07-15-2010, 11:10 AM
The 900,000-plus acres of wildlife areas and water access sites under Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) management across the state are as vulnerable to wildfire at this time of year as any public lands.
Although WDFW land management staff spends considerable time in wildfire preventive efforts, they need experts for fire suppression work and the cooperation of recreationists and neighbors to be successful.<br />
"We're not firefighters," said WDFW lands manager Paul Dahmer. "Our field staff gets basic wildfire training, but we contract with DNR (Department of Natural Resources) and local fire districts for actual fire suppression."<br />
Dahmer said all wildlife area complex management plans include fire control chapters, detailing actions to take before, during and after burns to minimize problems like erosion, weed invasion, and sedimentation of fish-bearing streams. Preventive steps include building fire breaks and reducing fuels through timber thinning or prescribed burns.<br />
"We use prescribed burns to enhance wildlife habitat, too," Dahmer said, "which makes fire training for our staff important for our own habitat goals, beyond wildfire prevention and control."<br />
WDFW's properties on the east and typically drier side of the state have suffered most from wildfires. With drier than normal conditions last year, fires burned parts of the Wenas and Oak Creek Wildlife Areas. In 2008, fires burned 3,500 acres on parts of the Columbia Basin, Colockum, Scotch Creek, Wenas, and Swanson Lakes wildlife areas. Wildfires burned some 8,500 acres of the Asotin Wildlife Area in 2007.<br />
Although lightning strikes during summer storms start some fires, people cause 85 percent of Washington's wildfires according to DNR records.<br />
"That's why we need the cooperation of recreationists visiting our lands," Dahmer said. "Caution and common sense are needed, starting with fire restriction compliance."<br />
All WDFW properties have restrictions on campfires and prohibit all fireworks. Where campfires are allowed, they usually are restricted to metal fire rings and must be kept to less than three feet in height and diameter.<br />
All WDFW properties restrict motor vehicle traffic to established roads, both to minimize disturbance to habitat and wildlife and to reduce chances of sparking fires on dry ground cover.<br />
Specific rules can be found at http://wdfw.wa.gov/lands/wildlife_areas/...nduct.html .<br />
This year, with an unusually long, cold, wet spring, WDFW land managers fear that recreationists will be less careful because they think fire danger is low. But those conditions actually made for extraordinarily lush vegetation that is now drying out and becoming fuel for wildfire.<br />
Those recreating outdoors should follow these DNR campfire safety tips:<br />
"¢ Never start a campfire when wind is strong or local conditions are so dry that fire danger is high<br />
"¢ Use a screen over and around a campfire to minimize sparks flying out<br />
"¢ Keep fires less than three feet in height and diameter<br />
"¢ Keep five gallons of water and a shovel nearby<br />
"¢ Never leave fires unattended<br />
"¢ Extinguish a fire by drowning it thoroughly with water, stirring until cold, and then drowning it again<br />
Fire-danger levels and burn ban information is available at http://fortress.wa.gov/dnr/firedanger/BurnRisk.aspx .<br />
To report a wildfire or unattended campfire call 1(800) 562-6010 or 911.
Although WDFW land management staff spends considerable time in wildfire preventive efforts, they need experts for fire suppression work and the cooperation of recreationists and neighbors to be successful.<br />
"We're not firefighters," said WDFW lands manager Paul Dahmer. "Our field staff gets basic wildfire training, but we contract with DNR (Department of Natural Resources) and local fire districts for actual fire suppression."<br />
Dahmer said all wildlife area complex management plans include fire control chapters, detailing actions to take before, during and after burns to minimize problems like erosion, weed invasion, and sedimentation of fish-bearing streams. Preventive steps include building fire breaks and reducing fuels through timber thinning or prescribed burns.<br />
"We use prescribed burns to enhance wildlife habitat, too," Dahmer said, "which makes fire training for our staff important for our own habitat goals, beyond wildfire prevention and control."<br />
WDFW's properties on the east and typically drier side of the state have suffered most from wildfires. With drier than normal conditions last year, fires burned parts of the Wenas and Oak Creek Wildlife Areas. In 2008, fires burned 3,500 acres on parts of the Columbia Basin, Colockum, Scotch Creek, Wenas, and Swanson Lakes wildlife areas. Wildfires burned some 8,500 acres of the Asotin Wildlife Area in 2007.<br />
Although lightning strikes during summer storms start some fires, people cause 85 percent of Washington's wildfires according to DNR records.<br />
"That's why we need the cooperation of recreationists visiting our lands," Dahmer said. "Caution and common sense are needed, starting with fire restriction compliance."<br />
All WDFW properties have restrictions on campfires and prohibit all fireworks. Where campfires are allowed, they usually are restricted to metal fire rings and must be kept to less than three feet in height and diameter.<br />
All WDFW properties restrict motor vehicle traffic to established roads, both to minimize disturbance to habitat and wildlife and to reduce chances of sparking fires on dry ground cover.<br />
Specific rules can be found at http://wdfw.wa.gov/lands/wildlife_areas/...nduct.html .<br />
This year, with an unusually long, cold, wet spring, WDFW land managers fear that recreationists will be less careful because they think fire danger is low. But those conditions actually made for extraordinarily lush vegetation that is now drying out and becoming fuel for wildfire.<br />
Those recreating outdoors should follow these DNR campfire safety tips:<br />
"¢ Never start a campfire when wind is strong or local conditions are so dry that fire danger is high<br />
"¢ Use a screen over and around a campfire to minimize sparks flying out<br />
"¢ Keep fires less than three feet in height and diameter<br />
"¢ Keep five gallons of water and a shovel nearby<br />
"¢ Never leave fires unattended<br />
"¢ Extinguish a fire by drowning it thoroughly with water, stirring until cold, and then drowning it again<br />
Fire-danger levels and burn ban information is available at http://fortress.wa.gov/dnr/firedanger/BurnRisk.aspx .<br />
To report a wildfire or unattended campfire call 1(800) 562-6010 or 911.