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: www.weather.gov/sto/ and www.weather.gov/eka/.

Map Released Showing BAER Assessment Area for August Complex South Zone

Over the last week, the August Complex-South Zone BAER team conducted reconnaissance and assessments of the southeastern side of the fire.  The BAER team narrowed its assessment focus to approximately 521,000 acres. See posted map (JPG & PDF) under Maps Tab.

Forest Service BAER team begins post-fire assessment of August Complex South Zone

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

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

Observations of the Bryan Mountain fire this afternoon showed very little smoke in the fire area after this weekend’s precipitation. Snow fell on the higher elevations of the fire this weekend, and rain continues to fall in the area today. The Bryan Mountain fire remains at between 900 and 1,000 acres with no growth over the weekend. Firefighting resources remain available should they be needed later this week for point protection or fire suppression as rain moves out of the area.

The Bryan Mountain fire near Pollock showed increased fire activity overnight driven by winds and thermal belts. The fire progressed further into Rapid River to the east and is in the middle third of the slope between the Dutch Oven Creek and Wyant Creek drainages. Point protection equipment for trail bridges is in place and ready to be deployed if a needed.  The fire is currently estimated between 900 and 1000 acres.  Weather overnight prevented infrared photography flights for more accurate mapping. This morning winds slowed and the fire began receiving precipitation at 10am, moderating fire behavior. 

The previous closure on Trail #71 due to the Bryan Mountain fire has been RESCINDED. The trail is once again open from the West Fork Rapid River Trail #113 to the Main Rapid River Trail #59.

Warm temperatures and increased winds today and tomorrow have the potential to increase activity on the Bryan Mountain fire, located approximately six miles southwest of Pollock between the main and west forks of the Rapid River. The fire was mapped at approximately 600 acres this afternoon, but fire activity has increased this evening, and fire managers expect the fire to continue to grow overnight and tomorrow.

Firefighting resources remain in place to engage the fire in locations where it is safe to do so and where values may be at risk from fire growth. Smoke from the fire will continue to be visible from Riggins and other nearby communities, including the McCall and Donnelly areas to the south, especially as fire activity increases over the next few days. Smoke forecasts and current air quality information is available online at https://www.airnow.gov/. Significant rainfall is still in the forecast beginning Saturday, which could lessen activity on the Bryan Mountain fire depending on how much precipitation falls in the fire area.

Most recently, the fire has grown to the north and northeast with some growth to the south and southeast. Fire crews worked yesterday to conduct point protection on outfitter camp structures and bridges along portions of Trail #177. Personnel inspected other structures along the trail as well to determine future needs for point protection. Today, this work continued and was assisted by aircraft which delivered water pumps, hoses, and sprinkler kits to further assist in point protection actions. Firefighters on the ground will remain in place at least through the weekend.

The Bryan Mountain fire, located approximately six miles southwest of Pollock between the main and west forks of the Rapid River, showed very little activity overnight. A flight this afternoon estimated the fire at approximately 600 acres. Fire activity has been moderate today, consisting primarily of single tree torching and smoldering. Fire growth is primarily to the north and to the west, moving down towards the West Fork of the Rapid River.

Yesterday, a helicopter was used to drop water on the south and east flanks of the fire and was successful in limiting fire spread in that direction. These water drops prevented the fire from moving into the Copper Creek drainage yesterday. Today, firefighters are on the ground on Trail #177 along the Rapid River conducting point protection for outfitter camp structures and bridges.

The Bryan Mountain fire, located approximately six miles southwest of Pollock between the main and west forks of the Rapid River, is approximately 470 acres based on aerial reconnaissance conducted this afternoon. Fire activity remains moderate, with similar fire behavior as yesterday, including single and group tree torching and spotting. The fire continues to burn in rough and rocky terrain with heavy dead and downed fuels. Fire managers have identified locations where firefighters can safely engage the fire, and resources are prepared to engage in point protection of bridges and other values at risk in the area as the fire increases in size. Rain is forecasted for the region this coming weekend, which may lessen activity on the Bryan Mountain fire.

Analysis of current and projected fire conditions in the Bryan Mountain fire area concluded that conditions are not critical compared to historical trends. This is in part due to this being a late–season wildfire, where the daily period of active burning conditions is lessened by shorter daylight hours and cooler overnight temperatures. As we move later into the year, the probability of precipitation also increases, until the region eventually experiences a “season ending” weather event, such as significant rain- or snowfall.