RIVER COMPLEX POST-FIRE BAER ASSESSMENT REPORT RELEASED

The Forest Service, Klamath and Shasta-Trinity National Forests recently completed a post-fire assessment for emergency stabilization measures and actions on National Forest System (NFS) lands burned by the River Complex fires.  The emergency treatments and activities are designed to decrease possible impacts to critical values from the burned area such as: life and safety, property, critical natural resources, and cultural resources.

NOTE: Attached below as “Related Information” is a PDF document called “River Complex Post-Fire BAER 2500-8 Report_PUBLIC”.

SPECIAL 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 and landslides may occur quickly during heavy rain events and residents and forest visitors need to be prepared to take action. Current weather and emergency notifications can be found at the National Weather Service websites: https://www.weather.gov/eka/ and https://www.weather.gov/sto/.

RIVER COMPLEX POST-FIRE BAER SOIL BURN SEVERITY MAP RELEASED 

USDA Forest Service Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) is a multi-disciplinary team that assesses post-fire impacts on federal lands following significant wildfires. The role of the assessment team is to characterize fire effects within the burned area to identify imminent post-fire threats to human life, safety, property, infrastructure, and critical natural and cultural resources on NFS lands and recommend emergency response actions designed to mitigate identified risks. After the assessment, local land managers establish an organization to implement the protective and stabilization treatments that have been approved by the Forest Service Regional and National offices.

The team begins their assessment immediately after the fire threat passes. Their focus is on direct effects to the burned landscape caused by the fire, rather than from fire suppression activities which are the responsibility of the Incident Management Team assigned to the fire. Post-fire effects such as loss of vegetation and change in soil stability commonly increase the likelihood of threats that include accelerated soil erosion, increased sediment delivery, flooding and debris flows.

BAER specialists recently completed their field data evaluation to produce the Soil Burn Severity (SBS) map for the 208,358-acre River Complex, which consists of the Haypress-Summer and Cronan fires. The map and the data delineate Unburned/Very Low, Low, Moderate and High SBS categories. Across the River Complex burned area, approximately 66% of the fire is either Unburned/Very Low and/or Low SBS, while 29% sustained a Moderate SBS and about 5% High SBS.

The SBS data estimates the acreage of landownership burned within the River Complex to be: 100,394 acres for the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, 99,873 acres for the Klamath National Forest and 8,091 acres of private/other lands.

It is important to note the SBS map product is an estimate of fire effects on soils and not direct effects to vegetation. SBS characterizes the soil surface and below-ground impact, whereas effects on vegetation are estimates of mortality based primarily on changes in vegetation canopy. Changes in overhead and understory vegetation canopy are often used as initial indicators of overall burn severity, but do not necessarily coincide with SBS.

Changes in soil cover, water repellency, and soil physical/biological conditions guide the interpretations to determine the severity burn level of the soil. Water repellency can occur naturally in soils and changes as a function of fire are a frequently discussed as a post-fire effect. Fire can increase the strength and thickness (or depth) of water repellent layers in soil, considerably affecting post-fire water runoff and possibly extending time for recovery of the burned area.

Low SBS occurs from partial consumption of fine fuels, where broken limbs, needles and ground cover are relatively unchanged and intact on the soil surface. Burning at the soil surface was short in time and discontinuous, leaving root systems and soil physical and biological conditions undamaged. Based on the ecological community, burned vegetation will generally recover to pre-fire conditions within 1 to 2 years. Low SBS generally indicates a low to very low risk.

Moderate SBS occurs where 50 to 80 percent of pre-fire soil cover (litter and ground fuels) was consumed by fire. Charring of the mineral soil is patchy or sporadic and plant roots within the soil may be scorched but are rarely consumed. Water repellency is often found at the surface, sometimes increasing in strength and depth which reduces the ability of precipitation to infiltrate the soil surface. The extent of scorched leaves and needles on trees and shrubs (aka canopy) varies and can reflect a range in mortality from high to low, which is why a closer look at the ground is required to determine SBS. Needle cast from fire-damaged or killed trees will provide ground cover to replace the organic soil cover that was consumed by the fire. Where greater amounts of reduced soil cover and increased water repellency occur, increased overland flow of water from precipitation is expected, most notably in locations where the overstory canopy no longer exists. Recovery of burned understory vegetation in these areas can take 3 to 5 years thereby increasing the short-term potential for post-fire threats.

High SBS is the result of high fire severity that corresponds with longer burning time at the soil surface. As a result of the high, longer duration heat nearly all the pre-fire soil cover and ground fuels have been consumed. The surface mineral soil structure can be reduced to powder (single grain), sometimes several inches thick with a continuous cover of white or gray ash. The fine and small roots of shrubs and grasses tend to be completely consumed. Water repellency does not exist at the surface because the organic materials have been vaporized and forced downward into pore spaces and voids between soil particles below the damaged soil surface. Water repellency layers tend to be stronger, thicker and occur deeper compared to Moderate SBS. Fire-adapted shrubs and vegetation such as bear clover, manzanita, and deer brush can sprout back within 2 to 3 years because of intact roots systems. However, seed sources for some grass species are consumed in High SBS which may take 5 or more years to re-establish to pre-fire conditions. Generally, there is 100% tree mortality in High SBS and conifer recovery will take many years without tree planting. In High SBS, the exposed bare soil is very prone to post-fire impacts. The damaged soil is very easily detached with rain events causing excessive soil erosion, resulting in higher volumes of sediment delivery to adjacent creeks and rivers. There is increased likelihood for flooding and debris flows. These threats can individually or cumulatively increase the risk to human life and safety, property, infrastructure, and important critical natural and cultural resources.

The River Complex BAER assessment team used initial remote sensing imagery with field-validated soils data to produce the final SBS map. The BAER team and the US Geological Survey (USGS) both use the SBS map as an analysis tool to estimate post-fire erosion with subsequent sediment delivery, stream flows and debris flow probabilities.

The River Complex Fire soil burn severity map can be downloaded at the “River Complex Post-Fire BAER” InciWeb site (https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7868/) as a JPEG or PDF version under the “Maps” tab.

SPECIAL NOTE: 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 and landslides may occur quickly during heavy rain events-be prepared to take action. Current weather and emergency notifications can be found at the National Weather Service websites: https://www.weather.gov/eka/ and https://www.weather.gov/sto/.

FOREST SERVICE BAER TEAM BEGINS

POST-FIRE ASSESSMENT OF RIVER COMPLEX

After a large wildfire, special actions may be necessary to provide for public and community safety and protect critical natural and cultural resources on federal managed lands. For example, loss of vegetation exposes soil to erosion; water runoff may increase and lead to flooding. Sediment may move downstream damaging roads and infrastructure or put endangered species and cultural resources at risk. The Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) program evaluates these situations on federal lands to help guard the safety of National Forest (NF) visitors and employees, protect federal property, and critical natural or cultural resources from further damage.

A BAER team has been established by the Klamath NF and the Shasta-Trinity NF to begin burned area assessments of the River Complex that recently burned on state, private, and federal lands. The Forest Service BAER team assesses National Forest System (NFS) lands.

BAER assessments are rapid evaluations of the burned area used to identify unacceptable risks on federal lands from post-fire threats and assist land managers in preparing burned areas for potential threats from rainstorms. Teams focus on emergency actions necessary to protect human life and safety, property, and critical natural and cultural resources. They assess potential post-fire impacts to the burned watersheds. Additionally, they coordinate and share information from their assessments with other federal agencies such as the National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries), NOAA National Weather Service (NWS) and US Geological Survey (USGS), state agencies, and local affected counties. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is a federal agency that has post-fire responsibilities on private lands both within and downstream of burned areas.

The Forest Service BAER team assessing the River Complex consists of hydrologists, geologists, soil scientists, road engineers, botanists, biologists, archaeologists, and geographic information system (GIS) specialists. BAER assessment teams collect data during ground and aerial surveys and create maps using GIS and modeling to evaluate post-fire risks. The first step in the BAER assessment process is taking pre-fire and post-fire satellite imagery and data collected during ground surveys to produce a soil burn severity map. The soil burn severity provides baseline information to determine changed watershed conditions for assessing potential watershed impacts from wildfires. This information is compiled and presented to NF leadership along with recommended emergency stabilization treatments and actions in a BAER assessment report.

Rainstorm runoff is sometimes, but not always, increased in burned areas. The Forest Service BAER assessment report will be shared with interagency cooperators who work with downstream private homeowners and landowners to prepare for potential post-fire flooding and debris flow impacts. Homes or businesses that could be impacted by flooding from federal land that result from wildfires may be eligible for flood insurance coverage from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Information about NFIP is available through FEMA at www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program or www.floodsmart.gov/wildfires. Other flood preparedness information is available at www.ready.gov/floods at www.floodsmart.gov/.

SPECIAL NOTE: 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 take action. Current weather and emergency notifications can be found at the National Weather Service websites: https://www.weather.gov/eka/ and https://www.weather.gov/sto/.

Emergency Watershed Protection Program | NRCS California (usda.gov)

NRCS Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP)

What is the EWP

The Emergency Watershed Protection Program, EWP, was created by Congress to respond to emergencies caused by natural disasters. The program is designed to help people reduce imminent hazards to life and property caused by floods, fire, drought, earthquakes, windstorms and other natural disasters.

The purpose of the EWP program is to help communities with a common problem. It is generally not an individual assistance program. All projects undertaken must be sponsored by a political subdivision of the State such as a city, county, or a flood control district.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is responsible for administering the program.

What kind of assistance is available

There are two types of assistance available:

Exigency – An imminent threat to life and property exists and requires immediate federal action. Work must generally be completed within five days of accessing the site in order to protect life and property.

Non-Exigency – A situation where the threat to life and property is high enough to constitute an emergency, but the situation is not considered urgent and compelling. Work in this category does not require immediate action, but should be completed as soon as possible (within 220 days from starting work).

NRCS can pay up to 75 percent of emergency measures. The remaining 25 percent comes from local sources and can be in the form of cash, in-kind services or a combination of both.

What are the criteria for assistance

All EWP work must reduce threats to life and property. Work must be economically and environmentally defensible and sound from an engineering standpoint.

EWP work must yield benefits to more than one person. All work must represent the least expensive environmentally sound alternative.

Who is eligible

Public and private landowners are eligible for assistance but must be represented by a project sponsor. The project sponsor must be a public agency of a state, county, or city government, or a special district.

What does the sponsor have to do

Sponsors are responsible for providing land rights to do repair work and for securing all necessary permits.

Sponsors are also responsible for furnishing the local cost share and for implementation of work. The work can be done either through local contracts administered by the sponsor, or the sponsor can use their own equipment and personnel. If sponsors do not have capability to do the work by either of these options, work can also be done by Federal Contract.

For projects where the sponsors or their consultants prepare designs and contract documents, these documents shall be provided to NRCS for review and approval prior to advertising for bids or starting work. Technical assistance costs borne by the sponsor for design and/or inspection will be compensated as an "in-kind service" toward 25 percent cost share as defined in the project agreement.

NRCS will not allow work to be done in streams outside the time limits specified in the necessary permits.

What kind of work can be done

EWP work is not limited exclusively to any one set of prescribed measures. A case-by-case investigation of the needed work is made by NRCS. EWP work can generally include:

• debris removal from stream channels, road culverts and bridge abutments;
• reshaping and protection of eroding banks;
• correction of damaged drainage facilities;
• repair of levees and structures;
• reseeding of damaged areas.

What EWP cannot do

EWP funds cannot be used to solve problems that existed before the disaster. Nor can they be used to improve the level of protection above that which existed prior to the disaster.

EWP cannot fund operation and maintenance work or repair private or public transportation facilities or utilities.

EWP work cannot adversely affect downstream water rights and EWP funds cannot be used to install measures not essential to the reduction of hazards. In addition, EWP funds cannot be used to perform work on measures installed by another federal agency.

How do I get assistance

If your area has suffered severe damage and may qualify under the EWP program, you are encouraged to contact your local flood control district or County Supervisor to request assistance. City and county governments and flood control districts are the most common sponsors of EWP projects.

The sponsor's application should be in the form of a letter signed by a qualified representative of the sponsoring organization. The letter should include information on the nature, location and scope of the problem for which assistance is requested.

Information is available from NRCS offices which explains the eligibility requirements for the EWP program.

Send applications for assistance to the local NRCS field office or to the NRCS state headquarters in Davis. The address is:

State Conservationist
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
430 G Street, #4164
Davis, CA 95616-4164

All applications should be submitted as soon as possible after the event. 

See related NRCS EWP Information Brochure link below:

AFTER THE FIRE: Toolkits for the Public and Communities
 

The US Department of Agriculture After Fire Toolkit and Information site is where resource managers, landowners, or communities can find guidance for assessing and preventing potential damage due to post-fire flooding and related events. Browse this site to find information on the research, methods, and tools available for measuring and reducing risks associated with post-fire flooding, debris flows and sedimentation:

https://postfiresw.info/

Another AFTER THE FIRE Toolkit has been designed to allow community coalitions, local wildfire coordinating groups, fire districts and other wildfire organizations to respond to post-fire community needs quickly, accurately, and comprehensively.

https://afterthefirewa.org/2014/07/11/after-the-fire-toolkit-now-available/

Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Limitations

While many wildfires cause minimal damage to the land and pose few threats to the land or people downstream, some fires result in damage that requires special efforts to reduce impacts afterwards. Loss of vegetation exposes soil to erosion; water run-off may increase and cause flooding, soil and rock may move downstream and damage property or fill reservoirs putting community water supplies and endangered species at-risk.

The Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) program is designed to identify and manage potential risks to resources on National Forest System lands and reduce these threats through appropriate emergency measures to protect human life and safety, property, and critical natural or cultural resources. BAER is an emergency program for stabilization work that involves time-critical activities to be completed before the first damaging storm event to meet program objectives.

BAER Objectives:

• Determine whether imminent post-wildfire threats to human life and safety, property, and critical natural or cultural resources on National Forest System lands exist and take immediate actions, as appropriate, to manage the unacceptable risks.
• If emergency conditions are identified, mitigate significant threats to human life and safety, Forest Service property and other critical natural and cultural resource values.
• Prescribe emergency response actions to stabilize and prevent unacceptable degradation to natural and cultural resources, to minimize threats to life or property resulting from the effects of a fire, or to repair/replace/construct physical improvements necessary to prevent degradation of land or resources.
• Implement emergency response actions to help stabilize soil; control water, sediment and debris movement and potentially reduce threats to the BAER critical values identified above when an analysis shows that planned actions are likely to reduce risks substantially within the first year following containment of the fire.
• Monitor the implementation and effectiveness of emergency treatments that were applied on National Forest System lands.

BAER Interagency Coordination:

Post-fire emergency response is a shared responsibility. There are several Federal, State and local agencies that have emergency response responsibilities or authorities in the post-fire environment. The BAER team coordinates with these agencies to look at the full scope and scale of the situation to reduce the potential threats to human life and property. It is important that BAER efforts are communicated with all affected and interested cooperating agencies and organizations regarding other post-fire recovery and restoration efforts.

BAER treatments cannot prevent all of the potential flooding or soil erosion impacts, especially after a wildfire-changed landscape. It is important for the public to stay informed and prepared for potentially dramatic increased run-off events.

One of the most effective BAER strategies is interagency coordination to provide post-fire threat information to local cooperators who can assist affected businesses, homes, and landowners to prepare for rain events. For example, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) program for post-emergency assistance on private and tribal land, the National Weather Service (NWS) has responsibility for flood warning alerts, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has flood insurance and other responsibilities if the area is a Presidentially-declared emergency, Resource Conservation Districts (RCD) and counties, as well as State and local-highway and emergency services departments, Flood Control authorities, etc. It is important that landowners work directly with NRCS and other agencies to determine appropriate actions needed to protect private structures and other assets.

BAER Process:

BAER assessment teams are staffed by specially trained professionals that may include: hydrologists, soil scientists, engineers, biologists, botanists, archeologists, and others who evaluate the burned area and prescribe temporary emergency stabilization actions on National Forest System lands to protect the land quickly and effectively. BAER assessments usually begin before a wildfire has been fully contained.

A BAER assessment team conducts field surveys and uses science-based models to rapidly evaluate and assess the burned area and prescribe emergency stabilization measures. The team generates a “Soil Burn Severity” map by using satellite imagery which is then validated and adjusted by BAER team field surveys to assess watershed conditions and model potential watershed response from the wildfire. The map identifies areas of soil burn severity by categories of very low/unburned, low, moderate, and high which may correspond to a projected increase in watershed response. The higher the burn severity, the less the soil will be able to absorb water when it rains. Without absorption, there will be increased run-off with the potential of flooding.

The BAER team presents these findings in an assessment report that identifies immediate and emergency actions needed to address post-fire risks to human life and safety, property, cultural and critical natural resources. This includes early detection and rapid response (EDRR) treatments to prevent the spread of noxious weeds into native plant communities. The BAER report describes watershed pre- and post-fire watershed response information, areas of concern for life and property, and recommended short-term emergency stabilization measures for Forest Service lands that burned.

In most cases, only a portion of the burned area is actually treated. Severely burned areas steep slopes, and places where water run-off will be excessive and may impact important resources, are focus areas and described in the BAER assessment report if they affect critical values. Response action timing is essential to ensure the emergency stabilization measures are effective.

There are a variety of emergency stabilization actions that the BAER team can recommend for Forest Service land such as mulching with agricultural straw or chipped wood to protect soil productivity, increasing road drainage to keep roads and bridges from washing-out during post-fire floods, and early detection rapid response invasive plant treatments to prevent spread of weeds into native plant communities. BAER treatments are preventative in nature but cannot prevent all damage, especially debris torrents in areas that are prone to sliding and have lost critical root structure from plants.

The Cans and Cannots of BAER:

What BAER Can Do:

• Install water or erosion control devices
• Seed or mulch for erosion control or stability reasons
• Install erosion control measures at critical cultural sites
• Install temporary barriers to protect treated or recovering areas
• Install warning signs
• Replace minor safety related facilities, like burned guard rails
• Install appropriate-sized drainage features on roads, trails
• Remove critical safety hazards
• Prevent permanent loss of T&E habitat
• Monitor BAER treatments
• Implement EDRR treatments to minimize the spread of noxious weeds into native plant communities

What BAER Cannot Do:

• Prevent all flooding and debris flows
• Replant commercial forests or grass for forage
• Excavate and interpret cultural sites
• Replace burned pasture fences
• Install interpretive signs
• Replace burned buildings, bridges, corrals, etc.
• Repair roads damaged by floods after fire
• Remove all hazard trees
• Replace burned habitat
• Monitor fire effects
• Treat pre-existing noxious weeds

BAER Funding:

Special Emergency Wildfire Suppression funds are authorized for BAER activities and the amount of these expenses varies with the severity of the fire season. Some years see little BAER activity while other years are extremely busy.

Because of the emergency nature of BAER, initial requests for funding of proposed BAER treatments are supposed to be submitted by the Forest Supervisor to the Regional Office within7 days of total containment of the fire. The Regional Forester’s approval authority for individual BAER projects is limited. Approval for BAER projects exceeding this limit is forwarded onto the Washington Office.

SPECIAL NOTE: Everyone near and downstream from the burned areas should remain alert and stay updated on weather conditions that may result in heavy rains over the burn scars. Flash flooding may occur quickly during heavy rain events-be prepared to take action. Current weather and emergency notifications can be found at the National Weather Service websites: https://www.weather.gov/eka/ and https://www.weather.gov/sto/.

KEY ELEMENTS OF A BAER ASSESSMENT

Forest Service BAER assessment teams are established by Forest Supervisors before wildfires are fully contained. The teams coordinate and work with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS), National Weather Service (NWS), local counties, State Department of Transportation, and other federal, state, and local agencies to strategically assess potential post-fire impacts to the watersheds burned from wildland fires.

The BAER assessment teams are evaluating watershed conditions to determine the level of potential risks to human life, safety, property, critical natural and cultural-heritage resources, and determine if there are appropriate and effective emergency stabilization measures that can be implemented on federal lands in a timely manner to reduce unacceptable risks from potential flooding and debris flow threats.

The BAER assessment team conducts field surveys and uses science-based models to rapidly evaluate and assess the burned area.

BAER assessment teams are staffed by specially trained professionals that may include: hydrologists, soil scientists, engineers, geologists, biologists, botanists, archeologists, geographic information system mapping specialists, recreation and trails specialists, and others who evaluate the burned area and prescribe emergency response actions to protect the land quickly and effectively.

BAER assessments usually begin before a wildfire has been fully contained.

The BAER assessment team generates a “Soil Burn Severity” map by using satellite imagery which is then validated and adjusted by BAER team field surveys to assess watershed conditions and watershed response to the wildfire. The map identifies areas of soil burn severity by categories of low/unburned, moderate, and high which corresponds to a projected increase in watershed response.

The BAER team presents these findings and treatment recommendations to the Forest Supervisor in an assessment report that identifies immediate and emergency stabilization actions needed to address potential post-fire risks to human life and safety, property, cultural-heritage and critical natural resources on National Forest System lands.

The BAER report describes watershed pre- and post-fire response information, areas of concern for human life, safety and property, and recommended short-term emergency stabilization actions for federal lands that burned.

In most cases, only a portion of the burned area is actually treated.

If the BAER assessment team determines there may be potential emergency situations, the short-term goal is to have flood and erosion control protection measures completed before the first large, damaging rain events occur.

Timely implementation is critical if BAER emergency response actions are to be effective.

The BAER assessment team coordinates with other federal and local agencies, and counties that assist private landowners in preparing for increased run-off and potential flooding.

Federal assistance to private landowners regarding post-fire potential impacts is the primary responsibility of the NRCS through the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) program (www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/landscape/ewpp/).

NRCS in coordination with additional state, local and federal agencies conduct damage survey reports for the private land adjacent to and downstream from the burned areas. NRCS uses these reports, along with the BAER team’s assessment report, to develop recommended emergency measures for businesses and private home and landowners to reduce the impacts to their property from potential increased water and debris flows.

SPECIAL NOTE: Everyone near and downstream from the burned areas should remain alert and stay updated on weather conditions that may result in heavy rains over the burn scars. Flash flooding may occur quickly during heavy rain events-be prepared to take action. Current weather and emergency notifications can be found at the National Weather Service websites: https://www.weather.gov/eka/ and https://www.weather.gov/sto/.

FOREST SERVICE BAER PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) program is designed to identify and manage potential risks to resources on National Forest System lands and reduce these threats through appropriate emergency measures to protect human life and safety, property, and critical natural or cultural resources. BAER is an emergency program for stabilization work that involves time-critical activities to be completed before the first damaging event to meet program objectives:

BAER Objectives:

-   Determine whether imminent post-wildfire threats to human life and safety, property, and critical natural or cultural resources on National Forest System lands exist and take immediate actions, as appropriate, to manage the unacceptable risks.

-   If emergency conditions are identified, mitigate significant threats to health, safety, human life, property and critical cultural and natural resources.

-   Prescribe emergency response actions to stabilize and prevent unacceptable degradation to natural and cultural resources, to minimize threats to critical values resulting from the effects of a fire, or to repair/replace/construct physical improvements necessary to prevent degradation of land or resources.

-   Implement emergency response actions to help stabilize soil; control water, sediment and debris movement and potentially reduce threats to the BAER critical values identified above when an analysis shows that planned actions are likely to reduce risks substantially within the first year following containment of the fire.

-   Monitor the implementation and effectiveness of emergency treatments that were applied on National Forest System lands.

While many wildfires cause minimal damage to the land and pose few threats to the land or people downstream, some fires result in damage that requires special efforts to reduce impacts afterwards. Loss of vegetation exposes soil to erosion; water run-off may increase and cause flooding, soil and rock may move downstream and damage property or fill reservoirs putting community water supplies and endangered species at-risk.

The BAER team presents these findings in an assessment report that identifies immediate and emergency actions needed to address post-fire risks to human life and safety, property, cultural and critical natural resources. This includes early detection and rapid response (EDRR) treatments to prevent the spread of noxious weeds into native plant communities. The BAER report describes watershed pre- and post-fire watershed response information, areas of concern for life and property, and recommended short-term emergency stabilization measures for Forest Service lands that burned.

In most cases, only a portion of the burned area is actually treated. Severely burned areas steep slopes, and places where water run-off will be excessive and may impact important resources, are focus areas and described in the BAER assessment report if they affect critical values. Time is critical if the emergency stabilization measures are to be effective.

A BAER assessment team conducts field surveys and uses science-based models to rapidly evaluate and assess the burned area and prescribe emergency stabilization measures. The team generates a “Soil Burn Severity” map by using satellite imagery which is then validated and adjusted by BAER team field surveys to assess watershed conditions and model potential watershed response from the wildfire. The map identifies areas of soil burn severity by categories of very low/unburned, low, moderate, and high which may correspond to a projected increase in watershed response. The higher the burn severity, the less the soil will be able to absorb water when it rains. Without absorption, there will be increased run-off with the potential of flooding.

BAER Funding:

Special Emergency Wildfire Suppression funds are authorized for BAER activities and the amount of these expenses varies with the severity of the fire season. Some years see little BAER activity while other years are extremely busy.

Because of the emergency nature of BAER, initial requests for funding of proposed BAER treatments are supposed to be submitted by the Forest Supervisor to the Regional Office within 7 days of total containment of the fire. The Regional Forester’s approval authority for individual BAER projects is limited. Approval for BAER projects exceeding this limit is to the Washington Office.

SPECIAL NOTE: Everyone near and downstream from the burned areas should remain alert and stay updated on weather conditions that may result in heavy rains over the burn scars. Flash flooding may occur quickly during heavy rain events-be prepared to take action. Current weather and emergency notifications can be found at the National Weather Service websites: https://www.weather.gov/eka/ and https://www.weather.gov/sto/.

THREE PHASES OF WILDFIRE RECOVERY
 

There are three phases of recovery following wildfires on federal lands:

-       Fire Suppression Repair

-       Emergency Stabilization-Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER)

-       Long-Term Recovery and Restoration

o   Fire Suppression Repair is a series of immediate post-fire actions taken to repair damages and minimize potential soil erosion and impacts resulting from fire suppression activities and usually begins before the fire is contained, and before the demobilization of an Incident Management Team. This work repairs the hand and dozer fire lines, roads, trails, staging areas, safety zones, and drop points used during fire suppression efforts.

o   Emergency Stabilization-Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) is a rapid assessment of burned watersheds by a BAER team to identify imminent post-wildfire threats to human life and safety, property, and critical natural or cultural resources on National Forest System lands and take immediate actions to implement emergency stabilization measures before the first post-fire damaging events. Fires result in loss of vegetation, exposure of soil to erosion, and increased water runoff that may lead to flooding, increased sediment, debris flows, and damage to critical natural and cultural resources. BAER actions such as: mulching, seeding, installation of erosion and water run-off control structures, temporary barriers to protect recovering areas, and installation of warning signs may be implemented. BAER work may also replace safety related facilities; remove safety hazards; prevent permanent loss of habitat for threatened and endangered species; prevent the spread of noxious weeds, and protect critical cultural resources.

o   Long-Term Recovery and Restoration utilizes non-emergency actions to improve fire-damaged lands that are unlikely to recover naturally and to repair or replace facilities damaged by the fire that are not critical to life and safety. This phase may include restoring burned habitat, reforestation, other planting or seeding, monitoring fire effects, replacing burned fences, interpreting cultural sites, treating noxious weed infestations, and installing interpretive signs.

SPECIAL NOTE: Everyone near and downstream from the burned areas should remain alert and stay updated on weather conditions that may result in heavy rains over the burn scars. Flash flooding may occur quickly during heavy rain events-be prepared to take action. Current weather and emergency notifications can be found at the National Weather Service websites: https://www.weather.gov/eka/ and https://www.weather.gov/sto/.

WINDY POST-FIRE BAER SOIL BURN SEVERITY MAP RELEASED

     

USDA Forest Service Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) assessment teams are multi-disciplinary teams sent to federal lands following significant wildfires. Their role is to characterize the fire effects to watersheds, identify imminent post-fire threats to human life, safety, property, infrastructure, critical natural and cultural resources. Once the assessment is complete, the team develops BAER emergency treatment recommendations to mitigate identified risks. After the assessment, local land managers work with other BAER team members to implement and the assessment team’s recommended treatments and action stabilization measures.

The team begins their assessment immediately after the fire threat passes. Their focus is on direct effects to the burned watersheds caused by the fire rather than from fire suppression activities which is handled separately by the Incident Management Team managing the fire. Post-fire conditions such as loss of vegetation and change in the soil levels could increase the likelihood of floods and may cause potential debris and sediment flow impacts.

BAER specialists recently completed their field data evaluation and analyzed 97,456 acres of the Windy Fire to produce a Soil Burn Severity (SBS) map. The map and the data display SBS categories of burn severity including Unburned/Very Low, Low, Moderate, and High. Approximately 43% of the 97,456-acre fire are either Unburned/Very Low and/or Low SBS, while 47% sustained a Moderate SBS and about 10% High SBS.

The SBS map also shows the acreage for each of the landowners for the 97,456 acres to be: 75,275 acres for the Sequoia National Forest; 19,401 acres for the USDI Bureau of Indian Affairs; 1,774 acres of private/other lands; and 1,006 acres for the USDI Bureau of Land Management.

It is important to note that the BAER team assesses the effects on soils and not the effects to vegetation. SBS characterizes the soil surface and below-ground impact, whereas vegetation effects are determined based on mortality and vegetation canopy changes.

Changes in soil cover, water repellency, and soil physical/biological changes determine the severity burn level of the soil. Changes in water repellency are a frequently-discussed fire effect.  Water repellency is a natural soil property. Fire can increase the severity and thickness of the water repellent soil, significantly affecting post-fire water runoff.

Low SBS indicates only partial consumption of fine fuels while litter coverage remains relatively intact on the soil surface. Burning time at the soil surface was short, leaving root systems and root structure undamaged. Vegetative recovery time in the low category will vary based on ecological community but is expected to recover in the short-term.

Moderate SBS indicates nearly all soil cover of vegetative litter and fine fuels was consumed or converted to ash. Because soil cover is significantly reduced, accelerated water runoff is expected. Charring of the mineral soil occurs in Moderate SBS as well as shallow root burning. The extent of the burning of the leaves and needles on the trees (aka tree canopy) can be unpredictable and can range from high to relatively low mortality which is why a closer look at the ground is required to determine the actual severity level of the soil burn. Water repellency is often found at the surface and is increased for both in severity and thickness of the water repellent soils which reduces the ability of precipitation to infiltrate the soil surface.

High SBS is the result of higher intensity fire behavior or longer burning time at the soil surface. As a result of the high heat, nearly all the soil cover of vegetative litter and fuels has been consumed leaving bare soil prone to the impacts of precipitation and resulting water runoff. The surface mineral soil has been reduced to powder (single grain) and often several inches thick. This single grain soil is very easily transported or moved during rain events resulting in excessive soil erosion and sediment loading in rivers, streams, and creeks. The roots in the High SBS areas tend to be completely consumed by the resulting heat of the fire above the soil surface. Water repellency does not exist at the surface because water repellent compounds have been vaporized and tend to be found below the powdered soil surface, but the repellency thickness and more severe burning tend to be much greater than a Moderate SBS soil. Generally, there is 100% tree mortality in High SBS soils. Fire-adapted shrubs and vegetation such as bear clover, manzanita, and deer brush tend to come back with vigor because of root sprouts. However, because seed sources are consumed in these High SBS areas, conifers may take many years to re-establish without tree planting.

The Windy BAER assessment team used initial remote sensing imagery with field-validated soils data, to develop and produce the final SBS map. The BAER team and the US Geological Survey (USGS) both use the SBS map as an analysis tool to estimate post-fire flows, debris flow probability, erosion, and sedimentation flow rates.

The Windy Fire soil burn severity map can be downloaded at the “Windy Post-Fire BAER” InciWeb site (https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7866/) as a JPEG or PDF version under the “Maps” tab.

SPECIAL NOTE: 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 take action. Current weather and emergency notifications can be found at the National Weather Service websites:

 www.weather.gov/sto/ and www.weather.gov/hnx.