Prescribed Fire Scenario RolePlay Activity

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Prescribed Fire ScenarioRole-Play Activity

• Presented by Dave Christenson
• LLC Assistant Center Manger

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Role-Play Objectives

• Participate in the AAR Process under safe
  conditions and learn from the experience

• Describe how common attitudes, behaviors and
  beliefs can be addressed

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Area of Interest
Snag Summit
BS-963
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Proposed Rx Burn Target Area 360 Acres
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200 Acre Burn Plan(Highlights)

• Safety (LCES, Stay within prescription, etc.).
• Resource objectives
• Eliminate brush buildup on 200 acres.
• Protect the sensitive watershed from silt
  loading.
• 50 reduction of immature Ponderosa Pine stands
  in the 360 acre target area.
• Protect sensitive flora and fauna habitat from
  destruction by avoiding crown fire conditions.
• Avoid damaging high-value power poles near the
  MMA perimeter.
• Start at 10 AM, before it gets hot.

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200 Acre Burn Plan(Highlights, continued)

• Fire Prescription
• Desired flame length 1-4 feet
• RH Max 40, Min 15
• Wind Speed Max 7, Min 0
• Temperature (Degrees F) Max 75, Min 40
• Live Fuel Moisture Max 300, Min 120
• Duff Moisture Max 120, Min 80
• Dead Fuel Moisture
• (10 Hr. Lag) Max 18, Min 10
• (1000 Hr. Lag) Max N/A, Min 10

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Maximum Manageable Area 3600 Acres
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Spot Forecast at 0930

• Seasonable Typical Spring Weather
• Mostly cloudy until 1400, then partly cloudy
  until sunset at 1710
• Winds 3-5 mph from NW until 1400. Up to 7 mph
  until 1600, dropping to 5 mph by 1800
• Temperatures increasing. Max. temperature 68
  max on sunny slopes by 1400, then gradually
  dropping to 62 by 1800
• RH at ignition time 25. Minimum RH 20 by
  1600. Little Recovery to 28 by 1800

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Actual Weather

• Weather changed unexpectedly
• Conditions 1300-1600
• Wind direction changed from NW to SW
• Wind speed increased to 10 mph, gusting to 15 mph
• Max. Temperature on the sunny slopes was 80
• RH dropped from 20 to 15

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Actual Weather Conditions

• Conditions 1800-1900
• Wind Speed dropped to 5 mph
• Temperature dropped to 70
• RH back up to 18
• RH increased again to 20

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Fire Behavior Results

• Flame Lengths increased to 8-10 feet as they
  became wind-driven, then back to 4-6 feet at
  1800, then laid down as they approached target
  area boundaries at 1900

• 320 acres of brush buildup and 48 of the
  immature Ponderosa Pine in the target area were
  eliminated

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Actual Rx Burn Progression
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Actual Rx Burn Area 337 Acres