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Wildfire
Prescribed Fire
Burned Area
Response
Other
Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Limitations
While many wildfires cause minimal damage to the land and pose few threats to the land or people downstream, some fires result in damage that requires special efforts to reduce impacts afterwards. Loss of vegetation exposes soil to erosion; water run-off may increase and cause flooding, soil and rock may move downstream and damage property or fill reservoirs putting community water supplies and endangered species at-risk.The Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) program is designed to identify and manage potential risks to resources on National Forest System lands and reduce these threats through appropriate emergency measures to protect human life and safety, property, and critical natural or cultural resources. BAER is an emergency program for stabilization work that involves time-critical activities to be completed before the first damaging storm event to meet program objectives.
BAER Objectives:
· Determine whether imminent post-wildfire threats to human life and safety, property, and critical natural or cultural resources on National Forest System lands exist and take immediate actions, as appropriate, to manage the unacceptable risks.
· If emergency conditions are identified, mitigate significant threats to human life and safety, Forest Service property and other critical natural and cultural resource values.
· Prescribe emergency response actions to stabilize and prevent unacceptable degradation to natural and cultural resources, to minimize threats to life or property resulting from the effects of a fire, or to repair/replace/construct physical improvements necessary to prevent degradation of land or resources.
· Implement emergency response actions to help stabilize soil; control water, sediment and debris movement and potentially reduce threats to the BAER critical values identified above when an analysis shows that planned actions are likely to reduce risks substantially within the first year following containment of the fire.
· Monitor the implementation and effectiveness of emergency treatments that were applied on National Forest System lands.
BAER Interagency Coordination:
Post-fire emergency response is a shared responsibility. There are several Federal, State and local agencies that have emergency response responsibilities or authorities in the post-fire environment. The BAER team coordinates with these agencies to look at the full scope and scale of the situation to reduce the potential threats to human life and property. It is important that BAER efforts are communicated with all affected and interested cooperating agencies and organizations regarding other post-fire recovery and restoration efforts. BAER treatments cannot prevent all of the potential flooding or soil erosion impacts, especially after a wildfire-changed landscape. It is important for the public to stay informed and prepared for potentially dramatic increased run-off events. One of the most effective BAER strategies is interagency coordination to provide post-fire threat information to local cooperators who can assist affected businesses, homes, and landowners to prepare for rain events. For example, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) program for post-emergency assistance on private and tribal land, the National Weather Service (NWS) has responsibility for flood warning alerts, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has flood insurance and other responsibilities if the area is a Presidentially-declared emergency, Resource Conservation Districts (RCD) and counties, as well as State and local-highway and emergency services departments, Coconino County Flood Control Distrit and City of Flagstaff Emergency Managment authorities, etc. It is important that landowners work directly with local agencies to determine appropriate actions needed to protect private structures and other assets.
The Cans and Cannots of BAER:
What BAER Can Do:
· Install water or erosion control devices
· Seed or mulch for erosion control or stability reasons
· Install erosion control measures at critical cultural sites
· Install temporary barriers to protect treated or recovering areas
· Install warning signs
· Replace minor safety related facilities, like burned guard rails
· Install appropriate-sized drainage features on roads, trails
· Remove critical safety hazards
· Prevent permanent loss of T&E habitat
· Monitor BAER treatments
· Implement treatments to minimize the spread of noxious weeds into native plant communities
What BAER Cannot Do:
· Prevent all flooding and debris flows
· Replant commercial forests or grass for forage
· Excavate and interpret cultural sites
· Replace burned pasture fences
· Install interpretive signs
· Replace burned buildings, bridges, corrals, etc.
· Repair roads damaged by floods after fire
· Remove all hazard trees
· Replace burned habitat
· Monitor fire effects
· Treat pre-existing noxious weeds
BAER Funding: Special Emergency Wildfire Suppression funds are authorized for BAER activities and the amount of these expenses varies with the severity of the fire season. Some years see little BAER activity while other years are extremely busy. Because of the emergency nature of BAER, initial requests for funding of proposed BAER treatments are supposed to be submitted by the Forest Supervisor to the Regional Office within 7 days of total containment of the fire. The Regional Forester’s approval authority for individual BAER projects is limited. Approval for BAER projects exceeding this limit is forwarded onto the Washington Office.
BAER SAFETY MESSAGE: Everyone near and downstream from the burned areas should remain alert and stay updated on weather conditions that may result in heavy rains and increased water runoff. Flash flooding may occur quickly during heavy rain vents be prepared to act. Current weather and emergency notifications can be found at the National Weather Service website: www.weather.gov/fgz/.
While many wildfires cause minimal damage to the land and pose few threats to the land or people downstream, some fires result in damage that requires special efforts to reduce impacts afterwards. Loss of vegetation exposes soil to erosion; water run-off may increase and cause flooding, soil and rock may move downstream and damage property or fill reservoirs putting community water supplies and endangered species at-risk.The Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) program is designed to identify and manage potential risks to resources on National Forest System lands and reduce these threats through appropriate emergency measures to protect human life and safety, property, and critical natural or cultural resources. BAER is an emergency program for stabilization work that involves time-critical activities to be completed before the first damaging storm event to meet program objectives.
BAER Objectives:
· Determine whether imminent post-wildfire threats to human life and safety, property, and critical natural or cultural resources on National Forest System lands exist and take immediate actions, as appropriate, to manage the unacceptable risks.
· If emergency conditions are identified, mitigate significant threats to human life and safety, Forest Service property and other critical natural and cultural resource values.
· Prescribe emergency response actions to stabilize and prevent unacceptable degradation to natural and cultural resources, to minimize threats to life or property resulting from the effects of a fire, or to repair/replace/construct physical improvements necessary to prevent degradation of land or resources.
· Implement emergency response actions to help stabilize soil; control water, sediment and debris movement and potentially reduce threats to the BAER critical values identified above when an analysis shows that planned actions are likely to reduce risks substantially within the first year following containment of the fire.
· Monitor the implementation and effectiveness of emergency treatments that were applied on National Forest System lands.
BAER Interagency Coordination:
Post-fire emergency response is a shared responsibility. There are several Federal, State and local agencies that have emergency response responsibilities or authorities in the post-fire environment. The BAER team coordinates with these agencies to look at the full scope and scale of the situation to reduce the potential threats to human life and property. It is important that BAER efforts are communicated with all affected and interested cooperating agencies and organizations regarding other post-fire recovery and restoration efforts. BAER treatments cannot prevent all of the potential flooding or soil erosion impacts, especially after a wildfire-changed landscape. It is important for the public to stay informed and prepared for potentially dramatic increased run-off events. One of the most effective BAER strategies is interagency coordination to provide post-fire threat information to local cooperators who can assist affected businesses, homes, and landowners to prepare for rain events. For example, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) program for post-emergency assistance on private and tribal land, the National Weather Service (NWS) has responsibility for flood warning alerts, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has flood insurance and other responsibilities if the area is a Presidentially-declared emergency, Resource Conservation Districts (RCD) and counties, as well as State and local-highway and emergency services departments, Coconino County Flood Control Distrit and City of Flagstaff Emergency Managment authorities, etc. It is important that landowners work directly with local agencies to determine appropriate actions needed to protect private structures and other assets.
The Cans and Cannots of BAER:
What BAER Can Do:
· Install water or erosion control devices
· Seed or mulch for erosion control or stability reasons
· Install erosion control measures at critical cultural sites
· Install temporary barriers to protect treated or recovering areas
· Install warning signs
· Replace minor safety related facilities, like burned guard rails
· Install appropriate-sized drainage features on roads, trails
· Remove critical safety hazards
· Prevent permanent loss of T&E habitat
· Monitor BAER treatments
· Implement treatments to minimize the spread of noxious weeds into native plant communities
What BAER Cannot Do:
· Prevent all flooding and debris flows
· Replant commercial forests or grass for forage
· Excavate and interpret cultural sites
· Replace burned pasture fences
· Install interpretive signs
· Replace burned buildings, bridges, corrals, etc.
· Repair roads damaged by floods after fire
· Remove all hazard trees
· Replace burned habitat
· Monitor fire effects
· Treat pre-existing noxious weeds
BAER Funding: Special Emergency Wildfire Suppression funds are authorized for BAER activities and the amount of these expenses varies with the severity of the fire season. Some years see little BAER activity while other years are extremely busy. Because of the emergency nature of BAER, initial requests for funding of proposed BAER treatments are supposed to be submitted by the Forest Supervisor to the Regional Office within 7 days of total containment of the fire. The Regional Forester’s approval authority for individual BAER projects is limited. Approval for BAER projects exceeding this limit is forwarded onto the Washington Office.
BAER SAFETY MESSAGE: Everyone near and downstream from the burned areas should remain alert and stay updated on weather conditions that may result in heavy rains and increased water runoff. Flash flooding may occur quickly during heavy rain vents be prepared to act. Current weather and emergency notifications can be found at the National Weather Service website: www.weather.gov/fgz/.
| Current as of | Tue, 08/02/2022 - 13:48 |
|---|---|
| Incident Type | Burned Area Emergency Response |
| Date of Origin | |
| Location | San Francisco Peaks |
| Incident Commander | Eric Schroder, BEAR Team Lead, USFS |
| Incident Description | Burned Area Emergency Response |
| Coordinates |
35° 20' 11'' Latitude
-111° 37' 59
'' Longitude
|
| Total Personnel: | 5 |
|---|---|
| Size | 26,770 Acres |
| Percent of Perimeter Contained | 90% |
| Fuels Involved | Spruce fire, dry mixed conifer, ponderosa pine, grass, pinyon-juniper and brush |
| Planned Actions |
Implementing emergency stabilization efforts on roads |
|---|---|
| Projected Incident Activity |
Final 2500-8 is approved and are beginning implementation of approved BAER emergency stabilization projects |
| Remarks |
Final 2500-8 is approved and are beginning implementation of approved BAER emergency stabilization projects |
| Weather Concerns | Forecast rain could cause flooding |
|---|