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National Fire Plan
Photo:
BLM/Chris Johnson
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Each
year, wildfires burn millions of acres in the United States, particularly
in western states. While fire is naturally part of some ecosystems,
many fires now burn with extreme intensity, due to the accumulation
of fuels that has resulted from decades of fire suppression. In some
areas, fire suppression will necessarily continue to be a major component
of the response to wildland fires, particularly within areas of urban
interface. The need for more protection for human communities and
natural resources, and for a more pro-active approach to forest fuels
and ecosystem management, has led to creation of the National
Fire Plan. Implementation of the National fire Plan includes the
need for closer interagency coordination of fire-related management
activities, including consultation on the effects to threatened and
endangered species, as required by the Endangered Species Act. |
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The
National Fire Plan focuses management activities in three distinct
areas. The first focuses on the restoration of burned areas, including
administrative sites and developed recreation facilities, and restoration
of wildlife, watershed, and fisheries resources. The second focus
of the Plan includes reducing the risk of fires in the wildland/urban
interface, where the past fire suppression has resulted in unnatural
forest conditions with elevated fuel loads. The third focus pertains
to habitat improvement projects for federally-listed and proposed
species. Since 2000, Congress has allocated specific funding
to the Departments of Interior and Agriculture to implement these
activities.
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Photo:
BLM/Chris Johnson
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Photo: USFWS/Cliff Oakley
| The Yreka
Fish and Wildlife Office, along with the Klamath
National Forest and other state and federal agencies are jointly developing
projects with the primary objective of reducing hazardous fuels through
thinning or prescribed fire. As an example, equipment such as "Slashbuster"
removes dense stands of small diameter trees that have grown beneath the
canopy of larger trees. The trees are mulched on site. The Klamath National
Forest anticipates 2,000-3,000 acres treated annually. Additionally,10,000
acres per year of prescribed underburning are anticipated to occur under
provisions of this Plan. |
Photo:
USFWS/Cliff Oakley
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Last updated:
October 16, 2008
