The Value of Prescribed Fire in Colorado’s Front Range Rob Addington The Nature Conservancy

Hayman

Ecosystems of the Front Range are Fire Adapted Passive crown fire Patches of stand torching but fire spread mainly through surface fuels (Mixed-severity fire regime) Active crown fire Mainly aerial fuels involved in fire spread across landscape (High-severity, replacement fire regime) “Types” of Fire Surface fire Mainly surface fuels involved in fire spread (Low-severity fire regime)

Vegetation and Fire Regimes across Elevation Gradients in the Front Range of Colorado Elevations in feet Drawing by Laurie Huckaby Rocky Mountain Research Station Fire rare Infrequent, stand-replacing Moderately frequent, mixed severity Moderately frequent, surface fire

Past Current

What is the role of prescribed fire in changing wildfire outcomes (and providing additional ecological benefits) for Colorado’s Front Range? What can we do about it? We are currently observing “uncharacteristically” severe fire in lower-elevation settings, with undesirable fire effects.

Prescribed fire modifies wildfire dynamics Hayman post-fire assessment (Graham 2003): “Prescribed fire can be expected to moderate subsequent surface fire intensity and reduce the potential for crown fire initiation…” p. 98 “The Hayman’s June 9 run crossed Trout Creek and Highway 67 but stopped at the edge of the Polhemus burn.” p. 108 Polhemus prescribed fire 2001 Hayman fire 2002

Through reduction in surface and ladder fuels; increases in canopy base heights

Protection of seed trees for regeneration This area burned as a surface fire in the Bobcat Gulch burn (2000); it had also burned in 1993.

Prescribed fire maintains open stand structures Photo: Peter Brown

Species such as ponderosa pine need post-fire conditions (reduced competition and bare mineral soil) for seedling germination and establishment Photo: JeffersonConservationDistrict “Site-prep” for regeneration

Necessary for rare wildlife species that depend on old- trees and open, fire-maintained habitats Abert’s squirrel Northern Goshawk Photo: Audubon Society Prescribed fire for wildlife

Prescribed fire stimulates nutrient cycling and nutrient-rich leaf production; stimulates seed production; favors herbaceous species Improves forage for wildlife

Skunkbrush sumac—edible berries, branches good for baskets Mountain mahogany—very palatable to wildlife, especially sprouts Sego Lily— edible roots Chokecherry—edible fruit Yucca—edible flowers and roots, leaves useful for fiber Common useful native plants that respond favorably to burning

Prescribed fire for disease control Dwarf mistletoe Rusts

Maintaining carbon in large, old trees and soils as opposed to losing carbon stores to high-severity fire Prescribed fire for carbon sequestration

Escapes Smoke – health consequences, traffic accidents Slow recovery in low productivity systems… may be aesthetically unappealing Undesirable fire effects, e.g. killing old trees in long-unburned stands… but often adjustable with burn planning, targeting weather conditions to achieve desired fire behavior, ignition patterns Prescribed fire – the benefits are great, but not without risks

But fire will occur one way or another… “The question before public land managers and citizens is not whether there will be fire and smoke in their future, but how they might want their fire and smoke.” Hessburg and Agee (2003) Smoke plume, High Park fire Photo by Ben Wudtke

Colorado Prescribed Fire Council Intent Promote, educate and increase the appropriate use of prescribed fire in Colorado Reduce barriers to Rx fire Improve cooperation and coordination among burners Disseminate technical information to practitioners Monitor and communicate accomplishments annually Prescribed fire initiatives in Colorado

Pikes Peak Fire Learning Network Prescribed fire initiatives in Colorado

Acknowledgements Thanks to Vernon Champlin and the Pikes Peak Wildfire Prevention Partnership for hosting this workshop And to Peter Brown and Laurie Huckaby for providing slides for this presentation

Thank you! Questions?