|
In 2002, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks cooperated with many different agencies to complete fire operations and research. These partnerships pooled firefighting resources which enhanced safety on the fireline and also shared scientific knowledge which will improve fire management decisions in the future.
With a large fire management staff at Sequoia and Kings Canyon, the parks are able to manage numerous fire operations over the course of a season, and often simultaneously. Even with this experienced work force, the parks rely on interagency partners to plan and execute projects. This cooperation creates training opportunities and builds strong working relationships. For example, fire crews in Sequoia and Kings Canyon ignited seven different prescribed burns during the 2002 season and outside agency resources participated in all but one burn. These resources came from the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Geological Survey, Bureau of Land Management, and National Park Service.
Fire managers at Sequoia and Kings Canyon extend this partnership philosophy into the research arena as well. This year, sixteen different fire research projects were carried out by the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Forest Service Riverside Fire Lab, and various prestigious universities. Many projects were funded by the Joint Fire Sciences Program. The projects covered many subjects such as fire effects in different seasons, invasive plants, root mortality, cambium heating, soil nutrients, water chemistry, forest structure, small mammals, fire history, and fuels analysis. |
