Yosemite National Park Fire Ecology Annual Report: Calendar Year 2010

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). The Fire Ecology and Fuels program had a productive and safe year. This year was marked by standing up the prescribed fire program after the Big Meadow escaped prescribed fire, and enduring a year without a lead for the Fire Effects crew. The summer was bumpy but we all learn from the experience. Although it was a slow fire season nationally and in California, Yosemite seemed to have fire on the ground for most of the season. The most successful were the Slope and Vernon Fires that burned on the south canyon wall of Hetch Hetchy and 3 miles to the North of Hetch Hetchy, respectively. Both fires created minimal smoke impacts to Tuolumne County, although there were several nuisance complaints in September. Four fires started in July; the Tuolumne, Wildcat2, Slope, and Vernon, and another 35 started in October. The October lightning bust started fires all over the park but fuel conditions were too wet for any of them to grow. The Tuolumne Fire and Wildcat2 fires also extinguished on their own. Of the 35 fires this year, 16 were suppressed because of their location in the “suppression zone”.

Yosemite National Park Fire Ecology Annual Report: Calendar Year 2010

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