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Gulf Islands National Seashore used a combination of
mechanical treatments and prescribed burning to reduce hazard
fuel loads from dead and down trees that had accumulated in the
Naval Live Oaks area of the park during Hurricanes Ivan in 2004
and Hurricane Dennis in 2005.
RFCC, Inc., a local Gryo-Trac contractor from Molino, Florida,
cleared a 50-60 foot fuel break along the boundary in December
2005. In a separate contract, large jackpots of dead and down
sand pine on 10 miles of interior fire breaks/roads were treated
by an Oregon based Northwest Arbor-Culture Inc. Posi-Track
contractor for access and holding concerns.
A prescribed burn was completed on March 8, 2006. The NPS
Cumberland Gap and Great Smoky Mountains Fire Use Modules
participated, along with an engine and firefighters staff from Kings
Mountain National Military Park. Gulf Island National Seashore
firefighters were also on hand. Gulf Islands recently entered into
the Gulf Coast Plain Ecosystem Partnership and was rewarded
with cooperation from members including Eglin Air Force Base
and the Florida Division of Forestry, both of which provided
contingency tractor plow units, and The Nature Conservancy,
which provided several firefighters.
Approximately 28 acres were treated with prescribed fire in the
Naval Live Oaks burn unit along the wildland urban interface
with Reservation Road. Moderate fire behavior was observed as
ignition progressed from a backing fire off of the boundary to
interior striping, and the ignition specialist, burn boss and park’s Fire Management Officer decided to
scale back the size of the burn from what was originally planned for the day. The area that was treated
along the northern flank of the burn unit will be an asset to firefighters who plan to treat another 165
acres with prescribed fire in a few weeks.
Contact: Mark Nicholas, Biologist
Phone: (850) 934-2619 |
