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This was a very diverse year for the
Fire Education Information and Prevention program at
Ozark National Scenic Riverways. From the WUI Mapping
Program and Fire Management Plans to school programs,
implementing Rural Fire Assistance funding and prescribed
fire, the Fire Education/Information/Prevention program
was involved.
Now in its third year, the WUI Mapping
Program, a partnership between FIREWISE, the Student
Conservation Association, six rural fire departments
and the National Park Service, evaluated and mapped
a total of 2,228 structures to date. The WUI Mapping
Project was featured in a FIREWISE exhibit at the national
ESRI conference this year. In addition, the SCA volunteers
completed the fire history/fire occurrence maps for
Ozark NSR, Wilson’s Creek NB, and George Washington
Carver NM. This information will be incorporated into
the Fire Program Analysis (FPA).
The Fire Education, Prevention and
Information Specialist at Ozarks, Angela Smith, acted
as Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative
(COTR) for the Ozark, Wilson’s Creek, and George
Washington Carver Fire Management Plans (FMP), including
Environmental Assessments and Findings of No Significant
Impact. For Ozarks, Angela completed a Biological Evaluation
(BE), to analyze impacts of the fire management program
(through the FMP) on five endangered species. The BE
was the final compliance piece necessary to obtain approval
of the FMP from the Fish and Wildlife Service. Angela
is currently coordinating the FMP public review process,
so the document will be approved by the end of the calendar
year, as planned. George Washington Carver’s FMP
was approved by the Regional Director in September 2004.
Ozark NSR completed six prescribed
fires during 2004, for a total of 2,743 treated acres.
Angela handled information and press releases, and assisted
with operations. She also developed a mobile prescribed
fire wayside exhibit, which will be used on future prescribed
fires, to explain to passers-by why the area has been
burned, and how prescribed fire benefits the ecosystems.
Also during 2004, Angela presented
educational programs to three and four year-olds, Head
Start children, and seventh and eighth-graders. Topics
were age appropriate and varied by audience.
This year, the Rural Fire Assistance
program at Ozarks and Wilson’s Creek awarded $68,934
to a total of nine rural fire departments. This money
will be spent to provide personal protective equipment
to rural fire departments, and help the fire departments
with maintaining the WUI maps which document hazardous
conditions within their jurisdictions.
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