Bootleg Fire Burned Area Emergency Response Team starting work this week

The following is a press release from the South Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership.

LAKEVIEW, Ore. – A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team started on Monday, August 9 in Klamath Falls, Oregon to begin their assessment of the Bootleg Fire. The fire covered 413,765 acres of land on the Fremont-Winema National Forest, and neighboring state and private lands.

BAER is an emergency program aimed at managing imminent unacceptable risks to human life and safety, property, or critical natural and cultural resources from post-wildfire conditions.

The Team, comprised of U.S. Forest Service & Department of Interior employees who specialize in multiple resource areas, is conducting field surveys and using science-based models to rapidly assess watersheds on National Forest System lands, then inventory BAER Critical Values, assess risk and determine the need for emergency measures and treatments on National Forest System lands. The Team will share any areas of concern outside of National Forest System lands with the appropriate federal, state, and county agencies so they can work with individual landowners under their respective authorities.

Team members will closely assess the watersheds for post-fire rain related impacts such as increased flooding, debris flow potential, and increased soil erosion. The Team then recommends various treatments and 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 from the date of full containment and may be monitored for up to three years.

It is anticipated that the fire assessments will be completed by late-August 2021 with the stabilization plan implemented by the Fremont-Winema National Forest Supervisor shortly after.

For more information regarding this BAER assessment, visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7609/, or contact Kassidy Kern at Kassidy.kern@usda.gov or 541-588-2000.