Southern Utah Parks Group, Fire Ecology Annual Report: 2011

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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). The Southern Utah parks group had a safe and productive year in 2011. The field season staff consisted of a GS-07 permanent lead fire effects monitor and three GS-05 seasonal fire effects monitors. The crew was able to complete all scheduled FMH plot reads, install 10 new fuel plots and read 15 circular fuels/tree plots at Bryce Canyon, collect CBI data at Zion NP, and read all 140 plots in the Kolob Fire cheatgrass project. A field tablet laptop borrowed from the Zion GIS lab allowed the crew to collect and enter Kolob Fire monitoring data into a preloaded database. This increased efficiency and reduced paper waste. During the season the crew assisted with two scheduled prescribed burns, the Sunset Campground RX at Bryce Canyon and the Zion Canyon Grass RX. All crew members were able to take part in at least one detail and worked on skills ranging from FFT2, FEMO and FFT1. All crew members also assisted the Zion Canyon Wildland Fire Engines with several fires within Zion Canyon and the surrounding areas. The 5th wettest year in ZNP’s recorded history was 2011, which proved to be problematic for meeting prescription windows. The park conducted three specific fuel treatment projects and assorted mechanical thinning projects in the park for a total of 276 acres treated. Wildland fire activity was light for SW Utah, with one Zion engine in Texas on severity for a majority of the season. Nine wildland fires occurred within ZNP, accounting for 219 total acres burned. The Herbs Fire in the Kolob Canyons section of the park accounted for majority at 194 acres. Two wildland fires occurred in Bryce Canyon, the Willow (human caused) and the Garden fires, totaling just less than 6 acres. The Sunset Campground Interagency RX treated approximately 660 acres of ponderosa pine forest within the park and approximately 480 acres on the Dixie National Forest.

Southern Utah Parks Group, Fire Ecology Annual Report: 2011

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