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Wildfire response does not end when the incident reaches full containment. A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team is deployed after a wildfire to assess the fire impacts on natural resources, cultural resources, and infrastructure and to assess potential safety hazards to humans and property.

The BAER team, composed of scientists and resource specialists, is deployed to document the fire impact and to provide treatment recommendations for response. These specialists work closely with land managers affected by the wildfire, who are the local subject matter experts that advise the BAER team. This multi-disciplinary group combines knowledge of post-fire effects with knowledge of the area’s resources to create a long-term mitigation plan for the fire area.

The Sourdough BAER team arrived on September 7, 2023 and prepared for a busy assignment. This skilled group of scientists worked with National Park Service (NPS) staff and fire personnel to collect data on the fire area and local resources. Staff from North Cascades National Park Service Complex provided the team with maps and digital data points that highlighted issues of concern like historic structures and other cultural resources, critical wildlife habitat, and areas of environmental concern.

The team then deployed to the fire footprint to ground truth the concerns that had been provided by fire personnel, satellite images, infrared images, and aircraft surveys. The team has spent the last several days documenting observations and collecting data using photos and measurements.

The BAER team expects to complete the field portion of their assignment by September 14, 2023. Then they will head into the office, affectionately termed the “BAER den,” to input data, generate models, and create a long-term plan for the site. The team meets regularly with land managers to collaborate on functional and realistic solutions. Once the treatment plan is finalized, it will be presented to complex managers and Seattle City Light hydropower project managers.

The long-term work begins when the BAER team departs. Park staff will begin applying any mitigation treatments they choose to adopt in the BAER plan. These projects can take years and often involve repair to infrastructure like damaged trails, application of treatment for invasive plants, restoration of wildlife habitat, and rehabilitation or protection of cultural resources.

Wildfire can cause long-term changes to the landscape and the management of an area. The Burned Area Emergency Response team is on-site to provide focused support for the park to rebound from the Sourdough Fire as efficiently and effectively as possible.