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The National Park Service at Whiskeytown
National Recreation Area and the Bureau of Land Management
collaborated together to complete the 723 acre Queen Mary
Prescribed Burn during the week of October 19 - 22, 2005.
This prescribed burn had been planned for several years but
due to the burn unit elevation of 4200’ to 5500’
and fuel conditions, the opportunity to complete the burn
had been a very slim window with conditions being too dry
or too wet.
As fire season slowed and daytime temperatures
moderated fire staff scouted the unit, monitored fuel sticks
and weather patterns. In mid-October after a light rain fell,
plans to conduct the burn were set in motion.
After a dry fall with above average temperatures
the light rain proved the perfect opportunity to complete
the Queen Mary Prescribed Burn. The two agencies worked with
resources and completed the prescribed burn in five days.
Crews worked hard to blackline the perimeter by working their
way through the tan oak and manzanita. Aerial ignition proved
successful on the steep terrain and mosaic conditions can
be seen throughout the unit, meeting the objectives of both
Agencies.
This burn was done in coordination with
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, United
States Forest Service, local state and county fire departments,
contract crews, and BLM and NPS employees.
The completion of this high elevation prescribed
burn on the west side of the park and the interagency cooperation
demonstrates Whiskeytown’s continued commitment to reduce
forest fuels, protect communities at risk while striving to
restore forest health by reintroducing fire into the ecosystem.
Contact: Carol
Jandrall; Fire Education and Information Specialist
Phone: (530)
359-2304 |
