HomeMy WebLinkAbout20080756 United States Forest Pawnee 660"O"Street
USDA Department of Service National Grassland Greeley,CO 80631
Agriculture Voice: (970)346-5000 TDD: (970)346-5015
Web: www.fs.fed.us/r2/arnf
Fax: (970)346-5014
File Code: 2670-3
Date: February 27, 2008
Dear Neighbor of the Pawnee National Grassland:
As you may be aware, the Pawnee National Grassland(PNG)is making preparations to conduct our
annual prescribed burn. We are proceeding with the necessary planning and preparations including
selecting the burn units, completing the Prescribed Fire Burn Plan and Communications Plan, obtaining
smoke permits from the State, preparing burn equipment and personnel, and establishing control lines
around burn units. We are also monitoring weather and soil moisture conditions.
If you would like to be contacted when conditions become favorable and we decide to conduct prescribed
burning on the PNG in 2008,please call us at 970-346-5000, send us a written request, or drop by our
office to get on our contact list. It is our desire to be good neighbors, so we are sending this letter to help
inform you of our plans and to let you know what to expect if we decide to burn.
Project Description
Each year, the PNG conducts prescribed burns on several areas on the Grassland to restore and maintain
habitat for many wildlife species, but especially the mountain plover, a species of concern for the Forest
Service. The Pawnee National Grassland supports a diverse array of wildlife and important wildlife
habitat. Many species of wildlife are dependent upon short-grass habitat that is maintained or created by
fire. A secondary benefit is the reduction of fuels consisting of litter and thatch that are a significant
contributor to fire spread, even under moderate wind conditions. Fire is also a primary mechanism for
decomposition, making it crucial in nutrient cycling.
We have been conducting prescribed burns to maintain and restore wildlife habitat since 1994. The PNG
has burned over 28,900 acres since the start of the prescribed burning program. In 1994, we burned 90
acres on the Wildhorse Allotment. In recent years our burn program has grown with approximately 5,000
acres (less than 3% of the total PNG acreage) of burning planned for this year. Maps of areas we plan to
burn are attached.
Ideal conditions for burning to improve wildlife habitat usually begin in mid to late February and March.
Our goal is to complete this project before mountain plover and other birds begin to arrive on their nesting
grounds in late March and early April.
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Forest Service Prescribed Burning Requirements
In an effort to implement prescribed burning safely, the Forest Service takes several precautions prior to
burning. These include issuance of an Air Pollution Control Division Smoke Permit, a Communication
Plan, and a Burn Plan.
1. Air Pollution Control Division Smoke Permit-An APCD Smoke Permit will be issued prior to
burning. This permit specifies the environmental conditions necessary for burning to proceed, so
that burning will not result in a violation of air quality standards for smoke in or near the burn
areas.
2. Communication Plan- A Communication Plan is prepared to identify the surrounding
communities, residents, fire cooperators, and key stakeholders; communication roles and
responsibilities; and how information about the prescribed fire, before and during the burn, will
be distributed.
3. Burn Plan-A Burn Plan is prepared to ensure that all permits have been issued, all notifications
have been made, all necessary equipment is working and onsite, that all personnel are on site and
briefed, and that backup resources in case of escapes are available. The Burn Plan specifies
environmental conditions necessary for burning and requires that favorable conditions for burning
exist prior to ignition. Ignition will not occur if any of the parameters specified in the Burn Plan
are not met. An Escape Contingency Plan, Safety Plan, and Job Hazard Analysis are included in
the Burn Plan.
Safety is our primary concern during prescribed burning operations. Only fully-qualified prescribed fire
personnel will be allowed to staff the fire. Trainees may be assigned under the supervision of fully-
qualified personnel as specified in the Burn Plan.
The Burn Plan contains a Contingency Plan which describes procedures to follow in the event that burn
objectives are not being met. The contingency plan pre-identifies resources available and their response
time, if needed, to take mitigation or control actions in the event of an escaped fire or unacceptable smoke
impacts. Each burn block is assessed and mapped prior to ignition to identify and mitigate any potential
holding or control issues.
The Safety Plan provides information about the closest hospitals, ambulances and rescue services,
including locations,phone numbers, and travel times. It also identifies personnel with the most advanced
medical training, assigning them as first responder in case of an accident.
The Job Hazard Analysis identifies all hazards associated with the project and actions to mitigate hazards
that may occur before, during, and after burn operations.
What You Can Expect Durin2 Prescribed Burning
If you request to be on our calling list, you can expect to receive a phone call from the PNG at least one
day prior to ignition of the prescribed fires to inform you that the burning is about to begin. We hope this
gives you adequate time to make plans in case you prefer to be out of the area while the fire is burning. If
you prefer to be called prior to this, please let us know. Please contact us if you or someone you know
has health concerns associated with smoke. Although it is difficult to predict the exact days we will be
burning, we will make every effort to give you as much lead time as possible. You can contact us about
early notification or smoke concerns at(970) 346-5000. Individuals can also check our recorded
information line for prescribed fire information at 970-498-1030. This line will be updated immediately
before and during burning operations.
Burning is usually done over the course of four or five days depending on weather conditions. During
prescribed burning, you can expect much more activity in the area than usual, including fighting
personnel and equipment.
Signs will be posted along highways and main roads notifying people that prescribed burning is occurring
and that smoke may limit visibility in some areas. Where smoke hampers visibility on highways and
main roads, roadblocks may be established to control traffic until conditions are safe for driving.
Existing dirt roads are used as firelines where possible,but in some cases it may be necessary to disk a
small amount of fire line or to mow an area to create a fire line, so you may see a tractor working in some
of the burn blocks to improve control lines. In other cases, a wet (water or foam) line may be placed
along the boundary of the burn block using hoses from fire engines. Once control lines are ready,
resources are on scene and in place and favorable environmental conditions exist,then firefighters may
begin to ignite specific burn areas.
During burning you can expect to see smoke and flames. In most cases, smoke will move out of the area
within a few hours. If you see smoke and are concerned, please check our recorded information line at
970-498-1030.
For Your Safety and Ours
As a safety precaution, we ask that curious members of the public stay on county roads away from the
burn operations. Please stay clear of firefighters and their equipment during burn operations, both for
your safety and theirs. An information officer in a Forest Service uniform will be available to answer
questions during ignition of each burn block.
Grassland fires generally burn in a predictable manner, but they can change direction if weather
conditions suddenly change. Please keep this in mind while watching the burning. Keep a safe distance
from the burn areas and from personnel working on the fire.
We appreciate your cooperation and continued support of the PNG prescribed burning program for the
maintenance and restoration of wildlife habitat. If you have further questions about prescribed burning on
the Pawnee National Grassland or smoke-related health concerns,please call David Tomaschow at (970)
346-5003.
Sincerely, �) p
it r lJ�!}{f aKotrtst..-
t DAVID W. TOMASCHOW
%.-1 District Ranger
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