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The Miccosukee Reserved Area (MRA) is a
wildland-urban interface community adjacent to the northern
boundary of
Everglades National Park. The community is at risk from wildfires
burning in tall sawgrass fuels. Fires in this fuel type
typically exhibit intense fire behavior and rapid rates of
spread. Long ago, park fire staff identified the need for
hazard fuels treatments adjacent to the MRA. Complicating
fuels treatments are the presence of endangered species habitat,
cultural sites, designated wilderness, a major travel corridor,
and natural fuels intermixed with homes in the community.
Everglades Fire and Aviation Management,
working in close cooperation with the Miccosukee Tribe of
Indians of Florida and most South Florida Fire Planning Unit
partners, developed strategy and tactics so that a hazard
fuels treatment burn could be implemented without the need
to install fire lines that would be detrimental to the fragile
ecosystem. The plan relied upon utilizing weather and natural
fuel breaks as well as single engine air tankers (SEATs) to
control fire spread. In April 2005, 604 acres were burned,
protecting five miles of wildland urban interface. Operations
were scheduled to take advantage of northerly winds which
kept smoke out of the community and away from Highway 41.
While these winds were desirable for smoke dispersal, they
also pushed fire towards sensitive cultural sites and endangered
species habitat. Monitoring fire behavior, assessing fuel
continuity and accurate water delivery by two SEATs, allowed
objectives to be realized with no impacts to values at risk.
Resources from Biscayne National Park, Big
Cypress National Preserve, Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of
Florida, Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, J. N. Ding
Darling National Wildlife Refuge and three “call when
needed” (CWN) aircraft assisted Everglades National
Park in this successful fuels treatment effort.
Contact: David Loveland, Prescribed
Fire Specialist
Phone: (305) 242-7851
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