Burned-Area Emergency Response team begins post-fire surveys

An Emergency Response Team of scientists and resource specialists began field surveys and assessments this week for the burned areas of the Boulder, Chalk, Coffeepot, Ore, and Pyramid fires in the Willamette National Forest.

The Boulder Creek Fire is 523 acres in size and 51% contained. The Chalk Fire covers 5,996 acres, the Coffeepot Fire is 6,203 acres, and the Pyramid Fire totals 1,312 acres and is also contained. These four fires resulted from lightning strikes and continued to smoke within established lines. The Ore Fire, which is 3,484 acres caused by humans, is 80% contained.

The Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team is an Emergency Response program to manage imminent and unacceptable risks to human life, safety, and property as threats to critical natural and cultural resources from post-wildfire conditions.

The BAER Team, comprised of U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management employees specializing in multiple resource areas, “conducts field studies using science-based models to assess watersheds on National Forest rapidly lands. The team will inventory critical values, assess risk, and determine the need for emergency measures and treatments on the Forest,” officials say.

Team members will closely assess watersheds for post-fire, rain-related impacts, such as increased flooding, debris-flow potential, and soil erosion. The team will then recommend time-critical treatments to be completed before the first damaging storm event. Those recommendations are submitted as a proposed stabilization plan for approval. Once approved, the Forest will receive funding to complete stabilization efforts within the fire area.

Treatments will be installed within one year of full containment and may be monitored for up to three years. Fire assessments should be completed within a few weeks, and a stabilization plan implemented by the Willamette National Forest will follow.