Fire and Aviation
Fire -- On the Payette
National Forest
Fire has always been a part of nature
The
writings of the early Northwest explorers and settlers
mention that forest and range fires were commonplace.
Then, as now, most fires were lightning caused.
After huge forest fires burned large sections of
Idaho in 1910, the Forest Service made suppressing
wildfires a primary part of its mission. Foresters
knew that some trees had developed unique ways to
survive fire, but little was known about what would
happen to the forests if you fully excluded fire
from the forest ecosystem.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Forest Service researched
the role of fire in western ecosystems. They found that deadwood
and undergrowth, which would normally be burned up by natural fires,
was building up over time due to the absence of fires. this buildup
was increasing the potential for wildfires in the future. Eventually,
this lead to a change in management philosophy and the practice
of allowing fire to play a more natural role in certain ecosystems.
The Payette National Forest is home to some of the best firefighters,
and their mission has not changed. Fires that are not planned or
pose a threat to human safety or property will continue to be suppressed.
Today's firefighters also assist with prescribed
burning and management of Wildland Fire Use Fires.
Fire as a Tool
2007 Fire Season in Review
WUI and Hazardous Fuels Reduction Projects
The national Firewise Communities program is a multi-agency effort desined to reach beyon the fire service by involving homeowners, community leaders, planners, developers, and others in an effort to protect people, proterty, and natural resources from the rish of wilnd fire - before a fire starts. Click this Firewise link for more information.
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