Ozark Highlands Fire Ecology Cluster, Fire Ecology Annual Report: Calendar Year 2005
Author unknown. Ozark Highlands Fire Ecology Cluster, Fire Ecology Annual Report: Calendar Year 2005
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). All data for OZAR, BUFF, and PERI was successfully converted from the FMH program to FEAT in early April. During the 2005 burn season in the Ozarks, all of the fires at Ozark National Scenic Riverways were monitored for fuel reduction, fire weather, fire behavior, and smoke production. Fuels plots were established in all nine FY05 burn units prior to the winter/spring burning season with pre and post reads completed since many of these burn’s objectives included hazard fuel reduction. Susan Farrington was hired as the assistant lead fire effects monitor in mid May and was tremendously valuable with her Missouri botany skills. This year’s crew worked very well together and accomplished everything on schedule. All plots were successfully completed and monitored by mid September. All the seasonals went to fire school in June and everyone was red carded. Adam Luraas went on a severity assignment with a FWS engine from Minnesota to St. George, UT, from late July to early August. They patrolled the Arizona strip district of the BLM and Adam worked as an ICT4 trainee. Shaun Collins, seasonal fire effects monitor, went on an OZAR fire engine to the Wallowa-Whitman NF in Oregon on a severity assignment the end of August for two weeks. Dan Swanson went on a 20 person crew to Louisiana in mid September to help with trailer / mobile home inspection and parking associated with the Hurricane Katrina recovery.