Single Publication

A Forest Service Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team has been established by the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest to begin a post-fire burned area assessment of National Forest System lands that burned in the Davis Fire. BAER assessments can take up to two weeks to complete depending on size and complexity of the fire.

“BAER is an emergency program that conducts a risk assessment and develops a plan for stabilization work that involves time-critical activities to be completed before the first damaging storms,” said Kendal Young, Natural Resource and Planning Staff Officer for the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. “Emergency response efforts are focused on the protection of human life and safety, and property, as well as critical cultural and natural resources.”

He also explained that the Davis Fire BAER Team is also coordinating with the Washoe County, Truckee Meadow Fire Protection District, State of Nevada, Natural Resources Conservation Service, American Farm Bureau, National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Geological Survey, and U.S. Army Corp of Engineers.

Team leaders are Dirk Netz, Forest Service BAER Coordinator, and Meagan Carter, Forest Service BAER Co-Coordinator. The team consists of scientists in hydrology, geology, soil science, botany, biology, and archeology and specialists in geographic information system (GIS), recreation, and road engineering.

The Davis Fire BAER Team is currently conducting field surveys and using science-based models to rapidly evaluate and assess the burned area. This is the first step in assessing potential impacts from wildfires to any Forest Service values that may be at-risk from potential increased flooding, sedimentation, debris flows, and rockslides.

“The information gathered will help the team produce a report that describes potential threats associated with the burned area’s post-fire conditions,” Young said. “Recommended emergency stabilization measures and actions may be included in this report.” He added that the team will share their findings with local agencies to assist them with their analysis of private and county lands affect by the Davis Fire.

Additional information on understanding the BAER program, process, and other post-fire information will be posted on the Davis Fire Burned Area Emergency Response page found at: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/nvhtf-davis-fire-burned-area-emergency-response-baer.