1. Fire & Pocosins Conference October 11, 2011 James H. Cherry Croatan National Forest District Fire Management Officer

2. Current Conditions 160,000 acres 160,000 acres Carteret, Craven and Jones Counties Carteret, Craven and Jones Counties Pine Forest = 25,000 ac. Pine Forest = 25,000 ac. Pocosin = 75,000 ac. Pocosin = 75,000 ac. Pond Pine Woodland = 32,000 ac. Pond Pine Woodland = 32,000 ac. Other = 28,000 ac. Other = 28,000 ac.

3. Program Goals 25,000 ac. Dormant Season Burning 25,000 ac. Dormant Season Burning 5,000 ac. Growing Season Burning 5,000 ac. Growing Season Burning 1,000 ac. Mechanical Treatments 1,000 ac. Mechanical Treatments 3,000 ac.-5,000 ac. Pocosin Burning 3,000 ac.-5,000 ac. Pocosin Burning

4. History of Pocosin Burning History of Pocosin Burning Seasonality Seasonality Why do we want to burn pocosin? Why do we want to burn pocosin? Risk Risk Is it worth it? Is it worth it?

5. Low Pocosin Ignition by Helicopter

6. Low Pocosin Fuel Burning – Head Fire

8. Sand Ridge Previously Overgrown by Pocosin

10. Ridge with Reduced Pocosin Encroachment

11. Burn History of this Unit 3/08/10 3/08/10 3/09/07 3/09/07 3/09/04 3/09/04 2/03/01 2/03/01 2/26/98 3/15/95 3/15/95 11/19/90 11/19/90 3/16/83 3/16/83

13. Lessons Learned Pocosin Prescribed Burn – Croatan Ranger District – May 12, 1966 This fire demonstrates that the pocosin can be prescribe burned safely with adequate preparation; but it still remains a risky business due to the fact that pocosin either burns hot or does not burn at all. We also learned that the Croatan National Forest has dangerous potential for large disastrous fires when pocosin fuels are not managed with prescribed fire. Wildfires have decreased an average of 80% within the last 15 years with the expansion of the prescribed fire program, including burning in pocosin fuels.

14. Questions?