental agencies. Natural Resource Conservation Service Emergency Watershed Protection program Local city, county, state agencies Other federal agencies such as BLM, NPS, USFWS, USGS, National Weather Service. 6

7 BAER 3 components Assessment Implementation Monitoring 7

8 a BAER Assessment team Team Leader Assistant Team Leader -if fire large or complex Team Members Soil scientists Hydrologists Geologists Road Engineers Archaeologists Wildlife /Fisheries Biologists GIS specialists Botanists Recreation specialists Large or complex Fires- add Safety Officer Logistics /Purchasing Public Information Officer, PIO Inter-agency Coordinator Cost-Benefit Analyst 8

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10 BAER Assessment Process Soil Burn Severity map Has the fire changed soil properties related to the erosion potential and its capacity to absorb precipitation? Soil heating-- Was surface soil structure or aggregation changed? Were fine roots in surface consumed? Was soil wetability changed? hydrophobicity SBS is used with loss of soil cover and other hydrologic factors to predict watershed response. 10

11 Soil Burn Severity Map Satellite imagery compare pre and post fire reflectance (BARC) source, USFS - RSAC- Salt Lake City Ground checked by soil scientists and hydrologists observing soil condition Finalize Soil Burn Severity map. SBS map used to priortize field assessment work. Focus on High SBS areas. 11

12 Soil Burn Severity - 30% Low; 52% Mod; 18% High 12

13 29 N9 9A Y N1 9 N24 Y 41 N 20 Y N2 5 N2 9 B Fire Perimeter Road_Route N62 Trail_RouteN41E SoilsClip 5 N N4 Unburned Very Low Low 26N03 Moderate High 1 C 26N1 3 N0 0C B N0 0 N02 C1 29N 46 N 02D N 26X N 35 N3 1A E 54 N 42 F1 2 7N0 7 N 07C N5 6B N0 9 53A N 3 N N N1 0 N 36 N5 4 N4 3 N51B 2 N51A N N4 1 2C N4 PC 213 N46 L Legend d 1 54B 26N 26N 54 N71 N N4 3G 2 N43D B N0 PC YA N02 N5 9 2C N0 N N 26 6 N0 Unburned 7%; Low 18%; Mod. 37%; High 38% 8C N0 2 5 N A 29 N 9 N9 29B N D N56 8A N0 N51C 9 N0 26N30 51 N PC112 Miles 1.4 A N4 N 5A N PC N0 9C 8 N0 4 B 57 N5 6 9B N0 7 N5 N32B Y N 32 N 48 N 00 N 2 N8 9X N1 N N0 0 Plumas County N 70 N31 3 N0 65 N Y 7A N1 5 N9 9 N6 03J N N0 9D 2C N7 MOONLIGHT 7 N N1 N N19A N3 4 N4 8 9E N0 N77 54 N 9 N3 0B 8 N N N3 0C 40A N LNFN03 B 39 9D N1 B N 15 19C N 9 N1 06 N N23 Lassen County 02P N 08 N N52 N02 Lassen County N N02N N02J 5A N1 9N46 LNF2 N95 N5 2A N15 B N N20 Moonlight Fire Soil Burn Severity

14 Assessment Steps continued 1. Identify Values at Risk and threats 2. Estimate PROBABILITY that damaging event could occur X expected CONSEQUENCE = RISK 3. Risk level Is there a Emergency? 4. Plan treatments that will substantially reduce the risk, are proven to be effective, can be implemented before first damaging storm or event and are cost effective. 5. If treatments feasible, request funding. 6. Implement the approved treatments. 7. Monitor treatment effectiveness. 14

15 BAER Manual- Treatment Priorities Order of treatment preference. 1. Natural recovery 2. Administrative closures 3. Other measures 15

16 BAER Manual- Treatment Priorities 1. Natural recovery. In situations where no emergency exists or where practical preventive measures are not feasible Warnings and coordination with government agencies still done. 16

17 BAER Manual- Treatment Priorities Order of treatment preference. 2. Administrative closures. In situations where an emergency exists and (a) it is possible to restrict access to protect public health and safety or (b) where use may significantly delay recovery, administrative closures must be used. 17

18 BAER Manual- Treatment Priorities Order of treatment preference. 3. Other measures. For other emergency situations, proven measures should be applied to manage risks. 18

19 BAER Treatment Funding Process The BAER Team completes Assessment report and gives Close Out presentation to Forest Supervisor and staff. The Forest approves treatment plan. The Forest requests funding from the Regional Forester. If request > $ 500,000 then funding request is sent to WO for review. 19

20 Implementation of Treatments For large fires Implementation planning begins while Assessment Team still working Implementation Team formed Often carried out by Forest staff and contracts Monitoring Primary purpose is to determine if a treatment is still working or if it needs maintenance or repair. 20

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22 Kinds of Treatments 22

23 Land Treatments Mulch burned hillslopes. Materials Weed free rice or wheat straw, Wood Straw, masticated woody material Ground or aerial application Other Land treatments Noxious Weed control Heritage site stabilization Hazardous Material Stabilization 23

24 Hand Mulching 24

25 Hand Mulching 25

26 Wood Straw Hand Application 26

27 Helicopter Mulching Rice Straw

28 Release from cargo net

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30 Results 30

31 Windy Site??? 31

32 Aerial Hydromulch 32

33 Hydromulch results 33

34 Results on ground 34

35 Channel Treatments Straw Bale Check Dams Directional tree felling 35

36 Straw Bale Check Dams 36

37 Directional tree felling 37

38 Road Treatments Principle concern is runoff water control Possible Road Treatments Culvert inlet cleaning Grade road to restore drainage function Storm patrol Relief dips below culverts in case they fail Add rolling dips and armor dip outlets Rock culvert outlets Trash racks Add risers or snorkels to culvert inlet Upsize culverts, if necessary 38

39 Trail Treatments Ensure runoff water control to prevent damage to trail and slopes below Key locations Stream crossings Avoid trail capturing stream. Long sustained grades- Are cross drains (water bars) frequent enough to reduce concentration of runoff? 39

40 Protection and Safety Treatments Administrative closures to keep public out of dangerous areas and to avoid disturbance of burned lands to allow natural recovery. Warning Signs posted Replace guard rails Hazard tree felling Protect cultural sites from vandalism T & E species habitat protection measures. 40

41 Summary BAER is a emergency response program, not a long term rehabilitation program. BAER Objectives - Identify significant post-fire threats and IF necessary and feasible take actions to manage unacceptable risks. Actions must be proven to be effective, must be able to be implemented before the damaging event, and be cost effective. 41