Since 2005, fire management staff at Lava Beds has been working toward restoration of the 16,764 acre Modoc War cultural landscape through a hazard fuels reduction project. This landscape, established in 2005, protects historic events that occurred in 1872-73 between the United States military and the Modoc Tribe.
Over the last 100 years fire suppression has caused the expansion of western juniper into the grassland sagebrush habitat that is found within the Modoc War cultural landscape. Western juniper encroachment has caused direct damage to war fortifications, limited visitor understanding of the landscape, and impacted wildlife dependent on sagebrush habitat.
For the past three years, fire staff has taken an active role in restoring this landscape through prescribed fire and mechanical treatment. In 2005, a prescribed fire was completed on 580 acres, followed up in 2006 with mechanical treatment in the same area. In 2007, 815 new acres were mechanically treated in cooperation with resource management staff efforts. In 2008, the piles will be burned in this area while limiting non-native plant establishment.
To date, this project has restored 1,395 acres of the Modoc War cultural landscape, directly benefiting visitors and the preservation of resources. Through adaptive fire and resource management actions, the Modoc War cultural landscape is being restored to how it appeared 135 years ago.
Contact: Al Augustine, Fire Management Officer
Phone: (530) 667-8122
*This story supports the National Fire Plan |
