2004 Fire Ecology Program Annual Report: Bandelier National Monument, Capulin Volcanos National Monument, El Malpais National Monument, Lake Merideth National Recreation Area, Washita Battlefield National Historic Site

Author unknown

A summary of fire ecology activities and program information for the Park/network including fire effects plot workload, staffing, management objectives and monitoring results, and planning, fire monitoring, communications, and research. Also included are staff accomplishments/areas of focus, future program direction and other optional information (e.g. data analysis graphics or presentations, annual highlights, publications, program challenges, unique solutions to problems, collaboration, photographs of monitoring/fire activities, and suggestions on FFI). As of December 2004, this National Park Service (NPS) Fire Ecology Program includes Bandelier National Monument (BAND), Capulin Volcanos National Monument (CAVO), El Malpais National Monument (ELMA), Lake Meredith National Recreation Area (LAMR), and Washita Battlefield National Historic Site (WABA). Crew Activity Summary As of March 4, four permanent fuel moisture monitoring sites were established within BAND, and bi-weekly monitoring of the sites was initiated. Sarah DeMay functioned as a FEMO in the LAMR Big Blue prescribed fire on March 9. Sarah DeMay detailed with Santa Fe Helitack from April 19-July 17. She took L-180, S-271, and a Fire Refresher. Leslie O’Hare started as the Fire Effects Crew on May 3. Leslie continued the bi-weekly fuel moisture sampling, monitoring, and reporting of results to the Southwest Area Fire and Aviation Management Fuels website. Leslie also assisted Laura Trader with Bandelier’s Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the new fire management plan and completed scheduled BAND fieldwork, with the occasional assistance of engine crewmember Bela Harrington. Fieldwork included three 10-yr. upper elevation ponderosa pine re-reads, and twelve lower elevation ponderosa pine re-reads (trees are being monitored for insect and drought mortality). Leslie’s last day was June 30, at which point Fire Effects Monitoring fieldwork briefly ceased until July 19, when Sarah DeMay returned from the Helitack crew detail. Bi-weekly fuel moisture monitoring also resumed at this point. Tiffany Finke and Erin Hogan-Freemole started on Auguest 2, as did the main field season. Training was concurrent with fieldwork for the first week, which consisted of mechanical treatment plot re-reads. Ten 5-yr. re-reads were then completed at LAMR. The rest of August consisted of two more weeks of BAND Mechanical Treatment plot work, and, for Tiffany and Erin, one week assisting the ZION crew at MEVE. The first two weeks of September were spent at ELMA completing twenty-two 1-yr and 5-yr re-reads, and assisting with the Little Hole and Maynes prescribed burns. To complete this large workload, four additional personnel were added to the crew, for a total of seven crewmembers. The additional personnel included two Zion crewmembers, Carol Fields and Patrick Garner, and two BAND engine crewmembers, Samuel Huey and Karl Briggs. Tiffany and Karl then traveled to MEVE to again assist Zion with plot work. During the last week of September, six 5-yr and 10-yr plots were completed at BAND, and three crewmembers conducted a site visit to CAVO for plot installation planning. Jennifer Byington started on October 4, functioning as an assistant to the crew lead. She lead the crew in installing three plots at CAVO the first week. The next week, the crew traveled to WABA to install three, and re-read three, plots. Tiffany’s last day was October 14. Fieldwork continued at BAND and data entry started. A last trip was made to ELMA the week of October 25, to finish several re-reads. Jenny attended S-203 during the first week of November, and Karl left for a 14 day detail with the FUM. The last fuel moisture samples for the year were collected on November 8....

2004 Fire Ecology Program Annual Report: Bandelier National Monument, Capulin Volcanos National Monument, El Malpais National Monument, Lake Merideth National Recreation Area, Washita Battlefield National Historic Site

Collections