Lower North Fork Fire & Prescribed Fire Review

Thanks netdude, it helps to know we are on the right track. Something we need to do for aunt is remove the pinecones and needles on the grass which we will do after this snow is done. She is next on the list.

I've been meaning to post this since right after the fire: You are amazing mtntrekker and have a heart of gold. Kuddos for the angel you've been (and your family) in wake of this awful fire.

Thank you Sunshine Girl!

It is a pleasure to extend a helping hand when many have done the same for us.

Slept in this morning, enjoying 6 inches of white fluffy this morning. Just what is needed in the burn area. More help yesterday so we were able to finish the last of it before the snow. My aching shoulders will get a rest today. I don't even have to shovel snow and I get some yummy good cooking. Life is good!

Governors report is due out today.
Will post when it becomes available.

Thanks Becky. Look forward to seeing it.

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ ... ire-points

Still waiting for the actual document to load.

From the article

Consider burning fuels created by mechanical forest thinning and grinding separately from the natural fuels.

So it looks like chipping isn't out of the question.

Be interested in reading the report.

Thanks Becky for posting the article.

The review is available here .

Wait until you have read the entire review before you reach any conclusions (I didn't), it will help keep your blood pressure under control.

I have done only a fairly quick read of the review, but at this point I feel it is both factual and fair.

Read it. Jf1acai it may be fair and factual as it relates the way you read it, but I am nowhere near satisfied. Nowhere do I find a discussion of the amount of area being too big for a prescribed burn. From what they said it is obvious that a lot of the fuel on the north slopes wasn't burned in the initial ignition which left it ripe for a good burn when embers flew and also that "chunks of charred material in the black can reignite on a hot windy day when exposed to ember wash". Duh and this is just being learned. Apparently they didn't look at the USFS fire in the Lost Park Wilderness that reignited 4 months later? Yes it was USFS rather than CSFS but they do reference USFS so it isn't like they don't have access to the information. And while they said they would make sure that more of the unignited fuels were burned, it still means that there will be the potential for too many areas that are still unignited and could still burn in hi wind conditions. If they would work on smaller burns and make sure that most stands of heavy fuels burn and monitor it for more than 3 days until it is out, then there might be half a chance of it not running out of control.

The Hi Meadow fire continued burning on private property and the fire dept was called and a helicopter ordered to make a water drop days after the hotshots had burned excess fuel. With the winds, it could have gone right back up the mountain with all the green trees (fuel) available. It isn't unknown that controlled burns continue to burn.

Projected high winds should require a lot more equipment made readily available for the burn no matter how long it has been since the burn.

As it stands they will follow new procedures which really won't do squat until the next high wind, low humidity day when it runs out of control and more homes burn and lives lost and then be shocked that their new standards didn't work.

Came back to add that had it been an individual, they would have been expected to know that embers could scatter and reignite and would be criminally charged, in jail and fined. File criminal charges on all the CSFS members involved, send to jail and fine them. Maybe next time they will be more diligent.

Remember that a hopefully more comprehensive review is coming.
This review is focused on the burn itself and though I have not read this one in it's entirety......It seems the panel has been critical of the policies and plans the CSFS used and at times.....did not follow.