The aftermath

[Kevin]

Who is responsible for cleanup after a large forest fire (Colorado)on private land and who pays?

[Tom]

Kevin,
Down here it is the landowners responsibility to clean up, prepare and replant although there is usually Federal Monies available, not everyone uses it because of the stipulations attached.

[DanG]

I heard a little about this on Public Radio, on the way to work this afternoon. They were talking about the local agencies were planning to sue the USFS for not containing the fire better. They claim that USFS didn't do enough to help protect homes and private property. Can't say how much of it was fact, and how much was rhetoric, though. I didn't think you could sue a Federal Agency for damages, but I don't really know.
Any input on this from you Forester types?

[Ron Scott]

The responsible party is liable for all costs of fire suppression and restoration. The extent of liability and negligence have to be proven however if there is no admission of responsibility.

The Feds can't continue these "fire busts" year after year at taxpayer's expense. Fuels management has to be made a priority in forest management. Employee experience and discipline also needs to be looked at.

[L. Wakefield]

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Fuels management has to be made a priority in forest management.

snip

   I like that statement! What I want is a 'how-to' for a small woodland- I have about 128 acres altho some is not formally in 'woodland' category for tax purposes.

   I know the rudiments and principles, but some of the nitty and the gritty- like- how far apart to put fire lanes for rapid fire suppression- how far back to clear if you are going to do a controlled burn in the woodland (I haven't dared to do that one yet- just saw a tiny bit of it in wildfire training camp..)

   The trips we did through Arizona and New Mexico it's 2 years ago now..)- I saw some awesomely good jobs of manicured forest land. I'm starting to think it's a bit like housecleaning- if you hire a person to clean your house, the first time is the worst time because of all the detritus of living that has to be cleared back before the actual 'cleaning' (industrial strength) can be done. But then after that IF the pick-up is MAINTAINED, the same number of rooms can be done in a fraction of the time. (No, I haven't done it. I live in the detritus..)

   My woods have detritus from many years' accumulation overlaid with the results of the last cut-over. It's a mess, and that's even including the fact that they cleaned up the tops and slash. I know it could be a lot worse.  But what I saw out west (visible from the road) was GROOMED. The only place I see that around here is where they have selectively cut- and in addition probably put the poison down to suppress the unwanted species.   lw

[Ron Scott]

Fuels management requires that one reduce and break up the combustible fuel loads.

Some considerations are:

1) Remove "all" round wood products from the forest stand when the harvest is made. Don't harvest just the "quality" logs and leave the remaining tops and slash to create a fuel load.

2) Some slash remaining is good for the site and soil, erosion control etc., but get is down alt least within 4' of the ground and broken up. The more woody fuels that can be removed in round wood such as pulpwood and even chips if possibe will leave a lessor fuel load.

3) Watch tree spacing between ground fuels when selective marking a stand. Plan the timber marking, access routes, etc with fire protection in mind.

4) Establish "fuel breaks", sometimes mistaken as "fire breaks". A "fire break" will not stop a "going wild fire" fire, no a "fuel break", but a "fuel break" will slow a fire down some for possible control with safety.

" Fuel breaks "are often made in the combustible pine stands by removing a 100-200 feet width or so and planting with wildlife foods and shrubs or letting it grow naturally to hardwoods which are less conbustible. Thus a change in the fuels on the area.

5) Basically. look at  the risk areas, terrain and timber types in your landscape and remove any accumulations of fine fuels as possible. Create a diversity of timber types by establishing fuel breaks.

6) Know and map any water sources, heliports(wildlife openings) etc. in advance.

7) Don't forget to "fire proof" around your home and any buildings.

8) Seek out assistance and advice from your State service forester, fire department, etc.

9) Allow loggers to salvage dead and down timber, wind blown timber, insect infested timber etc while the timber is still useable.

10) Just use common since, the more fuels on the ground, the hotter the fire and the more difficult it will be to to safely fight and control should you be unfortunate to have a "wild fire" on your property.

This is a current problem as to why the Public Lands in the west are raging out of control. Nature is taking its course with fire.

[Ron Scott]

Mother Nature's Logging. Adds fuels for serious forest fires if wood salvage isn't permitted. Note the fuels structure  here for a running fire.

[L. Wakefield]

   That looks like we did after the double whammy of back-to-back ice storms and then a high windstorm the following summer. I was actually fortunate that this place had been timbered off previous to that.   lw

[Ron Scott]

This has been a rough year for the USDA-Forest Service Fire & Aviation and it's still only July.

They had a shelter deployment (they're ok) on a fire in Oregon yesterday, another helicopter hard landing (following the one a few days ago which left two people in a hospital in Medford, Oregon), three airtankers have gone down, and more than 10 have died already.

It's been a nasty fire season so far for the USFS employees and the other agency/volunteer/contract folks who work in fire, and they're a long way from out of it.

Check out the Wildland Firefighter Foundation in the Forum Links or at http://wffoundation.org on how you can help families of those killed on fires.