Linda Wadleigh took me out to the Verde Valley to meet up with the Prescribed Fire & Fuels Specialist Scott Spleiss, the Forest Ranger Celeste Gordon, along with Ed Paul, Bucky Yowell and Corey Carlson who work together on fuels management, prescribed and wildfire in the Prescott and Coconino National Forests. As in many of the forests in this part of the country, there is a program to reintroduce fire into the vegetation communities to reinvigorate the forests, promote habitat as well as protect local communities from destructive fires.
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| Masticated fuels |
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| Mineral earth break created by dragging a hunk of iron behind a 4 wheeler (quad bike) |
The Natural Fuels Photo Series is used to estimate fuel loadings with photo points being used to monitor fuels, as well fuel moisture sampling to determine timing for burning. Scott demonstrated the Computrak Moisture Analyzer. Fuels are collected onsite in the forests at temporary sites within planned burn locations and stored in lidded cans for transport. To maintain the temperature and to ensure the fuels do not transpire the cans are kept in coolers until returning to the office for the analysis. The Computrak works by weighing the material then drying it and reweighing to give the fuel moisture content. It’s fast and only takes about 5 minutes to process one sample. The unit cost of the machine is quite expensive though at around $8,000 USD.
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| Computrak Moisture Analyzer |
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| the dried fuels |
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| readout of the Computrak |
Prescribed burning in these forests is conducted on a broad scale at approximately 3,000 – 5,000 acres (1200 – 2000 ha) sized treatment blocks on average. Sometimes sections of the burn blocks are open ended with landscape features, or previously burnt areas or diurnal weather conditions being used to pull up a fire.
The Forest Service employs contractors to masticate fuels near settlements and assets such as camping areas to reduce fuels and prepare the boundaries of burn blocks. Prior to lighting up briefings are held in the conference room at the Verde Valley Center using Google Earth to fly over and familiarize crews with the topography of the blocks to be burnt. Google Earth is also used to brief management on the prescribed burning program to be undertaken for the year. Before we went out in the field Scott used Google Earth to show me where the field inspection was planned as well as explaining previous burn history and nearby assets and communities at risk. It was an excellent tool and a brilliant way to easily convey topographical information.
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| Linda Wadleigh, Smokey, and me |
Thanks Linda, Scott, Celeste, Ed, Bucky & Corey!
