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Fuels Planning: Science Synthesis and Integration Forest Structure and Fire Hazard

Fuels Planning: Science Synthesis and Integration Forest Structure and Fire Hazard Dave Peterson & Morris Johnson PNW Research Station Pacific Wildland Fire Sciences Lab. Objectives

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Fuels Planning: Science Synthesis and Integration Forest Structure and Fire Hazard

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  1. Fuels Planning: Science Synthesis and Integration Forest Structure and Fire Hazard Dave Peterson & Morris Johnson PNW Research Station Pacific Wildland Fire Sciences Lab

  2. Objectives • Synthesize and publish scientific knowledge and principles about how modifications of forest structure affect fire hazard and fire behavior. • Develop quantitative guidelines for how silvicultural prescriptions affect fire hazard and fire behavior – guide for representative forest types of the western U.S. • Application: Assist the NEPA process, planning, and decision making primarily at the scale of forest stands. • Linkage: Provide input for economic and ecological analyses.

  3. Representative Stands • Selected Forest Types • Ponderosa Pine • Mixed Conifer • Pinyon-Juniper • Lodgepole Pine • Stand Exams • FIA FVS Ready

  4. Silvicultural Treatments • No action • Thin from below < 9 inches DBH • Thin from below to target stand density • Thin to target stand density proportional • Thin from below to fire resilientconditions • 75th percentile fire weather • 98th percentile fire weather

  5. Surface Fuel Treatments • No Surface Fuel Treatment • Whole Tree Harvest • Target Residual Surface Fuels (mechanical and/or fire)

  6. Example Stand Stand 060101019710380

  7. Analysis Tools • Forest Vegetation Simulator-Fire and Fuels Extension (FVS-FFE) • Fuel Characteristic Classification System (FCCS) • EnVision Software

  8. Fuel Treatment GuidebookModifying Forest Structure to Reduce Fire Hazard: A Guidebook for NEPA Analysis • Qualitative • Pre & Post Treatment EnVision Images • Quantitative • Stand Attributes • Fuel Loadings • Flame Length • Torching Index • Type of Fire

  9. Initial Stand Condition

  10. Thin from below <9 inches DBH Thin from below to target stand density Thin to target stand densityproportionally Thin from below to fire resilient conditions

  11. Guidebook outputsForest stand data • Trees per acre • QMD • Basal area • Stand density index • Volume (incl. merchantable) • Crown closure • Crown competition factor • Canopy base height • Canopy bulk density Projected 50 years forward in time at 5-year increments

  12. Guidebook outputsFuelbed and fire behavior data • Surface fuel loadings (0-3 in., 3-6 in., litter, duff) • Flame length • Torching index • Crowning index • Fire type (surface, passive & active crown fire) • Potential tree (basal area) mortality • FCCS fire potential Projected 50 years forward in time at 5-year increments

  13. Cooperative work: PNW – R6 – SORO Overarching objective • Provide the scientific basis and technical support to strategic plans for fuel/vegetation treatments on national forests. • Assist planning for spatial and temporal pattern of treatments. Scientific approach and products Scientific and technical support will focus on: • Developing a decision process for planning fuel/vegetation treatments. • Improving the quality of fuel/vegetation data bases of national forest landscapes  fuels mapping. • Developing a long-term monitoring approach for documenting and evaluating fuel/vegetation treatments.

  14. THANK YOU! Dave Peterson peterson@fs.fed.us 206.732.7812 http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/fera

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