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Cape Cod NS Fire Management Plan/Environmental Assessment
Cape Cod National Seashore » Cape Cod NS Fire Management Plan/Environmental Assessment » Document List
The Environmental Assessment (EA) addresses a proposal of the National Park Service (NPS) to treat wildland vegetation in identified locations within Cape Cod National Seashore using mechanical processes and prescribed burning. The primary purpose for proposing these actions is to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildland fire and to protect fire adapted natural communities on the outer Cape.
This EA evaluates the potential impacts of establishing a program of mechanical treatments and prescribed fire over several years under the context of two alternatives. Under Alternative 1, the No Action Alternative, the NPS Fire Management Program would not perform the proposed treatment to the pre-identified areas (except for areas identified in the 1994 Fire Management Plan). The potential for catastrophic wildland fires to impact public safety and property would continue to increase and rare ecological niches would continue to degrade. Alternative 2 would involve the use of mechanical treatments and prescribed burning to designated areas within CACO based on wildland-urban interface areas, firefighter and public safety zones, and resource management needs. The treatments are anticipated to take place over a cycle of several decades comprising a proposed maximum of 500 treated acres per year for up to a maximum cumulative of 15,000 acres. Alternative 2 is the preferred action.
Two additional alternatives were considered, but rejected. One alternative named “full suppression” was considered. The full suppression alternative would include no prescribed or mechanical treatment and would involve 24 hour staffing procedures. Full suppression does not provide for optimum firefighter and public safety or for optimum structure and property protection. A “mechanical treatment only” alternative was also considered. The mechanical treatment alternative is a method which would exclude prescribed fire, but still provide the fuel breaks associated with prescribed fire. This alternative was rejected based on associated overuse of NPS tools and machinery and ecological issues associated with large area mechanical treatments.
Cape Cod National Seashore began the planning process for updating the current Wildland Fire Management Plan (FMP) and preparing the Environmental Assessment in 2004. Two public meetings and a public comment period were conducted. The EA and FMP are available for review at Lower Cape Town libraries. Copies may be requested at the address below. Please indicate if a paper or electronic (issued on CD) copy is preferred.
(508) 349-3785 ext. 247
This EA evaluates the potential impacts of establishing a program of mechanical treatments and prescribed fire over several years under the context of two alternatives. Under Alternative 1, the No Action Alternative, the NPS Fire Management Program would not perform the proposed treatment to the pre-identified areas (except for areas identified in the 1994 Fire Management Plan). The potential for catastrophic wildland fires to impact public safety and property would continue to increase and rare ecological niches would continue to degrade. Alternative 2 would involve the use of mechanical treatments and prescribed burning to designated areas within CACO based on wildland-urban interface areas, firefighter and public safety zones, and resource management needs. The treatments are anticipated to take place over a cycle of several decades comprising a proposed maximum of 500 treated acres per year for up to a maximum cumulative of 15,000 acres. Alternative 2 is the preferred action.
Two additional alternatives were considered, but rejected. One alternative named “full suppression” was considered. The full suppression alternative would include no prescribed or mechanical treatment and would involve 24 hour staffing procedures. Full suppression does not provide for optimum firefighter and public safety or for optimum structure and property protection. A “mechanical treatment only” alternative was also considered. The mechanical treatment alternative is a method which would exclude prescribed fire, but still provide the fuel breaks associated with prescribed fire. This alternative was rejected based on associated overuse of NPS tools and machinery and ecological issues associated with large area mechanical treatments.
Cape Cod National Seashore began the planning process for updating the current Wildland Fire Management Plan (FMP) and preparing the Environmental Assessment in 2004. Two public meetings and a public comment period were conducted. The EA and FMP are available for review at Lower Cape Town libraries. Copies may be requested at the address below. Please indicate if a paper or electronic (issued on CD) copy is preferred.
Contact Information
Fire Management Officer Dave Crary(508) 349-3785 ext. 247