Fire Management Zone 2
Description
Fire Management Zone 2 is a mix of fire dependent ecosystems that for the most part have been roaded for housing or timber management. Access and homesites enable access for a wide range of forest users. Portions of the zone remain roadless; example include parts of the Buffer Zone, the Big Draw, the Jocko River, and Ferry Basin.
Fire regimes in FMZ #2 are historically nonlethal, however timber management and other forest practices have left many stands in a lethal condition. As a result large, intense fires are now expected to occur in these areas during extended and seasonal drought periods. Examples include the North Valley Creek Fire of 1986, the McDonald-Perma Fire, Nirada 1 Fire, Robertson Creek Fire (US Forest Service), and Henry Peak Fire of 1994, Boyer Creek Fire of 1998, Clear Creek Fire, Schely Fire of 2000, and Selo Complex Fire of 2003. Timber harvest strategies including unevenaged and evenaged forestry with varying degrees of fuel treatment create a range of wildland fuel conditions for dead and downed woody fuels, as well as increased levels of heavy (shrubs and forbs) green biomass that significantly contributes to the burning profile during drought conditions.
Generally, forward rates of spread are relatively low (1-12 chains per hour) but burning intensities can quickly exceed initial attack and support-resource capabilities. Many conditions exist where fire can easily climb into the crowns and forward rates of spread reach 45 chains per hour with spotting and intense radiant heat along the fire perimeter. Because of these conditions and because this zone often has high resource values, the Tribes have a presuppression strategy of prepositioning resources and an intial attack strategy that is both quick and strong.
While there are remote areas of this zone that may offer slight Wildland Fire Use for Resource Benefits opportunities. But in most situations, presuppression and forest restoration projects are accomplished through mechanical treatments and prescribed burns. They offer the least risk and most control over scheduling.
ObjectivesSelected objectives for Fire Management Zone 1 include: