Fire Rehabilitation Program

July 1998

H-1742-1 - EMERGENCY FIRE REHABILITATION

Preface

This Handbook, the Emergency Fire Rehabilitation (EFR) Handbook H-1742, is a revision of the Handbook which has been in effect since 1985. In the years since there have been efforts that were not successful and this effort was started in the fall of 1996. The necessity for a revision of the EFR handbook was brought about by significant changes in the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and society in general. The values in what is desired from our public lands have broadened in the desire for more than a minimalist approach to emergency fire rehabilitation. It was also a period in which the BLM found itself under a greater degree of scrutiny by the public, and when there is a higher level of visibility in the overall program. This was caused by the period during which the health of the land or rangelands became a concept that was argued and discussed by many people inside and outside of BLM, and some of the changes in the Handbook reflect that thinking. It was also a period during which the impact that noxious or invasive weeds can have on the land and the potential for their increase after a fire was recognized by the BLM. Concurrently, during this period, the USDA Forest Service and BLM have worked and are being encouraged even more to work together on EFR projects and in training for EFR project management and implementation. Furthermore, in the fall of 1996, an Ad-Hoc Department of Interior committee was formed to examine EFR or Burned Area Emergency Rehabilitation (BAER) programs throughout the Department of Interior. The committee included personnel from the BLM, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Fish and Wildlife Service, and USDA Forest Service. The results of this committee’s work is reflected in some of the changes in the Handbook, specifically the increased emphasis on native plants in prescriptions, the limited use of trees in EFR projects, and the limitation on the use of EFR funds for the repair of damaged facilities. The lack of EFR funding for the repair of burned facilities is a change in policy that may cause significant difficulty in some BLM locations in some fire years. It is however, an issue that will continue to be studied by the Department of Interior, as there is the realization that a mechanism is needed to insure the repair of the BLM’s infrastructure. The Department is examining approaches to address not only fire destroyed facilities, but the repair of facilities destroyed by other natural events such as wind or flood.

The team that has worked on this handbook was composed of personnel with years of experience at numerous levels, and they have worked many hours developing a draft that was sent out for comment in the fall of 1997 and routed throughout the Washington office in the spring of 1998. It was next sent to the Denver National Applied Resources Science Center for a review by a writer-editor. The team consisted of Tom Roberts, Washington Office; Scott Davis, Colorado State Office; Mike Pellant, Idaho State Office; Bill Brookes, Oregon State Office, Earl Hindley and Linda MacDonald, Utah State Office; Mike Zielinski, Winnemuca District Office, Nevada, and Bob Clark, National Interagency Fire Center.

The Handbook is meant to be a document that will offer utility into the future. It is meant to enable the practitioner at the local level in determining the type of EFR plan that is most applicable in their situation and to other interested parties who may be interested in how the BLM implements EFR projects. And as such should be kept in a three ring binder or other means so that it can be updated with local, State Office, or Washington Office Information Memoranda or Bulletins, technical notes or other useful information. As need arises, it will be updated and likely be reviewed for compliance with changing philosophies or concepts in planning or fire rehabilitation. Any comments or suggestions should be sent to Tom Roberts, Washington Office (WO-220), 202-452-7769.

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Emergency Fire Rehabilitation (EFR) Policy

B. Handbook Objectives

C. Rehabilitation versus Restoration

D. Selection and Preparation of Appropriate EFR Plan

II. PROCESS TO PREPARE AND IMPLEMENT EFRPs OR NFRP SUPPLEMENTS

A. Assemble Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation Team

B. Funding to Evaluate Wildland Fires for Rehabilitation

C. Review of Available Resource and Wildland Fire Data

D. Evaluate Wildland Fire Effects

E. IRT Recommendation(s)

F. Preparation of EFRP or NFRP Supplement

G. EFR Plan Approval

H. EFR Plan Implementation

I. EFR Plan Completion

J. Project Monitoring and Evaluation

III. STANDARDS FOR USE OF EMERGENCY FIRE REHABILITATION FUNDS

A. Timeliness

B. Equipment

C. Livestock Management

D. Wild Horses and Burros

E. Wildlife

F. Threatened, Endangered and Sensitive Species

G. Forest Rehabilitation

H. Wilderness Study Areas/Wilderness

I. Recreation

J. Visual Resources

K. Cultural Resources

L. Treatment Specifications

M. Suppression Activity Damage

N. Repair or Reconstruction of Improvements Damaged by Fire

O. Protective Fencing and Cattleguards

P. Vegetative Fuel Breaks/Greenstrips

Q. Revegetation of Burned Areas

1. Decision to Revegetate

2. What to Plant (native versus nonnative plants)

3. Seed Application

4. Timeliness

R. Testing of Seed and Vegetative Materials

S. Public Coordination and Consultation

T. Treatment of Rehabilitation Failures

U. Pesticide/Fertilizer Use

V. Monitoring

W. Evaluation of Experimental Technology

X. Recovering EFR Costs on Human Caused Wildland fires

Y. EFR Funding Approval

Z. EFR Policy on Prescribed Fires

AA. Cadastral Survey

BB. Clean Water Act Compliance

CC. Standards for Rangeland Health Guidelines for Grazing Management

IV. REGIONAL SEED WAREHOUSE

V. RANGELAND DRILLS

VI. PROCUREMENT FOR SERVICES AND SUPPLIES

VII. FIRE REHABILITATION WORKGROUP

VIII. PROGRAM EVALUATION

XIV. GLOSSARY (RESERVED)

X. REFERENCES

XI. ILLUSTRATIONS AND APPENDIXES

Illustration 1. Sample Format for Environmental Assessment & Emergency Fire Rehabilitation Plan for Normal Fire Rehabilitation Plan and Emergency Fire Rehabilitation Plans

Illustration 2. Normal Fire Rehabilitation Plan Supplement Format

Illustration 3. Native/Non-native Plant Worksheet

Illustration 4. Construction and Acquisition Job Number Assignment Form (Temporary Form 1310-12)

Illustration 5. Emergency Fire Rehabilitation Project Summary

Illustration 6. Emergency Fire Rehabilitation Project Completion Report

Appendix 1. Procurement Information for Services and Supplies

Appendix 2. "Modified Cost-Risk Assessment"

Appendix 3. Glossary

Introduction / Fire Rehab Primer / Photo Story / Myths vs Facts / RAC Recommendations
Subgroup Report / State Director's Policy / News Releases / Fire Rehab Handbook

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