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Post Wildfire Recovery Programs

PWRP decorative banner: photos depicting PWRP position.

 

Wildfire Rehabilitation Efforts and Treatment Selection

There are three phases of rehabilitation following wildfires on federal lands:

  1. Fire Suppression Damage Repair
  2. Emergency Stabilization – Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER)
  3. Long-Term Recovery and Restoration

Fire Suppression Damage Repair

A series of immediate post-fire actions taken to repair damages and minimize potential soil erosion and impacts resulting from fire suppression activities and usually begins before the fire is contained, and before the demobilization of an Incident Management Team. This work repairs the hand and dozer lines, roads, trails, staging areas, safety zones, and drop points used during fire suppression efforts.

Emergency Stabilization – Burned Area Emergency Response

A rapid assessment of burned watersheds by BAER team is conducted to identify imminent post-wildfire threats to human life and safety, property, and critical natural or cultural resources on federal lands and take immediate actions to implement emergency stabilization measures before the first major storms. Fires result in loss of vegetation, exposure of soil to erosion, and increased water runoff that may lead to flooding, increased sediment, debris flow, and damage to critical natural and cultural resources. BAER actions such as: seeding, mulching, installation of erosion and water run-off control structures, temporary barriers to protect recovering areas, and installation of warning signs may be implemented. BAER work may also replace safety related facilities; remove safety hazards; prevent permanent loss of habitat for threatened and endangered species; and prevent the spread of noxious weeds, and protect critical cultural resources.

Long-Term Recovery and Burned Area Rehabilitation

In some cases, DOI may provide additional funding to improve burned areas and achieve desired conditions for up to five years after containment. Burned Area Rehabilitation (BAR) supports the healing process and provides a “bridge” to long-term recovery. Allocation of BAR funds involves a rigorous and competitive process to evaluate projects to ensure the most critical areas receive treatment first.

These are non-emergency actions to improve fire-damaged lands that are unlikely to recover naturally and to repair or replace facilities damaged by fire that are not critical to life and safety. This phase may include restoring burned habitat, reforestation, other planting or seeding, monitoring fire effects, replacing burned fences, interpreting cultural sites, treating noxious weed infestations, and installing interpretive signs.

Rehabilitation Activities

What BAER May Do What BAER May Not Do
Install water or erosion control devices ---
Plant for erosion control or stability reasons. Replant commercial forests or grass for forage.
Install erosion control measures at critical cultural sites. Excavate and interpret cultural sites.
Install temporary barriers to protect treated or recovering areas. Replace burned pasture fences.
Install warning signs. Install interpretive signs.
Replace minor safety related facilities. Replace burned buildings, bridges, corrals, etc.
Install appropriate-sized drainage features on roads, trails. Repair roads damaged by floods after fire.
Remove critical safety hazards. ---
Prevent permanent loss of threatened and endangered habitat. Replace burned wildlife habitat.
Monitor BAER treatments. Monitor fire effects.
Implement early detection and rapid response treatments to minimize the spread of noxious weeds into native plant communities Treat pre-existing noxious weeds

Post-Fire Rehabilitation Activities on Federal Lands

NEED HEADER Suppression Activity Damage Repair Emergency Stabilization (BAER) Rehabilitation (BAR) Restoration
Objective Repair damages Prevent/minimize damages Repair damages Repair/restore damages
Damages related to Fire suppression Post-fire events Fire Fire
Urgency Before incident closeout 1-12 months 1-3 years 3+ years
Funding type Fire operations (suppression) Fire operations (emergency stabilization) DOI-Rehab, USFS- Regular program Regular program

 

Policy and Authorities

Source: DOI
Title Category
DOI Manual, 620 DM 7 (Wildland Fire Management, Post-Wildfire Recovery) Policy and Authorities
US Fish and Wildlife Service Fire Management Handbook Policy and Authorities
Department of the Interior Manual: 620 DM 7 Policy and Authorities
Post Wildfire Recovery Project Resources for the BLM ESR Handbook Policy and Authorities
Standard Operations Guide, National BAER Team 2017 Policy and Authorities
Source: Federal Government, General
Title Category
Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations (Red Book) Policy and Authorities
Federal Wildland Fire Qualifications Supplement Policy and Authorities
Source: USDA, Forest Service
Title Category
Forest Service Manual 2520 BAER Policy and Authorities
Source: NWCG
Title Category
NWCG Standards for Fire Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations, PMS 515 Policy and Authorities
NWCG Standards for Interagency Incident Business Management, PMS 902 Policy and Authorities
NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1 Policy and Authorities
Wildland Fire Qualifications Supplement Policy and Authorities

For More Information

Contact Information here

See also NIFC BAER website.

 

NWCG Latest Announcements

2024 Week of Remembrance

Date: June 27, 2024
Contact: 6 Minutes for Safety Subcommittee 

As we approach the 2024 Week of Remembrance (WOR), June 30 to July 6, we dedicate this time to thoughtfully reviewing and recognizing the events of the 2018 Mendocino Complex. As such, this year’s theme of “Learning From the Mendocino Complex” embodies a longstanding hallmark of WOR, honoring through learning.

Throughout the week, our energy will be directed toward fostering generative conversations in briefing rooms and at tailgates.

References:

6 Minutes for Safety - 2024 Week of Remembrance

Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center

Updated NWCG Wildland Fire Risk and Complexity Assessment, PMS 236

Date: June 24, 2024
Contact: Incident and Position Standards Committee 

The June 2024 update of the NWCG Wildland Fire Risk and Complexity Assessment, PMS 236, is now available to meet the current needs for incident management typing.

The NWCG Wildland Fire Risk and Complexity Assessment should be used to evaluate firefighter safety issues, assess risk, and identify the appropriate incident management organization based on incident complexity. Assessing risk, determining incident complexity, and identifying an appropriate incident management organization is a subjective process based on examining a combination of indicators or factors, which can change over time.

References:

NWCG Wildland Fire Risk and Complexity Assessment, PMS 236

Operations Branch Director (OPBD) Next Gen PTB Available

Date: June 10, 2024
Contact: NWCG Feedback 

The NWCG Position Task Book for Operations Branch Director (OPBD), PMS 311-109 is now available for use within the OPBD position qualification pathway. As part of the transition to Complex Incident Management (CIM), the OPBD Next Gen PTB was developed and the position qualification pathway updated.

More information about the Next Gen PTB format can be found on the NWCG Position Task Book webpage.

References:

Operations Branch Director Position Page

Operations Branch Director Next Gen PTB

NWCG Position Task Books

Updated NWCG Standards for Interagency Incident Business Management, PMS 902

Date: June 5, 2024
Contact: NWCG Incident Business Committee 

The 2024 revision of the NWCG Standards for Interagency Incident Business Management, PMS 902 is now available. The uniform application of interagency incident business management standards is critical to interagency fire operations. PMS 902 assists NWCG agencies in constructively working together to provide effective execution of each agency's incident business management program.

References:

PMS 902