Fire Ecology Annual Report, Southern Utah Parks Group: Calendar Year 2012

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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 2012. The field staff consisted of a permanent GS-07 lead fire effects monitor, and three GS-05 seasonal staff members. The crew completed all scheduled FMH plots (29) at Zion NP and Bryce Canyon NP, read 122 aspen monitoring plots in the Pocket Mesa burn unit and the Kolob Creek thinning project, read all 140 plots in the final year of the Kolob Fire cheatgrass treatment project and assisted the Zion module leader with structure assessments at Zion NP and Glen Canyon NRA. Similar to 2011, the crew was able to borrow a field laptop from the Zion GIS lab. This allowed the crew to enter Kolob Fire cheatgrass treatment data while collecting it. A 40 acre prescribed burn, the Zion Grass RX, was completed early spring in the developed area around the campground and visitor services section of Zion Canyon. All fire effects crew members assisted the Zion wildland fire engines with several fires in the local Color Country Interagency Area. Wildland fire activity in the local area was more active during the 2012 season then it has been the previous couple years. Color Country saw record breaking indices in 2012 for the months of May, June and July. Zion National Park was in severity from early June to late July and as a result the fire effects crew shared engine coverage duties with the fire staff. All field crew members were able to participate in at least one detail and worked on a wide range of wildland fire fighting skills. Elizabeth Dodson worked two Color Country crews and traveled to Montana and Idaho for full detail assignments. Adam Birely worked one Color Country crew and traveled to Montana for a full two week assignment. Andrea Tomlinson detailed with the Color Country dispatch center in Cedar City and spent 10 shifts working on expanded dispatch skills. Katie Walsh worked one Color Country crew assignment as a squad boss trainee and was able to complete her FFT1 taskbook. These new skills will allow the crew to be available for response to wildfire incidents within Zion and Bryce Canyon. Katie Walsh also traveled to Grand Canyon NP to assist their fire effects crew with post plot reads for the Thompson and Range RX units.

Fire Ecology Annual Report, Southern Utah Parks Group: Calendar Year 2012

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