Baker Creek Prescribed Fire

Fires are a natural part of ecosystems. Many plants and animals evolved under frequent low intensity fires. Native Americas across the western US used fires as a tool to modify and improve their environment. The evidence of this fire history is well preserved in soils, tree rings and burn scars, ethnographic accounts, and historic photos and journals. But 100 years ago fire management shifted to a policy of exclusion. Fires were aggressively suppressed and human use of fire virtually eliminated. This policy had dramatic impacts. Fuels accumulated, grasses, sagebrush, and aspen vegetation disappeared, and wildlife declined.

As a result of this policy, fire are now larger and burn at higher intensity. Active fuels reduction can restore native wildlife and vegetation, reduce fire size and intensity, protect human life and property and reduce catastrophic flooding. This project would use mechanical and manual treatments, prescribed fire, herbicide, seeding, and planting to protect life and property, reduce fuels, and proactively restore native plant communities on 800 acres in the Baker Creek watershed (Figure 1). The goals of these treatments are to restore sagebrush, riparian areas, meadows, and aspen stands to their natural range of variation, increase ecological resistance and resilience, reduce fuel loading, and prevent catastrophic wildfire.

Fire exclusion impacts in the project area are evidenced by an overrepresentation of late successional classes, with substantial fuel accumulation documented by historic photos (Figure 2). Heavy fuels increase the likelihood of catastrophic, stand replacing fires. Baker Creek Road is the only access in and out of the watershed and human safety is threatened by wildfires. Catastrophic fire also places campgrounds, infrastructure, and recreational use by park visitors at risk. The Baker Creek trailhead provides access to most of the Park's backcountry and the stream supports the park's largest recreational fishery.

We propose broadcast burning, preceded by mechanical thinning to prepare the sites. Maintaining heterogeneity in plant successional states through variable fire intensity is project goal. Fire return intervals of 5 to 10 years should be reestablished through regular maintenance burns. Seeding and herbicide treatments may be required in some areas until a native understory is reestablished.

This project will be implemented in phases. Phase I is for prescribed fire in two areas (Figure 1, blue polygons, 40 acres total) and preparation work for prescribed fires using chainsaws and other tools throughout the project area (Figure 1, yellow polygon, 800 acres). Additional phases will be added as the project progresses, along with memos to file, public meetings, and field visits.

This project was included in the Fire Management Plan Environmental Assessment (PEPC # 105453) but is being reviewed again to incorporate public comments into the project implementation and complete Section 106 compliance. For more details see Page 12, Appendix E of the Fire Management Plan.

Document Content:

Fig1_Phase1.pdf   (1.2 MB, PDF file) Fig2_BakerCreekHistoricLandscape.pdf   (686.3 KB, PDF file) Disclaimer: Links within the above document(s) were valid as of the date published. Note: Some of the files may be in PDF format and can be viewed using the Adobe Acrobat Reader software. You may download a free copy of from Adobe Systems.