Wilderness fire management planning guide
Current fire management policies of Federal land management agencies generally recognize fire as a natural process in many forest and range ecosystems, especially in the West. Consequently, fire is allowed or encouraged to more nearly play its natural role in wildernesses, parks, refuges, and other areas managed in wholw or in part to maintain primitive or presettlement conditions. The tasks associated with such policies are collectively known as wilderness fire management. In this report, wilderness fire management is defined as the deliberate response to and use of fire through the execution of technically sound plans under specific prescriptions for the purpose of achieving stated wilderness management objectives. Four types of manager response to fire are identified: aggressive attack, delayed attack, modified attack, and allowing a fire to burn according to a predetermined prescription. Wilderness fire management planning is the process of determining the appropriate response to accdental fire and the use of manager-initiated fire to accomplish wilderness management objectives. This report attempts to guide wilderness fire management planning by suggesting a common terminology, examining important planning concepts, and identifying, describing, and discussing essential planning elements. Among the planning concepts examined are the appropriate planning area, the planning context, and the format and content of the wilderness fire management plan. Special attention is given to the relationship of the wilderness fire management plan to the various other plans that exist in the planning hierarchy of most agencies. The relationship between National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements and wilderness fire management planning is illustrated using the Forest Service NEPA process as an example. Wilderness fire management planning is separated into six essential elements in this report: 1. Describing fire and ecosystem interactions. 2. Describing special resource and use considerations. 3. Defining fire management objectives. 4. Delineating fire management units and zones. 5. Developing fire management prescriptions. 6. Devising a fire management plan. Each of these planning elements is defined and discussed in terms of planning approach, information needs, and methods of presentation. Appropriate examples for actual wilderness fire management plans are presented to illustrate methods. A summary of current wilderness fire management programs in the National Parks and National Forests is presented as an appendix. A second appendix provides a bibliographic listing of selected references for park and wilderness fire management. References are grouped according to seven subject areas: philosophy, programs, and plans; planning aids and general information sources; fire history; fire occurrence, fire environment, and fire behavior; the role of fire and fire effects; vegetation inventory; classification, and analysis; and ecosystem classification.
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | biblioteca |
| Published: |
Oregon (EUA)
1984
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| Subjects: | INCENDIOS, AREAS SILVESTRES PROTEGIDAS, ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMERICA, |
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