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Forest Service BAER and California WERT Specialists Assess Soil Burn Severity in Park Burn Area

On Sunday August 25, 2024, the Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team and the California Watershed Emergency Response Team (WERT) came together for a collaborative field trip. The primary focus of their burn area visit within the Park Fire was to share expertise and enhance and understanding between both teams on key issues like land movement and soil burn severity.

This collaborative approach is essential in better predicting and mitigating the impacts of post-fire events in areas affected by the recent Park wildfire.

The first portion of the field trip was spent discussing and observing previous debris flows and land movement in areas with similar geologic features and burn patterns to the Park Fire. The teams reviewed past events to understand what occurred on the ground after these events and how such shared knowledge can guide federal and state land management decisions in the aftermath of the current Park Fire. 

These discussions are crucial for preparing both teams to anticipate and respond to potential hazards effectively.

The day then shifted to examining soil burn severity and soil loss resulting from fire impacts. Classifying soil burn severity consistently between both teams is critical to managing burned landscapes and watersheds post-fire. Additionally, assessing soil loss and its causes as a unified team adds immense value to both agency efforts predicting soil productivity, soil loss, and how to manage the land into the future.

The exchange of information and shared insights during this field trip strengthens the overall response and ensures better protection of our natural resources, and critical values for both teams moving forward when assessing future California wildfires.

NOTE: See related photos to this article under the “Photos” Tab on this Park Post-Fire BAER InciWeb page: Calnf Park Postfire Baer Incident Photographs | InciWeb (wildfire.gov).

BAER SAFETY MESSAGE: Everyone near and downstream from the burned areas should remain alert and stay updated on weather conditions that may result in heavy rains and increased water runoff. Flash flooding may occur quickly during heavy rain events--be prepared to act. Current weather and emergency notifications can be found at the National Weather Service website: www.weather.gov/sto/.

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