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United StatesDepartment ofAgriculture
Forest Service-
Volume 45, No.41984
JOHN R. SWANSON
F~N~
ire ~:r=Lcuk
ManogementNotes
Ib;
i.
FireManagementNotesAn international quarterly periodical devoted to
forest fire manogement
Contents3 Staying Informed-The FIREBASE System
Arlene Fields
5 JEFFCO Interagency Aviation and Fire Service CenterRobert F. Willmot
7 The National Wildfire Coordinating Group's Publication Management System Unit
lim Whitson
8 Fire Suppression for College CreditJohn E. Roberts
10 Building a Fire Prevention TrailerEd Eichner
12 Burning Another EmpireJames B. Davis
18 How NIIMS Keeps Qualification Standards From Becoming a Barrier to Interagency Cooperation
lim Whitson and Dave Hanson
19 Complementary Systems-IEMS and NIIMSMarvin Newell and lim Whitson
20 Smokey's Birthday Celebrated Across the NationGladys D. Daines
23 Recent Fire Publications
24 The Forest Service
26 Fire Lookouts of the Northwest
Cover: C.P. Cockrell, first wom'" employed by the USDA Forest Service as a firelookout-Olympic National Forest, WA, 1920.
2
United StatesDepartment ofAgriculture
Forest Service
Volume 45, NO.41984
Fire Management Notes is published bythe Forest Service 01 the United StatesDepartment of Agriculture, Washington,D.C. The Secretary of Agriculture hasdetermined that the publication of thisperiodical is necessary in the transaction of the public business requued bylaw of this Department. Use of funds torprinting this periodical has been approved by the Director of the Office ofManagement and Budget throughSeptember 30, 1984.
Subecrlpttona may be obtained Irom theSuperintendent 01 Documents, U.S.Government Printing Ollice,Washington, D.C. 20402. The subscription rate is $7.50 per year domestic or$9.40 per year foreign. Single copy costis $2.00 domestic and $2.50 foreign.
NOTE-The use of trade, firm, or corporation names in this publication is lorthe information and convenience of thereader. Such use does not constitute anolflcial eMofsemtlnt 01 any pfoouct Of
service by the U.S. Department ofAgriculture.
Send suggestions and articles 10 Chief,Foresl Service (Alln: Fire ManagementNotes), P.O. Box 2417, U.S. Departmentof Agriculture, Washington, DC 20013.
John R. Block, SecretaryU.S. Department of Agriculture
A. Max Peterson, ChiefForest servrce
L.A. AmicareUa, DirectorCooperative Fire Protection
francis R. acee,General Manager
Fire Management Notes
Staying Informed-The FIREBASESystemArlene Fields
FIREBASE Manager, Boise Interagency Fire Center,Boise, ID.
i \'I,
Whether you are a field practitioner. a researcher, an administrator, an educator, or a student, doingyour job right means being informed. In the rapidly changingfield of wildland fire, staying informed could mean spending largeamounts of time reading journals,reports, proceedings, and hundredsof other information items eachyear. However, if you use the mostefficient information tools availableto you, staying informed need nottake up so much of your time.
One tool that has already provenits ability to help you keep up withthe information explosion is theFIREBASE system. FIREBASE is acomputerized file of sources of information related to wildland fire. ltis a collection of bibliographic citations and, in most cases, digests ofdocuments and other items dealingwith wildland fire, To keep up withnew information, citations and digests are continually being added tothe file.
When a user requests informationfrom FIREBASE on a particularsubject, all items in the file dealingwith that subject are automaticallyretrieved by the computer. As a result, with a very small investment oftime, the user is brought up to dateon the subject of interest.
• Fire detection• Fire suppression-including
retardants, equipment, andtechniques
• Fire behavior-including casehistories
Volume 45, Number 4
• Smoke management• Fire history-historical fire oc
currence in specific areas• Fire effects-ecological aspects
of fire and fire damage• Fire statistics• Fire weather• Fire hazard• Fire danger indexes• Fuel management• Prescribed fires-including both
"planned ignition" and"chance ignition" fires
FIREBASE now has approximately 8,800 citations on-line.About 50 percent of the items cataloged on FlREBASE were producedsince 1960 and about 30 percentsince 1970. However, for historicalpurposes, the file contains information dating back as far as 1890.
The FIREBASE file contains onlybibliographic citations and digests.It should not be confused with systems that store and manipulate rawdata. For example, FIREBASE doesnot contain fire weather data or firestatistics, but it does contain digestsof items that deal with fire weatherand fire statistics.
Content of FIREBASE
Most of the items cataloged onFIREBASE deal with wildland fire.However, because structural fire isimportant to wildland fire in areassuch as the urban/wildland interface, some structural fire information is also included.
FIREBASE is not restricted toitems produced in the United States.Work from dozens of foreign countries, including Canada, theU.S.S.R., and Australia, isrepresented.
The following list gives the broadtopic areas included in FIREBASE:
• Fire and fuelfundamentals-including chemistry and physics
• Experimental fires• Fire management-general
information• Fire management analysis• Fire management economics• Fire management planning• Fire management training• Wilderness fire management• Fire prevention
How To Use FIREBASE
If you wish to have a FIREBASEsearch made, contact the search center that services your geographic location. When you have determinedthe exact nature of information youneed, call, or wri te , to make thesearch request. Make your requestas specific as possible. Sometimes itis helpful to identify what you don'twant, as well as what you do want,in order to eliminate looking at references that are only of marginal interest. The response to your requestwill come in the form of a computerprintout listing the pertinentreferences.
If you have a search request anddo not know which of the following
3
search centers to contact, call orwrite the FIREBASE OperationsCenter.
Regions 1 and 4. USDA ForestService, Intermountain Forest andRange Experiment Station, 507 25thStreet, Ogden, UT 84401. Attn:Rugh Hyland. (801) 625-5446; FTS586--5446.
Regions 2 and 3. USDA ForestService, Rocky Mountain Forest andRange Experiment Station, 240 W.Prospect, Fort Collins, CO 80526.Attn: Bob Dana. (303) 221-1267;FTS 323-1267.
Region 5. USDA Forest ServicePacific Southwest Forest and Rang~Experiment Station, P.O. Box 245,Berkeley, CA 94701. Attn: DennisGalvin. (415) 486--3686; FTS449-3686.
Region 8. Science Library. University of Georgia, Athens, GA30602. Attn: Ginger Rutherford.(404) 542-4535; FTS 520-2477.
4
Regions 6, 9, 10, and all foreignrequests. Forest Resources LibraryAQ-15, University of Washington,Seattle, WA 98195. Attn: DaleBurke. (206) 543-7484; FTS399-1076.
FIREBASE Operations Center.USDA Forest Service, Boise Interagency Fire Center, 3905 Vista Avenue, Boise, ID 83705. Attn: ArleneFields. (208) 334-9457; FTS554-9457.
At present, there is no charge fora FIREBASE search. However, asbudget and personnel cutbacks continue to be made, a change in theFIRE BASE pol icy might be necessary. Should this happen, we wouldof course notify users as to the probable charges prior to performing therequested services.
Need for More Information
The ability of the FIREBASE system to keep up with the changinglaws, policies, and technologies ofwildland fire depends on people likeyou. There are many more sourcesof fire information available thanthe FIREBASE input center canmonitor. We need your help.
If you have information in anyform-published or unpublishedthat should be shared with the firecommunity, you are urged to send theitems to the FIREBASE OperationsCenter, USDA Forest Service, BoiseInteragency Fire Center, 3905 VistaAvenue, Boise, ID 83705. If youwould like the items returned to you,please mark your name on each itemin a conspicuous place. If the itemsare already included in the system,they will be returned to youimmediately.•
Fire Management Notes
JEFFCO Interagency Aviation and FireService Center
Robert F. Willmot
Fire Management Officer, USDA Forest Service, Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, Fort Collins, CO.
I'
The JEFFCO Aviation and FireService Center, located just northwest of Denver in Broomfield, CO,celebrated its first anniversary inSeptember 1984. Named for theJefferson County general aviationfacility that is its home, JEFFCO isan idea that took 20 years to realize.
Origins of JEFFCO
For nearly two decades, wildfiresuppression experts in severalagencies worked to develop a unified approach to firefighting. Wildfire is no respecter of propertyboundaries or agency jurisdictions,but different policies and administrative approaches are difficult toreconcile. The strong leadership ofJerry Mauk (then Regional Directorof Air, Aviation, and Fire Management for the Forest Service) and ageneral shortage of forest fire protection funds acted as catalysts tomake a long-term dream a reality.
How JEFFCO Functions
JEFFCO is an interagency aviation and fire center, unique in concept and operation. It combines theresources of many agencies into onelocation, under one line of supervision. Federal, State, and countyagencies work together in a commonenvironment, doing complementarytasks, not segregated by unit. Forexample, a State employee maywork a regular dispatch shift, dispatching State, county, and Federalresources. The national air tanker
Volume 45, Number 4
contract may be managed by acounty employee. The interagencyhelitack crew may provide initial attack services on county, State, orFederal fires. JEFFCO performs interagency regional duties in aviationoperations, fire dispatching, andcache materials management in aneffective, efficient manner.
Mission
JEFFCO is a multilevel service organization charged with supportinggovernmental agencies and theircooperators in the management andprotection of public lands againstwildfire and other natural disasters.Participating agencies are the Bureauof Land Management (USDI), ForestService (USDA), National Park Service (USDI), the State of Colorado,and five Front Range Colorado counties. The onsite base manager is supervised by the Fire Management Officer of the Arapaho and RooseveltNational Forests.
Services
JEFFCO provides services in sixgeneral areas:
I. Fire weather data from established stations is broadcast daily tounits requesting this informationduring fire season.
2. Administrative and Forest FireInformation Retrieval and Management Systems (AFFIRMS) data isbroadcast daily to units inputtingweather data and requesting AFFIRMS information. This data will
be transmitted through the ForestLevel Implementation Planning System (FLIPS) when all units areon-line.
3. There are 2 Class I fire crewsand 18 Class II fire crews withinJEFFCO's jurisdiction that are dispatched upon request.
4. JEFFCO controls two IncidentManagement Teams at the Class Ilevel and two Class II teams. Alloverhead management teams andgroups are trained and qualified tooperate under the Incident Command System. Each team and groupis composed of interagency personnel. Units outside the Rocky Mountain Region are often surprised todiscover a team composed ofcounty, State, and Federal personnelin response to a request for management of an incident.
5. National Interagency FireQualification System (NIFQS) records are compiled, and qualificationcards (red cards) are issued throughJEFFCO to cooperating units.
6. Transportation, reconnaissance, aerial photography, helicopters, and air tanker aircraft are dispatched by JEFFCO.
Incident Dispatch Center
The nerve center for JEFFCO isthe incident dispatch center. Dispatchers at JEFFCO are trained professionals who perform a service forthe cooperating agencies. Normaloperating procedure is to providedata and resources on a first-come,
5
._ -----~~------------,
JEFFCO Aviation and Fire Service Center, located northwest of Denver in Broomfield.
CO.
can be dispatched through JEFFCOupon request.
What JEFFCO Includes
JEFFCO is the designated base ofone helicopter and a supporting fiveperson helitack crew. An air tankerwith a 2,200-gallon capacity isbased at JEFFCO. A fully equippedradio repair shop is also part of theJEFFCO complex. Space is available for three radio technicians to dobench work. Mobile repair vehiclesare available for electronic sitemaintenance.
JEFFCO provides office space forthe Forest Service south zone aviation officer and one project pilot. Inaddition, hanger space is providedfor two Forest Service aircraft withadequate tiedown space for visitingaircraft on the ramp.
first-served basis. If two or more incidents are competing for the sameresources, priorities are establishedby the Regional Fire Coordinator, orby a unified command if any of theincidents is not on National Forestlands.
JEFFCO dispatchers do not independently establish policy or makemanagement decisions for the individual land management units. Theagency land' manager declares theneed for incident resources; theJEFFCO dispatcher coordinates thelogistics of getting the right resourceto the right place at the right time ina safe, cost-effective mannner.
6
Zone Incident Cache
The normal stocking level of theJEFFCO cache is adequate to supply700 firefighters plus supportingequipment. JEFFCO can be immediately resupplied by Denver's General Services Administration (GSA)regional office or by air from theBoise Interagency Fire Center(BlFC) if the restocking level fallstoo low during multiple incidents.
Three division-sized radio cachesand a helitorch are maintained atJEFFCO. Plans trailers, large generators, and other wheeled equipmentare maintained in Fort Collins and
Outlook
JEFFCO is an accomplishment inits own right. In an era of decliningbudgets andreductions in services,JEFFCO is an outstanding example ofdoing more with less. Those of uswho have participated in its planningand development are proud of whatJEFFCO can do to assist managers ofthe public lands. The next time youare in the Denver area, please plan tostop at JEFFCO and visit. The coffeeis always hot. •
Fire Management NotesI'I
The National Wildlife CoordinatingGroup's Publication ManagementSystem Unit
Jim Whitson
Staff Specialist, USDA Forest Service, Boise Interagency Fire Center, Boise, ID.
000-099
100-199
800-899900-999
200-299300-399400-499700-799
distribution points each withdifferent material. The International Fire Service Training Association distributes several operational documents. TheNational Audiovisual Centerdistributes some training packages, and the Boise InteragencyFire Center Warehouse distributes forms and some trainingpackages.
• Make recommendations toNWCG on minimal format andpublication standards. Generally, the previously establishedNWCG publication standardswill continue to be followed.
Membership in the PMS unit is byappointment from NWGC. The unit isunder the immediate direction of theNWCG Chairman. Currently, the unitis composed of an interagency grouplocated at the Boise Interagency FireCenter.
Unit meetings are called by thePublication Management SystemChairman as needed, usually prior todistribution of the quarterly publication listing. Each year the unit willsubmit an annual accomplishment report and a work plan to NWCG.•
can be obtained, catalog numbers, and cost. This list is distributed to the member agenciesand to selected individuals.
• Assign publication and formnumbers. Nine major subjectcategories have been established within which specificpublications can be cataloged:
Indexes and Glossa-ries
Operational SystemDescription andPlanning
System Organization, Function,and Procedures
QualificationsOperationsPublic RelationsResearch and De-
velopmentAdministrationTraining: I-ICS
Courses; S-SkillCourses; T-Tran-sition Courses,etc.
For example, the new FirelineHandbook is numbered 410-1,under' 'Operations. "
• Provide initial masters to designated distribution points. Currently, there are three approved
In early 1982, the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG)recognized that material must bereadily available to support thenewly adopted National InteragencyIncident Management System(NIIMS). Consequently, a Publication Management System Unit(PMS) was chartered to publish,stock, and distribute all supportingdocuments for NIIMS. This unit isnow in place, and the material isavailable to all users.
The original mission of PMS wasto provide support in the management and control of all operationalmanuals, forms, training courses,and other related publications anddocuments produced in support ofNIIMS. At its May 1984 meeting,NWCG expanded the PMS charterto include all NWCG publications.In the near future, users will haveeasy access to a variety of firerelated material.
The PMS unit has severalfunctions:
• Maintain an inventory and publish an index of all current publications approved by NWCG.PMS is publishing, on approximately a quarterly basis, a listof material, where the material
Volume 45, Number 4 7
-------------------------~
Fire Suppression for College CreditJohn E. Roberts
Forester-Fire Management, USDA Forest Service,Dry River Ranger District, George WashingtonNational Forest, Bridgewater, VA.
As the number .of permanent andtemporary USDA Forest Servicepersonnel shrinks, the demand forreserve firefighters increases. However, even in large population areas,coordinating a successful recruitingand training program can be difficult. In Virginia, one solution hasbeen a cooperative program with local universities. These universitieshave included firefighting trainingas a course for college credit. Thetraining material seemed to fit bestinto the biology department: "BID155: WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION. Icredit. Forest fire behavior, basicforest firefighting activities, and organization and management of theForest Service. Includes field exercises and physical testing. "
The listing above is from the1983-84 catalog for James MadisonUniversity, located in Harrisonburg,VA. The university supplied the facilities, printing, and advertisement.The Dry River Ranger District,George Washington National Forest,provided the instructors andmaterials.
A similar course was featured atnearby Bridgewater College inBridgewater, VA. At both schoolsthe course was presented during thefall semester because the need forfirefighters is greatest in spring. Thecourse was given in the evenings tominimize conflicts. Forest Serviceemployees were able to maintaintheir normal workday and not createcongestion for the university. AtJames Madison University, the
8
firefighting class was held twice aweek for 2 hours. At BridgewaterCollege, the class was held onlyonce a week for 2 hours, but theclasses extended over a longer period of time.
Enrollment for the two sessions in1983-84 totaled 38 students; 34completed the training. Of the 34graduates, 12 students failed to passthe physical requirements or did notwish to participate in the physicaltesting.
The composition of the classeswas approximately 50 percent maleand 50 percent female. The enrollment at one institution was almost60 percent female. One class hadmore female finishers on thelll.z-mile run than male finishers.
The net result of the cooperativeprogram was that the Dry RiverRanger District and George Washington National Forest gained a potential 22 firefighters. Although students are not always available forfire duty, an additional 22 names todraw from is a substantial benefit.
Course Description
The course and its contents arebased on the requirements forfirefighters in the Forest ServiceManual. Graduates of the coursequalify for an interagency fire jobqualification card. When they aregiven the card, students are toldthey can be eligible for fire duty andfire standby if they so desire.
The course is divided into sixphases:
Phase 1. At the beginning, a general picture of the Forest Serviceand its mission for natural resourceprotection is given. Two films areviewed during this phase,"Commonground" and "ManAgainst Fire." Also a part of thisphase is the series Basic Fire Orientation and Basic Firefighting, including a glossary of fire suppression terminology.
Phase 2. This phase of the training begins with the film' 'Introduction to Fire Behavior. " Homeworkand testing are taken from the standard National Wildfire CoordinatingGroup VVorkbook.
The instruction continues throughthe S-190 "Introduction to Fire Behavior" workbook, introducing theuse of water in fire suppression.Also included is the film' 'Water onthe Fire" and information on currenttechnology, such as the use of floating pumps and helitankers.
Phase 3, This phase, FireWeather, is one of the more difficultparts of the course.
In addition to films "FireWeather" and "Atmosphere Stability and Instability," local weathertrends are reviewed. Discussion ofnational trends such as the SantaAnna winds is also included. Aqualified Fire Behavior Officerparticipates in these sessions.
Phase 4. The handtools used onwildfires are reviewed during thisphase. The film "Handtools forWildfire" introduces the students tothe major hand tools used on wild-
Fire Management Notes
!I
fires. Specialized tools such as themist-blower are also discussed. Thisphase is highlighted by actual linebuilding in a field exercise, utilizingFuel Model 9. The students are organized into squads and are able touse the tools they have studied.
Phase 5. This phase consists ofphysical testing. primarily the1%-mile run. The Forest Servicecoordinates the run with the university, using the university track. TheForest Service provides a pacesetterfor the run to aid the students incompleting the run in II minutesand 40 seconds or less. Because ofthe large number of students. therun is preferred to the standard steptest. Students who do not participatein the run or who fail cannot receivea "red card" qualifying them for afire job, but they may still receive apassing grade. If students who donot pass the run are sincerely interested in employment, they are giventhe standard step test.
Phase 6. During this final phasethe emphasis is on safety. The" 10Standard Firefighting Orders"workbook is covered as well as"Thirteen Situations that ShoutWatch Out. " The film "Standardsfor Survival" reinforces the text.Stickers and cards for reference arepassed out. This wrap-up includesdiscussion of personal protectiveequipment such as shirts, pants, andhardhats. The film "Your WayOut" helps explain fire shelters;then a short field exercise is included to provide students with the
Volume 45, Number 4
opportunity to put their knowledgeto use. After a general review, thefinal exam is given.
Results of Course
During the course, four or fivetests are given, graded, and then reviewed. The most interested students are offered the chance to actas "coordinators," rounding up theother students in times of high firedanger. The opportunity to be onfire standby, especially on weekends, gives the students an avenuefor further experience as well as allowing them to earn some income asAD-I Firefighters.
Benefits to the Forest Servicefrom this program are both tangibleand intangible. Obviously the mostimportant tangible benefit is the increased number of trained personsavailable. The intangible benefitsare just as real and important. Inworking with local universities, valuable contacts are made. The learning institutions also benefit from thefees paid for the courses. An unexpected benefit was that the ForestService gained a channel of communication with the college students.Because of this channel, local problems connected with parties, vandalism, and lack of information flowhave been eased. For example, signsstolen from the George WashingtonNational Forest were turned in tocollege officials and then returned tothe Forest Service. An awareness offire prevention, which may spread toother students, is also accomplished.
At this point. the future of theprogram is solid. Yearly updating ofcourse material will assure incorporation of the latest technology.Planning is now under way to incorporate the National Interagency Incident Management System (NIIMS)into the presentation for the 1986-87school year. The basic courses 1-120and 1-220 will provide the groundwork. Additional planning is beingdone for conversion training of recent graduates. Some graduates arealready local residents or becomeresidents upon completion of collegeand want to remain fire qualified.
Although this program is not acomplete solution and cannot be applied in all areas, there may be opportunities for a similar program inother National Forests. The intangible benefits are a major consideration. Students gain a better understanding of fire management andbehavior, which they can applythroughout their lives, wheneverthey build campfires. burn leaves,and so forth.
Since this program began in 1979,a total of 140 students have completedthe training. Additionally, many Forest Service employees and highschool teachers have audited thecourse. Forest Service Fire Management has succeeded not just in gaining qualified firefighters but in providing another service to the public.Through programs such as this, thereputation of the Forest Service for efficiency. credibility, and public service can be enhanced.•
9
Building A Fire Prevention TrailerEd Eichner
Fire Prevention Technician, USDA Forest Service,Wind River Ranger District, Gifford Pinchot NationalForest, Vancouver, WA.
Figure I-Eye-catching mural on the side of the trailer conveys the fire preventionmessage.
An innovative fire preventiongroup at the Wind River RangerDistrict, Gifford Pinchot NationalForest, worked with local fire prevention cooperatives to accomplisha long-sought-after goal-presenting the fire prevention message tothe most people for the least cost.The Forest Service acquired andpainted a trailer, and with help fromthe Southwest Washington Fire Prevention Council and the Mid Columbia Fire Prevention Co-op, designed the interior to display the fireprevention message. The trailer wasinaugurated in the summer of 1983.
Ed Eichner, Fire PreventionTechnician, spent a year searchingfor a suitable trailer. Finally he located an available Army Corps'trailer in Walla Walla, WA. Withthe help of Ray Currey, Fire Management Officer, and Ed North,Warehouseman, the Wind RiverRanger District acquired a 3D-foot,fifth-wheel trailer. The trailer wasbrought to the district in December1982.
The Forest Service made thetrailer available to the co-ops for usein their fire prevention programs.Together, members of the three organizations laid their plans,deciding who would do what andwho would pay for each job. It wasapparent that the first job would beto change the exterior painting fromthe Corps' design to a basic white.
Deciding just what should bepainted on the outside of the trailerwas a major job. All of the organi-
zations concerned wanted an eyecatching design that would give acomprehensive fire preventionmessage-something the publicwould notice when watching a parade or just driving along the highway. A lot of ideas were discussedand debated and finally a design wasagreed upon. It illustrated both aforest fire and a home fire and citedthe need for fire prevention (fig. I).In May 1983, the trailer was movedindoors and painted. Vickie Vance,a local artist and schoolteacher,agreed to do the job for $ I ,000. Themural painting of the outside designtook approximately 60 hours.
In June, there was a joint meetingof the two co-ops and the Forest
Service. Representatives from theNorthwest Interagency Fire Prevention Group were also invited. At thismeeting the mural was shown forthe first time and plans for finishingthe interior of the trailer were presented. A steering committee wasformed, including two membersfrom each co-op, to coordinateplans. The Forest Service and thetwo fire prevention co-ops signed anagreement for the usc of the trailer.In July, the joint group received a$2,500 grant from the Northwest Interagency Fire Prevention Groupand went to work on the inside ofthe trailer. Display cases were built,and the logos of both co-ops werepainted on the outside of the trailer
10 Fire Management Notes
I
(fig. 2). Everything was ready.The trailer was first used by the
Mid Columbia Co-op at the HoodRiver County Fair in July. Then inAugust it made appearances at theCowlitz, Clark, and SkamaniaCounty Fairs and in September atthe Klickitat County Fair.
The number of visitors to thetrailer was not counted, but therewas a very large turnout at all of thefairs and numerous favorable comments about the trailer displays. The
children especially seemed to likethe exhibit and came back time aftertime. Maybe the free Smokey Bearhandouts were a strong attraction.
One of the results of the displayshas been increased requests for fireprevention material from the public.Requests for Smokey to visitschools have tripled. The trailer hasbeen requested for fairs in Oregonand Washington next summer, andseveral northwest fire co-cps and local fire districts have asked to use it
for their fire prevention programs.The trailer, a rolling advertisement,is a successful cooperative venturebetween the Forest Service and localfire prevention groups. It fully accomplishes its creators' goal-sgetting the fire prevention messageto a large number of people.
For further information contact EdEichner or Ray Currey at the WindRiver Ranger District; telephone (509)427-5645 .•
Figure 2-Rear view of the fire prevention trailer, showing logos of the two local fire prevention co-ops that participated in the project.
Volume 45, Number 4 11
Burning Another EmpireJames B. Davis
Research Forester, USDA Forest Service, Forest Fireand Atmospheric Sciences Research, Washington. DC,
Figure I-Map offire area in Kalimantan with inset of Indonesia. Exact area offire isuncertain but is estimated at 8 million acres. Total land area of Kalimantan is 212,000 squaremiles-c-about the size of California and Ariwna combined. The island of Borneo is 82 percentforested.
o
acres. Table I shows the strikingsimilarity between the Kalimantanfire and the devastating forest firesthat took place in the United Statesand Canada around the turn of the
oo
oo•
1.0
,lq.
Indian Oeean
Vilinam Phlllpp,ne./'lxI
South China ~ Philippine
se~ .S..
~IIYSI' do~o{f( ~ - .'".,.' .."-.)Singapore ~-
Jllhrt.~.I~?~ .
The fire broke out in EastKalimantan Province in February1983 and burned itself out, or wasput out by rain, in July, afterconsuming an estimated 8 million
The forest was parched from thelongest, most severe drought thearea had ever experienced. The firedidn't start in one place or at onetime. It began with innumerableland-clearing operations started bysettlers following in the footsteps ofloggers (11). In the beginning, nobody cared much about the fire because of the vastness of the land andits remoteness from major townsand cities. Very little was done inthe way of organized fire control.Huge clouds of smoke made it almost impossible to fully delineatethe immense area that was on fire.For weeks the midday sun wasmerely a pale yellow disk.Witnesses recall hearing the crackleof distant burning until suddenly thefire came from all points of thecompass at once.
After the fire had subsided, thosewho examined the site had littledoubt that logging slash hadsupplied the initial fuel for the holocaust and that land-clearing fireswere the primary source of ignition(I). These factors combined with a2-year drought produced one of history's most devastating fires.
The fire in question must be thePeshtigo, the Hinckley, or one ofthe terrible Lake States fires of thelast century, right? Wrong! Thisfire. one of the largest and most destructive in history, occurred lessthan 2 years ago in the tropical rainforest of southeastern Kalimantan,the Indonesian section of the islandof Borneo (fig. I).
12 Fire Management Notes
century. These North American fireswere given the designation' 'burningan empire" by Stewart Holbrook inhis book of the same name (4).Drought, logging, and land-clearingfires are the common elementslinking the two sets of disasters(10).
Normally, tropical rain forestsdon't burn (fig. 2). Slash and burnagriculture-felling small jungleplots and burning the slash prior toplanting-has been carried on forcenturies without causing seriousfires (7). However, this agriculturalpractice was intensified inKalimantan prior to the fire as partof Indonesia's' 'transmigration program," in which families are movedfrom crowded islands, such as Javaand Bali, to new homes in less developed areas.
A fairly new factor was the use ofa form of selective logging thattakes only three or four highly valuable trees per acre but results in logging slash and opens up the canopyto sun and wind (8, 3). Cruciallyimportant was the 2-year droughtthat made parts of the tropical foresttinder dry. In addition, the groundwas littered with dead leaves, a normal jungle response to drought. Thedrought was one of the occurrencesassociated with the EI NinoSouthern Oscillation Event, thecomplex, little understood, cyclicalchange in Pacific area ocean and aircurrents. El Nino is a worldwidephenomenon that occurs about every30 years. For most of the Asian
Volume 45, Number 4
Figure 2-Tropical rainforest similar to that which burned in the Kalimantan fire. Treesgrow to J50 feet or more.
13
tropics, it means exceptionally dryweather or drought.
All of these factors combined tocause a fire spread that was highlyvariable, creeping in many areas andexploding in others. Observers reported . 'towering infernos" and"fire storms" with flames reachingup to 150 feet or more above thetops of the 100- to 200-foot trees.Apparently topography was an important factor; the fire made majorupslope runs, completely consuminglarge downed hardwood logs. Insome places, shallow coal depositswere ignited (5).
Because the fire lasted so long, itfrequently reburned areas that hadbeen only scorched previously. Surprisingly, the fire was witnessed byrelatively few people. The absenceof roads limited ground travel, andthe thick clouds of smoke made aerial surveying a risky business.Many airports were closed forweeks. Smoke was so thick thatflights occasionally had to be canceled at Singapore Airport, morethan 1,000 miles away. Much of theinformation about the spread of thefire is from satellite infrared imagery (fig. 3) (6).
Foresters who studied the devastated area estimated that in thelogged area (40 percent of the firearea) tree mortality ranged from 50to 60 percent. Most of the remainingforest was damaged badly enough toslow growth or degrade logs.
Timber loss has been estimated tobe about 3/4 billion cubic feet in
14
Figure 3~Satefljte infrared imagery of the Kalimantan fire taken April 2, /983. showingthe island of Borneo and part of the Celebes (compare to fig. I). As many as 56 individualfire occurrences are shown in East Kalimantan; the fire area consists of many' 'hot spots,"some more than /,000 acres in size.
Fire Management Notes
it',
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:1 mature crop trees and another 1-114billion cubic feet of lost future harvest. The financial loss, conservatively estimated at $1.6 billion, ispotentially devastating to a developing nation-equalling EastKalimantan's annual budget for 37years! It is estimated that the implications and effects of the fire on thelogging industry will be felt for atleast 70 years. Many of the immature trees that would have formedthe next harvest under the Indonesian selective logging system (on aharvest cycle of 35 years) have beendestroyed (9). To put it in our ownperspective, the Kalimantan fireburned nearly as much as all of themajor Lake State fires combined (table I) (2).
One important difference betweenthe Kalimantan fire and the earlyNorth American fires is that the lossof human life in the Kalimantan firewas little or possibly none. The exact figure may never be known because of the vastness of the fire, theremoteness of the area, and the lackof communications.
Loss to wildlife varied. Becausethe fire spread slowly much of thetime, ground-dwelling animals had achance to escape. Animals thatlooked to the trees for home andsafety did not fare as well. Thearea '5 remaining 3.000 orangutans(a rare and endangered species oncenumbering in the millions) werehard hit; whole families climbed tothe topmost branches and perishedfrom flames and smoke. The most
Volume 45, Number 4.
important long-term effect is theloss of habitat and food source.Gone are the great variety of trees,especially wild figs, that were animportant source of food for a widevariety of birds and mammals.
Perhaps most important of all isthat the fire area is no longer a rainforest. The complex, highly diversecommunity of plants and animalsthat once existed has vanished, perhaps forever. Today, fragile tropicalsoils that had been protected by theforest canopy for thousands of yearsare alternately baked in the tropicalsun and eroded by intense rain.
Watershed damage on the firearea may not be as important as theloss in transpiration. Tropical rainforests are great sponges that soakup the torrential rains and then transpire the moisture back into the atmosphere. Since the fire, water failing on the burned area runs off tothe ocean. The new growthreplacing the old is more susceptibleto drought and fire and producesfewer of the necessities for wildlife.What will happen to the region inthe future is largely unknown, because large, devastating fire is sorare in the tropics. Although salvagelogging is under way, no one seemsto know what to do about siterehabilitation.
Just as we had to learn the hardway in the United States and Canada, the Indonesian government isnow realizing the importance of fireprotection. In the short term,Indonesia is considering the estab-
lishment of strategic firesuppression forces, includingground forces, air tankers, andbucket-equipped helicopters. TheIndonesian government realizes thatan adequate dispatch and communication system is essential and alsoplans to regulate the use of fire inland clearing. Long-term fire protection, however, can only be accomplished by improved loggingpractices, including slash disposal,and a change in the attitudes of localfarmers.
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ITable 1-Representative large and destructive fires oj the last two centuries
Areaburned Lives
Name Date Location (acres) lost Ignition source Weather Fuel type
Kalimantan Feb 1983 Southeast 8,000,000 Unknown Many small land Record Tropical rainKalimantan clearing fires drought forest/loggingProvince slash
Great Idaho Aug 1910 Idaho and 3,000,000 85 Many small light- Drought and Western coniferMontana (5 towns de- ning, railroad, and strong winds forest/logging
stroyed) logging fires slash r
Miramichi Oct 1825 New 2,830,000 Unknown (5 Many small land Record Northeasternand Maine Brunswick towns de- clearing and logging drought conifer
and Maine stroyed) fires forest/loggingslash
Pontiac May 1853 Quebec 1,800,000 None Unknown Unknown Northeasternconifer forest
Manistu Oct 1871 Michigan 1,500,000 Unknown Many small land Drought Lake Statesclearing and logging coniferfires forest/logging
slash
Peshtigo Oct 1871 Wisconsin 1,280,000 1,500 Many small land Long severe Lake States(1 town de- clearing and logging drought and coniferstroyed) fires strong winds forest/logging
slash
Lapeer Aug 1881 Michigan 1,014,000 169 Many small land Drought, Lake StatesCounty clearing and logging strong winds conifer
fires forest/loggingslash
Yacoult Sep 1902 Oregon and 1,000,000 38 Many small settler Extremely dry, Western conifer IWashington and logging fires strong winds forest, mostly
Douglas-fir
Holland Oct 1871 Michigan 1,000,000 None (1 town Many small land Drought Lake Statesdestroyed) clearing and logging conifer
fires forest/loggingslash
Hinckley· Sep 1894 Minnesota 160,000 418 Many small land Hot dry sum- Lake States(12 towns clearing and logging mer, moderate coniferdestroyed) fires winds forest/logging
slash
"Although small compared to many fires, the Hinckley is included because of the great loss in life.
16 Fire Management Notes
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Literature Cited1. Ashton. P.S. Aide memoire on the state
of rain forest research and its application in Indonesia. Cambridge, MA: TheArnold Arboretum of Harvard University; 1984. 14 p. Draft.
2. Brown, A.A.; Davis, K.P. Forest firecontrol and use. New York: McGrawHill; 1973. 686 p.
3. Canadian International DevelopmentAgency. A profile of Indonesia's forestry sector. Vancouver, BC: Paul H.Jones and Associates Ltd.; 1950.77 p.
4. Holbrook, S.H. Burning an empire.New York: Macmillan; 1943.
5. The Jakarta Post. Kalimantan forestfires keep aflame with controversy.1983 May I. On file with: Forest Fireand Atmosphere Sciences Research,1204 RPE. Rosslyn, VA.
Volume 45, Number 4
6. Malingreau, J.; Stevens, G.; Fellows,L. The Kalimantan forest fires of1982-1983-Satellite observations fordetection monitoring and damage assessment. Washington, DC: NationalAeronautics and Space Administration;1984. 10 p.
7. Rappaport, Roy A. The flow of energyin an agricultural society. ScientificAmerican. 225(3): 117-132; 1971.
8. Republic of Indonesia Department ofForestry and Department of Industry.Wood-based industries in Indonesia. In:Proceedings, 1st consultation meetingon wood and wood products industry;1983 September; Helsinki, Finland.Jakarta, Indonesia; [Publisher unknown]; 1983. 25 p.
9. Ross, M.S. A statement ofconcern-the forest fires in EastKalimantan. Republic of IndonesiaMinistry of Transmigration; 1983.5 p.
10. Storey, T.B.; Noel, S.M. Large fires inthe world since 1825. Special report forOffice of Civil Defense. Berkeley, CA:U. S. Department of Agriculture, ForestService, Pacific Southwest Forest andRange Experiment Station; 1966. 35 p-
11. Wound in the world. Asiaweek 34: 553;1984 July 13.•
17
How NIIMS Keeps QualificationStandards From Becoming aBarrier to Interagency CooperationJim Whitson and Dave Hanson
Staff Specialist, USDA Forest Service, BoiseInteragency Fire Center, Boise, ID, and BattalionChief, Los Angeles County, CA.
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The National Interagency IncidentManagement System (NIIMS) wasdesigned so that cooperating emergency service agencies at alllevels-local, regional, andnational-could exchange resources. Each agency would havemore resources and more kinds ofresources available without a corresponding increase in the total emergency resource base in this country.NIIMS offers some solutions towhat many wildland protectionagencies perceived as overly rigidqualification standards under theNational Interagency Fire Qualifications System (NIFQS).
Need For Cooperation
The rules for physical fitness,training, and other qualifications under the Large Fire Organizationssystem created barriers toexchanging resources among local,regional, and national agencies.Many wildland fire protectionagencies did not participate in thesystem; in some cases they were excluded from participation by differences in agency rules. NIIMS is designed to allow participatingagencies at the local level to jointlyagree upon the training, experience,and physical fitness that is equivalent to the standards described in the"Qualification and CertificationGuide." For instance, the Q&CGuide may call for successful completion of course 1-420. At the locallevel, agencies may find that they
18
are currently teaching a coursewhose content equals or exceeds thematerial covered in 1-420 and whichwould therefore be an acceptableequivalent to 1-420. Also, theagencies may request the addition ofmaterial to 1-420 which would meeta particular local need.
Setting Minimum Standards
Under NIIMS, any agency whichcommits personnel and resources atthe national interagency level willbe expected to meet certain minimum requirements for training,physical fitness, and experience. Aparticipating agency will have theresponsibility of evaluating its personnel to determine if they meetthese minimum requirements beforecertifying them as qualified. Physical fitness will be determined by thesending agency based on guidelinesprovided under four fitness categories: arduous, moderate, light, andnone.
For example, for the firefighterposition, meeting the fitness requirement at the arduous level andcompleting training courses such asS-130 (Basic Firefighter), S-190(Introduction to Fire Behavior),Standard First Aid, and specialtytraining, as needed, are basic requirements for most Federalagencies. Many State and localagencies have rigorous trainingcourses which more than meet theseminimum requirements and wouldqualify them to exchange resources.Of course, safety of the firefighter
must not be compromised whenevaluating these criteria.
Standards relating to protectiveclothing and equipment should alsobe considered" Agencies exchangingresources on a regular basis shouldagree to accept the protective equipment policies and standards of theirpartner agencies or come to anagreement for providing agencyrequired equipment on an incident.
Future of NIIMS
As the various agencies come together in the NIIMS implementationprocess, problems dealing with qualifications and standards can beidentified and solved if all parties recognize the advantage of workingcooperatively. By using the nearestforces during an incident, emergencyresponse capabilities can be increased, resources better protected,and lives and dollars saved.•
Fire Management Notes
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Complementary SystemsIEMS and NIIMSMarvin Newell and Jim Whitson
Project Leader and Staff Specialist, USDA ForestService, FIRETIP Project, Boise Interagency FireCenter, Boise, fD.
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Questions have arisen about therelation of the National InteragencyIncident Management System(NIIMS) to the Federal EmergencyManagement Agency's (FEMA)planning system, called the Integrated Emergency Management System (!EMS). The following information should help to provide anunderstanding of !EMS and NIIMSand how the two systems mesh on aState or local basis. The writeup hasbeen approved by two FEMA Regional Fire Representatives.
Integrated EmergencyManagement System
The Integrated Emergency Management System is the FederalEmergency Management Agency'slong-term, all-hazard strategy to integrate and develop emergency management capabilities at the State andlocal level. !EMS is a basic foundation for planning for the response,recovery. and mitigation of hazards.
!EMS is a new concept developedby FEMA which is designed toachieve total integration of emer-
Volume 45, Number 4
gency management activities and thedevelopment of capabilities neededto handle incidents. FEMA providesfunds to States and localcommunities to support theirplanning efforts. Through !EMS,communities can identify deficiencies in emergency preparedness andplan how to correct them.
!EMS does not include any response mechanism or organizationfor managing emergencies.
National Interagency IncidentManagement System
The National Interagency IncidentManagement System is a total systems approach to incident management. NIIMS includes the IncidentCommand System, which is anonscene management organization.Its concepts and principles can beused for managing any type ofincident.
While NIIMS emphasizes jointplanning for incidents where morethan one agency is involved, it isalso designed for agency commandwhere an incident is wholly within asingle jurisdiction.
How Do The SystemsMesh?
NIIMS/ICS provides techniquesfor field command to handle emergency response problems onsite , including a mechanism formultijurisdictional management, ifneeded.
The NlIMSJICS concept addresses problems associated withintergovernmental relationshipsthrough a comprehensive decisionmaking process. The decisionmaking process encourages planningfor on-the-scene management of minor single-agency incidents as wellas complex multiagency incidents.
IEMS focuses on the full spectrumof hazards, at all levels of governmentresponse, This planning process formitigation preparedness and recovery,when combined with the NIIMS/ICSconcept, makes a comprehensiveemergency management system. Thistotal system is a structure in which integration of effort, resources,agencies, and jurisdictions can bebroadly applied.•
19
Smokey's Birthday Celebrated Acrossthe NationGladys D. Daines
Smokey Bear Program Manager, USDA ForestService, Cooperative Fire Protection,Washington, DC.
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Have you seen a birthday cake astall as Smokey Bear? We have.
Can you imagine celebratingSmokey's birthday almost everyweekday for a year? We couldn't.But in 1984 there have been somany birthday parties held acrossthe nation to celebrate Smokey's40th Birthday that we 've lost countof them.
Birthday parties have been held inbaseball stadiums, in forests, inschoolrooms and libraries, at countyand State fairs, and in office buildings and parks.
One of the first Smokey Bearbirthday parties was held in April, atthe Alabama Forest Festival inMontgomery, Alabama. Peoplecame from miles around to participate in a logrolling contest, chainsaw competition, and footraces andto watch forestry conservation andfirefighting equipment demonstrations. A giant birthday cake, createdand baked in the shape of SmokeyBear, was served to more than 3,000people (fig. I).
In May, the San Dimas Equipment Development Center inCalifornia invited a class of thirdgrade children to join their birthdaycelebration. Smokey Bear was thestar of the party, giving all of thechildren fire prevention handouts. ASmokey Bear sing-along got everyone singing. A high point of theparty came when the excited children helped Smokey blowout thecandles on his birthday cake(fig. 2).
20
Figure l~This giant Smokey Bear cake baked in Montgomery, ALfed more than 3,000people.
Fire Management Notes
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Figure 2-Third-grade pupils help Smokey Bear blowout the birthday candles at a party in San Dimas. CA.
Volume 45, Number 4 21
Figure 3-A birthday cake covered with candles shaped like pine trees is presented toSmokey Bear at Grey Towers. PA.
An art exhibit honoring RudyWendelin, retired Forest Service artist, opened in May at Grey Towers,a Forest Service facility in Milford,PA. The exhibit includedwatercolors of Smokey Bear andother Forest Service scenes produced by Wendelin over the years.Smokey attended the opening day asan honored guest and was presentedwith a large birthday cake (fig. 3).
In July, Smokey appeared at theMendenhall Mall in Juneau, Alaska,where he selected the winner of achildren's coloring contest. The festivities included the presentation ofa large birthday cake to Smokey,which he graciously shared with allof the mall visitors.
In August, employees at theWillamette National Forest inOregon invited Smokey Bear'sfriends to a birthday party in hishonor. A display of forest fire prevention exhibits, firefighting toolsand equipment. and a movie aboutSmokey Bear's life were all part ofthe day's activities. Vet anotherbirthday cake was presented toSmokey and then served to theguests at the party.
In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, ForestService employees and their families, as well as other Federal agencypersonnel, were invited to a partyand open house at the Eastern Regional Office in August. A ceremony marking the release of theSmokey Bear commemorative stampwas held in cooperation with theMilwaukee office of the U.S. Postal
22
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Service. Third-grade schoolchildren presented a short play aboutSmokey Bear, and refreshmentswere served. Of course, SmokeyBear himself attended the celebration. After the party, the staff provided a brief tour of their workingarea.
The birthday parties held forSmokey Bear this year have involvedthousands of people, both young andold. Smokey's message has been reinforced in a new and striking way. andmany people have been reminded,once again, of the need to preventwildfires.•
Fire Management Notes
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Recent Fire Publications
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Alexander, M. E. Prescribed firebehavior and impact in an eastern spruce-fir slash fuel complex. Can. For. Servo Res.Notes 4(1); 3-7, 25; 1984.
Gabriel, Herman W. and Tande,Gerald F. A regional approachto fire history in Alaska.BLM/AK/Tech. Rep. 83-09.Anchorage, AK: U.S. Department of the Interior; 1983.32 p.
Volume 45, Number 4
Matson, M.; Schneider, S.R.;Aldridge, B.: and Satchwell, B.Fire detection using the National Oceanic and AtmosphericAdministration Series Satellites.Washington, DC: National Environmental Satellite, Data andInformation Service; 1984.41 p.
Pyne, Stephen J. Introduction towildland fire management inthe United States. New York,NY: John Wiley and Sons;1984.
Sackett, Stephen s. Observations onnatural regeneration inponderosa pine following a prescribed fire in Arizona. Res.Note RM-435. Fort Collins,CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, RockyMountain Forest and Range Experiment Station; 1984. 7 p.
Steele, Robert W. and Barney,Richard J. Bulldozers in firemanagement: current designs anduses. Res. Note INT-328.Ogden, UT: U.S. Department ofAgriculture, Forest Service,Intermountain Forest and RangeExperiment Station; 1983.4 p.•
23
$51.00
$10.00$ 2.72$23.91$ 6.00Each
The Forest Service
The Forest Service of the U. S.Department of Agriculture is dedicated to the principle of multipleuse management of the Nation's forest resources for sustained yields ofwood, water, forage, wildlife, andrecreation. Through forestry research, cooperation with the Statesand private forest owners, and management of the National Forests andNational Grasslands, it strives-asdirected by Congress-to provideincreasingly greater service to agrowing Nation.
The Forest Service:Conducts forest and range re
search at more than 75 locationsfrom Puerto Rico to Alaska andHawaii.
Participates with all State forestryagencies in cooperative programs toprotect and improve the Nation's395 million acres of State, local,and private forest lands.
Manages and protects thel87-million-acre National ForestSystem for sustained yields of itsmany products and services.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants for all Department programs will be given equalconsideration without regard to age,race, color, sex, religion, or national origin.
Using Weather Data
Fire is an economical and effective tool for wildlife habitat en-
24
hancernent, removal of hazardousaccumulations of fuels, disease control, seedbed preparation, and species management. Timing of a burn.firing technique. manpower andequipment, placement of fire lines,and weather are elements forestmanagers must consider before asuccessful burn. All of these elements, except weather, can be partlyor wholly controlled by the forester.Weather is usually the limiting factor in a prescribed burning program.
A new research paper presentsdata that describe spatial and diurnalvariability of the weather elementsimportant for prescribed burning,the frequency of major weather systems that are responsible for rapidchange of these variables, and theapplication of data in the ForestryWeather Interpretation System to theprescribed burning problem.
Free copies of Weather Conditions Associated with UnderstoryPrescribed Burning in SouthGeorgia, Forest Research Paper 46,are available from the Georgia Forestry Commission. Attention: ForestResearch, P.O. Box 819, Macon,GA 31298.
New Helicopter Training Guide
The new Interagency HelicopterTraining Guide has been completedand is available from the BIFCWarehouse. The guide can be purchased as a complete package or individual components can be orderedseparately:
# 1261 Course(Complete IHTGPackage)#9808 Contents(lHTG Text Only)#9809 Binders, I"#9810 Slide Set#9811 Slide Trays(Order 2)#9802 PlasticSheet Protectors $ o. 19(Order 6) EachThe course number should be
specified even if component partsare ordered; the number is part ofthe warehouse computer system andis essential for prompt delivery.Please include a personal contactand telephone number on yourrequisition.
Requisitions should be sent to theNational Interagency Fire Center,BIFC Warehouse, Bureau of LandManagement, 3905 Vista Avenue,Boise, ID 83705.
This very useful interagencyguide has been revised to incorporate the latest information, procedures, and technological advancements common to the helicopterindustry. We encourage you to replace outdated training materialswith this new training guide as soonas possible. The BIFC Catalog willinclude this training guide in futureissues.
Fire Management Notes
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Guide to Identification andPostfire Management of FiveCalifornia Oaks
Oak trees are found on at least 20million acres in California-in openwoodlands, mixed with other species in the mountains. and in thechaparral lands, Although their current value as a timber resource islimited, oak trees play significantroles in stabilizing soil for watersheds, in providing wildfire habitatand mast (nuts), and for recreationand esthetic values.
Currently, there is a growing effort in southern California to useprescribed burning to reduce fuel
Volume 45, Number 4
buildup and fire hazard in chaparraland other wildlands where oaks arefound. Because all oaks are subjectto some damage by fire, with the extent and effects of that damage frequently varying by species, landmanagers need information to helpthem correctly identify species andevaluate their susceptibility to firedamage before they can select effective management plans for the oaks.
The Pacific Southwest Station hasrecently published a General Technical Report that provides guidelinesfor identifying five prominent species of southern California oaks-
coast Jive oak, interior live oak,California black oak, canyon liveoak, and California scrub oak.
The publication provides specificinformation for the identification ofeach of the five species; describesways to assess fire damage for thetrees on the basis of species, diameter, and degree of trunk or barkcharring; and outlines postfire management alternatives for fire-damaged trees.
Write for: Five Southern CaliforniaOaks: Identification and Postfire Management, General Technical ReportPSW-71. •
25
"Fire Lookouts of the Northwest"
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A 412-page hardbound book byRay Kresek , "Fire Lookouts of theNorthwest" is an overdue tribute tothose solitary guardians who werethe backbone of the forest protectionsystem.
Thirty years of research enabledthe author to blend 586 rare photographs with a comprehensive inventory of the 3,040 lookout sites inOregon, Washington, Idaho, andMontana. The book's 29 chaptersare full of interesting stories aboutthe people who stood watch in thetowers and cabins that once perchedatop America's remote peaks andformidable volcanos.
26
Numerous colorful anecdotes tellof unusual characters, loneliness,encounters with wildlife; the wartime enemy watch; summers spentatop tall crow 's-nests and loftyspires; tormenting winds and splendid views; the trauma of beingstruck by lightning. Firsthand recollections of historic fires are vividlyrecounted.
There are stories about the originof names such as Bad Luck Lookout, Lion Hill, Three Fingers, LavaButte, and Mount St. Helens andtales of back-country transportation-from mules to airplanes. Information on the effects of geologic
events is included, and the CivilianConservation Corps is given creditfor its many contributions.
"Fire Lookouts of the Northwest" issure to be appreciated by former lookouts, foresters, historians, lovers ofthe outdoors, mountaineers, and armchair explorers alike. The publisher isHistoric Lookout Project, W. 123Westview, Spokane, WA 99218.•
Fire Management Notes
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1'- -'1National Advanced Resource Technology Center
~I
COURSEDATE Of
PRESENTATION
December 10-14. 1984
January 7-18. 1985
february 4-15. 1985
forest and State Level fire~agementAn~y~s
Aviation Management and Safely
Advanced Incident Management1-520
Area Command 1-620 february 7-15. 1985
National Are Danger Rating System March 4-8. 1985
fire Behavior Analyst S-590 March 25-Aprll 5. 1985
fire and Resource Management for April 22-May 3. 1985Une Officers and Program Managers
Advanced Smoke Management May 20-24. 1985
All courses will be held at the National Advanced Resource TechnololYcenter, Pinal Air 'ark, Marana, Arizona, except as noted.
i\
I\
Volume 45. Number 4
For Information contact:Dlredor
National Advanced ResourceTechnology Center
PInal Air Park. Marana, AZ. 85238Tel. FTS 762-6414/602 629-6414
27
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