Environmental assessment on the Fire Management Plan Olympic National Park, Washington
Olympic National Park. 1998. Environmental assessment on the Fire Management Plan Olympic National Park, Washington. Port Angeles, WA
Since its establisment in 1938, approximately 9,000 of the 922,653 acres which comprise Olympic National Park have been burned by forest fires. Two-thirds of all fires have been man-caused, but 80% of the total acreage burned has been the result of lightning fires. The majority of lightning fires have been less than one acre in size. In Olympic, fire spread is usually inhibited by rugged topography, numerous rivers and streams, prevailing weather patterns and relatively high fuel moisture. In the past 59 years, the policy of near total fire suppression has had some potential adverse effect on forest succession. ... Unless identified values at risk are directly threatened, the overall impact on park resources from lightning fires does not justify a policy of complete, automatic fire suppression.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Olympic National Park
- Date of Issue
- 1998-01
- Units
- OLYM
- Keywords
- Environmental Assessment, Fire Management, Fire Suppression, Olympic National Park