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When you think of wilderness…….What do you imagine?

The Wildfire Climate Relationship in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness: Using Management Strategies to Return Wildfire to Wilderness Landscapes. When you think of wilderness…….What do you imagine?. Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area. Area of Interest. IDAHO. The Wilderness ACT of 1964.

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When you think of wilderness…….What do you imagine?

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  1. The Wildfire Climate Relationship in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness:Using Management Strategies to Return Wildfire to Wilderness Landscapes

  2. When you think of wilderness…….What do you imagine?

  3. Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area Area of Interest IDAHO The Wilderness ACT of 1964

  4. The Wilderness Act of 1964 • Wilderness is to be “untrammeled” by man. • Who knew a reference to a horse could be so important to wilderness legislation.

  5. BUT……. • Fire has and is successfully suppressed across wilderness landscapes. • Effectively, 99% of all wildfire is suppressed

  6. Wildfire Suppression • Alters fire occurrence changing…… • Natural plant communities • Succession • Vegetation mosaic • Accumulations of fuel • Wildlife habitat • Nutrient cycles • Energy flows • The interplay between fire, insects and disease • Ecosystem productivity, diversity and stability • Water quantity and quality • Direct Conflict to Wilderness Legislation!

  7. Understanding the Variables • Fire Extent, Frequency and Severity Influenced By • Topography (elevation, aspect, slope and geology) • Vegetation types • Climate

  8. Climate and Fire • Palmer Drought Severity Indices (PDSI) • Superposed Epoch Analysis (SEA) • Fire Atlases/National Interagency Fire Management Integrated Database (NIFMID)

  9. So, What do the Pros Say? • Fire atlas data: • 70% of the SBW has burned • Between 1880 and 1996 • 524 fires • 75% of this total is attributed to the 6 largest fire years. • 1889, 1910, 1919, 1929, 1934 &1988 • WHY IS THIS?

  10. Extreme Drought PDSI Values Generally……….

  11. 300 Year Perspective

  12. Similarly………

  13. Local/Global • La Nina and El Nino Phases are important • Variance in precip. Occurs at 40 degrees N. • So………

  14. Wilderness and Fire • “Wilderness fire, in its purest form, should be “wild” fire: unfettered by the constraints of humans. We have never prescribed a “let-it-blow” policy for tornadoes and hurricanes, a “let-it-erupt” policy for volcanoes or a “let-it-grind” policy for glaciers. Why, then, did we need a “let-it-burn” policy for fires.”-Agee • Fire is a natural disturbance that humans can sometimes manipulate. • Social stigmas, politics and economics all influence the human response to wildfire. • Fire suppression has previously been viewed as a way to protect forest resources for future harvest.

  15. Fire & The Future • A natural disturbance • Wilderness… and its future ecological health • Scientific Knowledge and Current Conditions • Provide land managers with tools for re-establishment of fire in wilderness ecosystems…..WFU’s and AMR

  16. Associated Costs & Benefits • Standard Suppression $150-250/Acres • Fuels Treatment $1200/acre at an estimated 90-200 million acres • WFU’s 43$/Acre

  17. Conclusion • Natural interaction exists between climate and wildfire in the SBW • Larger scales of interest also are important to consider • Suppression has altered wildfire frequency, extent and severity normally influenced by climate, topography and vegetation

  18. References

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