Wildland Fire Management Plan Craters of the Moon National Monument X. Fire Research

Information regarding fire effects in some specific ecosystems is incomplete. This absence of information should not constrain fire program implementation. Rather, as new information becomes available fire related resource management objectives can be refined in an adaptive management style.

A. Previous and Ongoing Fire Research at CRMO

In the development of this plan fire research was conducted by the Cooperative Park Studies Unit at the University of Idaho under the direction of Dr. Gerald Wright. These studies document past fire occurrence, vegetation and fuel components, and made estimates of fire behavior. This information has been incorporated into this plan.

There are currently no ongoing fire research projects at CRMO.

B. Fire Research Needs and Opportunities

Fire research has limited funding within the National Park Service. However, if it is determined that significant information is needed concerning the effects of fire or fire exclusion park managers may submit requests through the annual FIREPRO budget call. Additionally, requests for research funding may be made through the Joint Fire Sciences Group.

As research opportunities become available, studies should be undertaken to determine effects of fire use within CRMO on exotic weeds, water quality, aspen regeneration, riparian vegetation, erosion rates, and wildlife habitat.

Implementation of the CRMO FMP should not be contingent on completion of research of the local fire regime and fire effects on vegetation. A large body of scientific information already exists regarding effects of fire and fire exclusion for the plant associations of CRMO. Although this research was accomplished in other geographic areas, the results may be applied to CRMO (taking care to identify site differences and any subtle differences in effects that those differences might cause).