Back Country Structure Protection 2000

Overview Kits put together in 98 and used during the 98 and 00 fire seasons. Trial and error in supplying them with necessary equipment. This is a critical element as getting supplies once you are there is very difficult. Four cabins and a lookout were wrapped this season.

Black Bear Cabin Black Bear is a two story cabin on a cement foundation which has a root cellar/basement. This cabin is the main entry point administrative site for the Lower South Fork. The site receives almost constant use in summer months, and is also a key contact point for members of the public. The cabin is 7.5 air miles, or 14 miles by trail south of Meadow Cr. Trailhead. This site is one of the top priorities for protection

Helen Creek Fire Started by lightning on July 23. Discovered on July 26, size was a spot. Preparedness level 5 nationally. Personnel and equipment dispatched August 16 to implement structure protection measures. Fire was approximately a half-mile away from the cabin.

Equipment Delivery August 17 aircraft and mule train delivered equipment. Aircraft delayed due to inversion. All equipment arrived at approximately 1400 hrs.

Fire Situation Fire was approximately 400 yards away. Wind was blowing out of the south, directly at the cabin. Work was started under urgent conditions as embers and ash were falling on and near the cabin.

Implementation A large amount of time was required to move para-cargo from the airstrip to the cabin. Group split up with part taking care of a water system, the rest applying shelter material to the roof.

The Water System Required two Mark III Pumps. One pump took care of the pack bridge while the other had the cabin. The system had both sprinklers and laterals for suppression.

Wrapping the Roof Started on the West side anchoring to the hitching rail. Applied material parallel to the peak of the roof. Only two at a time on the roof. This process was difficult and hard on crewmembers

Wrapping the Roof East side roof required some improvising in finding and anchor. Went perpendicular to the peak of the roof. This was a much easier method. Used rock climbing techniques to make this easier.

The North Face We were able to reach everything with the ladder. Used rocks and duct tape to seal from top to bottom. There is a fuel problem on this side.

The South Face Could not get this whole face covered. The dugout to the cellar was angled and too deep for the ladder. A sprinkler was tacked just below the window for protection.

Keys to the Black Bear Operation: Overlap is necessary. Lots of Duct tape is required to seal edges and patch holes. Rocks may be necessary for the bottom seal. The roof is the limiting factor. Time, approximately 300 person hours were required to complete this mission.

Mud Lake Look-Out Threatened by the Lewis 2 Fire. Wrapped more than once because of wind. Fire ran at this lookout from all sides. Difficult to wrap because of limited material and awkward construction.

Fire near the lookout Evidence of fire on the ridge-top. The lookout has a cedar-shake roof construction. Small spots are visible on all sides.

Wrapping saved the Lookout

Hahn Cabin Threatened by the Monture-Spread Fire. Logistics associated with this specific operation were made more difficult by location. Basin and Danaher cabins were also threatened by this fire and wrapped.

What does this cost? One roll of material costs $ person hours equals about $4500. Air delivery equals $1530. Pack train delivery equals about $1000. Implementation at Black Bear alone cost $ This does not include time required to pack the equipment before delivery.

Is it worth it? Administrative and Historical values are not calculable. Replacement costs are well in excess of $300,000 for Black Bear Cabin and the Suspension Pack Bridge alone. Once destroyed, they probably will not be replaced.

Improvements and Needs Proper equipment is needed for an efficient operation (i.e. staple guns, staples, ladder, sprinklers). A formal briefing based on what was learned this season will benefit future operations. Research into approved rope for personnel and training required, if any, to climb cabin roofs.

Improvements and Needs (cont.) Continued fuel reduction will increase the survivability of structures when threatened by fire. Continued fire training of backcountry personnel. Including good maps into the kit when it is ordered. Qualified fire personnel to monitor fire behavior and relay good information to fire managers on fire status.

Considerations Before Implementation This operation takes a lot of effort. Back Country Logistics; be prepared because you can not run to K-mart to pick up something you forgot. Cost; it costs about $10,000 just to put the material on. The Safety Factor. The implementation requires a lot of attention in assuring a safe operation, but the fire environment needs to be constantly monitored as well. Remember, this is a fire assignment.