Minimum Impact Strategies and Tactics

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Minimum Impact Strategies and Tactics
Managing Resources During Unplanned Ignitions
Workshop (Fire Resource Advisors) Ogden, Utah -
January 2009 Prepared by Suzanne Cable Moose
Creek Ranger District - Nez Perce National Forest
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Todays Discussion Includes

• Compilation of existing MIST information thanks
  to
• resources available on www.Wilderness.net
• Provided by the Arthur Carhart National
  Wilderness Training Center

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Todays Discussion Includes

• Hints/suggestions for MIST success some art to
  go along with the science
• Some discussion of Wilderness specific issues
• Where to go for more information resources

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Whats in an acronym?

• Minimum Impact Suppression Techniques or Tactics
  (MIST)
• Minimum Impact Management Tactics (MIMT)
• Minimum Impact Strategies and Tactics
• Same objective, changing name
• Key is Minimum Impact

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What does MIST mean?

• A few definitions from various sources
• To minimize fire suppression impacts on the land
  while ensuring the actions taken are safe, timely
  and effective
• The intent of MIST is to suppress a wildfire with
  the least impact to the land

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What does MIST mean?

• MIST is not intended to represent a separate or
  distinct classification of firefighting tactics
  but rather a mind set of how to suppress a
  wildfire while minimizing the long-term effects
  of the supression action
• Ten years from now, which will be most
  noticeable the effects of the fire or the
  effects of the firefighter?

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What does MIST mean?

• My definition
• Techniques that will allow you to meet your fire
  management objective while using Resource (or
  Wilderness) appropriate methods resulting in the
  minimum impact necessary

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Resource Benefits of MIST

• Less water quality degradation
• Less habitat destruction aquatic and terrestrial
• Less vegetation impacts
• Less introduction of exotic species
• Less soil compaction
• Less erosion
• Less visual impact stumps, fire line, retardant
  stains

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Wilderness Considerations

• 1964 Wilderness Act, Wilderness values
• natural condition
• preservation of their Wilderness character
• untrammeled
• primeval character and influence
• managed so as to preserve its natural conditions
• generally appears to be affected by the forces of
  nature
• with the impact of mans work substantially
  unnoticeable

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• Forest Service Manual
• 2324.23 Fire Management Activities. Conduct
  all fire management activities within wilderness
  in a manner compatible with overall wilderness
  management objectives. Give preference to using
  methods and equipment that cause the least
• Alternation of the wilderness landscape.
• Disturbance to the land surface.
• Disturbance to visitor solitude.
• Reduction of visibility during periods of visitor
  use.
• Adverse effect on other air quality related
  values.

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• 2324.23 Fire Management Activities. continued
• Locate fire camps, helispots, and other temporary
  facilities or improvements outside of the
  wilderness boundary whenever feasible.
• Rehabilitate disturbed areas within wilderness to
  as natural an appearance as possible.

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What helps MIST succeed?

• Skilled firefighters with the
• right tools,
• good leadership, and
• a willing attitude

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What helps MIST succeed?

• Try to put yourself in the firefighters place
  see if from their perspective

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What helps MIST succeed?

• Be a good READ build your credibility, gain
  experience on the line, maintain your FFT2
  qualifications (if possible)

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When does MIST apply?

• Anytime and anywhere people or tools touch the
  ground or are dropped from the air!
• It includes all human activities

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What Size Fires Need MIST?

• Type IV small incidents through Type I teams
• Get help if you need it other resource
  specialists, READ trainees

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Whats the role of the READ related to MIST?

• Represent your line officer by making sure that
  your Resource is protected while a fire event is
  being managed
• Work with the IC and others fire personnel to
  implement

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Whats the role of the READ related to MIST?

• Ask questions and provide options/advice
• Be there and be involved!
• Participate in the AAR

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Wilderness Specific Considerations

• Think long term dont disregard prohibitions on
  motorized equipment and mechanical transport, but
  see the big picture
• When moto/mech is approved, provide specific
  definition of what is authorized
• Use when needed, but only when needed (chainsaws
  for fire suppression vs. firewood at spike camp)
• Helicopter for emergency medi-evac vs.
  convenience for crew transport
• Pumps for practice
• Tracking for INFRA Wild of intrusions
• Lack of skills or tools does not justify
  moto/mech

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READ Tool Kit for MIST Success

• The Science Part
• Weather forecasts
• Fire history maps
• Forest fire behavior characteristics
• Minimum Requirements Decision Guide (Wilderness)
• Local requirements for MIST (in writing, signed)
• Plus all the other things in your READ kit
  prepared in advance

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READ Tool Kit for MIST Success

• The People Part (or Art)
• A good relationship with your FMO, your Line
  Officer, other specialists on your Forest
• A patient, but persistent attitude
• Creative thinking
• The ability to think long term
• The ability to help make it happen

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MIST Tactics

• Without compromising firefighter or public
  safety, MIST should be used for all fire
  activities, including
• Line construction or other containment actions
  (including escape routes safety zones)
• Crew and equipment transport, including heli-spot
  construction
• Structure Protection and fuel reduction
• Spike and coyote camps
• Mop-up
• Rehab work

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Firefighter and Public Safety

• It is a myth that MIST inherently compromises
  safety
• MIST and safety are compatible with skilled
  firefighters
• Support and commit to safety, but dont allow
  safety to become an excuse for not using MIST
• Know when the safety card is being played to
  prevent the use of MIST tactics

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Firefighter and Public Safety

• How to know when its safe?
• Ultimately, its not your call one tactic does
  not fit all
• But you can
• Offer options
• Help crews obtain the skills they need
• Help fill gaps in skills for next time

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Line ConstructionHand Line
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or Machine Line
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Fire Line

• Work with the IC and others to
• Use natural and existing barriers rather than
  line (rocks, roads, trails, rivers)
• Locate line in minimal fuels
• Use only the width and depth necessary to halt
  fire spread
• Limb or fall only when necessary for safety and
  to prevent fire spread

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Fire Line

• Consider widening minimal line by burning fuels
  between the line and the fire (burn out)
• Roll logs rather than buck, or reroute around
  logs
• Scrape fuels from the base of snags
• When building line, locate away from snags where
  possible
• Consider explosives

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As Fuels Increase

• Look for use of natural barriers
• May need more intensive fireline
• Consider use of more intensive burn-out tactics

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Burn-outTactics
Burning out can be effective, but requires a
high degree of expertise
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Burn out can look like this
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Or possibly like this
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Burn Out Tactics

• When applied from natural barriers, burn out may
  reduce the need to build handline
• Burn out can be effective around private
  in-holdings and during structure protection
• Fire behavior may depend on the time of day
  some MIST tactics may be more successful at
  night/morning rather than during the day

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Crew and Equipment Transport
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Transport Considerations

• How will crews and equipment get there
• Need for speed
• Location
• Look for options
• Driving to road access
• Hiking on and off trail
• Rappelling
• Smokejumpers
• What are the impacts of each option?
• Long term vs. short term

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Helicopter Operations

• During planning consider the objectives
• If primarily for crew support
• Use paracargo?
• Use longline?
• Or can you use stock?

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Helicopter Operations

• If primarily used for crew shuttles
• Use natural openings
• Avoid construction in high use areas
• Are there other sites within reasonable walking
  distance?
• Provide specific instructions for construction

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Heli-spots
Good heli-spots are found not made
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• Insert slides of Cedar Fire

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Heli-spot Construction

• Flush cut stumps
• Limit bucking and limbing
• Use directional falling so trees will be
  crisscrossed in a more naturally appearing
  arrangement
• Think rehab from the start
• BE THERE!

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Structure Protection
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Structure Protection

• MIST considerations
• Have plans in place and equipment cached
• Consult with Heritage specialists on historic
  structures
• How to not damage structures while protecting
  them?
• How to best use water?
• Keep track of what is installed and where for
  efficient removal

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Structure protection may look like this
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• Or this

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• Or this

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• Or this

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• Try to use water when possible to minimize damage
  to buildings
• Only wrap whats needed

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• Be prepared for living with protection in place

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Structure Protection

• When vegetation removal is needed, provide clear
  direction for
• Low stumping
• Slash dispersal
• Type of tools used (W motorized?)
• Consider trade-offs for each unique structure
  between use of water, pumps, vegetation removal,
  wrapping

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Precautions Around Water

• Avoid use of retardants and other chemicals near
  live streams
• (W or at all?)
• Provide spill prevention and containment measures
  for all pumps and fuel containers
• Use longer draft hoses

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• Better fuel containment

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Spike Camp Management
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Crew activities
Eating Sleeping Sanitation Socializing
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Camp Management

• Evaluate coyote camp impacts vs. travel
• Get a camp manager
• Provide specific instructions for camp management
  and monitor results
• Use existing and impact resistant sites

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Camp Management

• Be involved in site selection
• Be there before the crew shows up
• Flag travel routes from camp to other areas to
  minimize user trails
• Designate areas for washing, keep pollutants out
  of surface water

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• Avoid clearing and trenching and no bough beds

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• Locate latrines at least 200 from water and at
  least 8 deep
• Use a trench (shallow) or communal pit (deep)
  thats filled in and rehabbed

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• Plan ahead and prepare for toilet options
• Have equipment already on your unit and ready for
  use

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• Properly store wildlife (bear) attractants
• Plan for garbage removal

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• Provide instructions for campfires and firewood
  cutting

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• Look for creative solutions

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Mop Up
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Mop Up Considerations

• Mop-up standards are negotiated
• Strive for the minimum necessary to secure the
  line from escape
• The standard is a balance between resource values
  and mitigation for safety
• Minimizing mop-up impacts requires longer
  patrolling

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Mop Up Techniques

• Use cold trailing
• Use water rather than tools
• Minimize soil disturbance
• Cool, remove or burn fuels
• Allow fuels to burn out
• Fire line around problems rather than fall

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Tree Removal

• During mop-up
• Identify hazards with flagging or glow sticks
• Extinguish burning trees with water or dirt
• Prohibit sport felling or practice felling
• Consider blasting

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Weeds

• Prevent introduction or spread of weeds
• Locate helibases and camps in weed-free areas,
  when possible
• If camps have weeds, flag off areas and establish
  travel routes through weed-free areas
• Power wash all equipment used on the fire
  (including hose) going in and out
• Minimize disturbance areas, including hand line

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Rehabilitation
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Fire Management Impacts Rehab

• The objective is to mitigate or eliminate
  resource damage to as natural a condition as
  possible
• Use locally appropriate methods think long term
  consider precipitation, elevation, slope,
  aspect, etc.
• The standards applied can significantly affect
  the cost of a fire include costs on the fires
  code

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Rehab of Fire Line

• Fill in berms and provide drainage, if necessary
• Scatter bone piles
• Flush cut stumps or hand fuzz
• Naturalize
• Be prepared to demonstrate what you mean

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• Provide instructions for flush cutting and stump
  scoring

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Hand Fuzzing
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Heli-spot Rehab

• Fuzz stumps and log ends
• Reposition downed logs for distribution across
  the site
• Use targeted, explosive blasts to create
  microhabitat depressions
• Pull flagging
• Rehab access trails

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Pulling trees into the cleared landing pad with a
hand-operated grip hoist
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The Landing Pad
Before
After
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Targeted, explosive blasts to create microhabitat
depressions
Rehab after the blast
After the blast
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• Structure protection
• Remove staples from buildings
• Pump sites rehab site impacts
• Hose lays rehab trails along hoses

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• Spike Camps
• Cover latrine
• Pick up all litter and naturalize
• ICP, Staging Areas and Drop Points
• Rehab as locally appropriate
• Pick up all litter and naturalize

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How to make MIST work

• Theres more than one way to do almost
  everything!
• Ask the questions and provide options
• Is this necessary to meet objectives?
• If so, whats the best way to do it with the
  least impact?

Firefighters under stress often do what theyve
done before and may not think of better ways to
do a task try to help them find a better way
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How to go from words to actions

• Not only offer suggestions for how, but be
  prepared and able to explain why
• Be there and everywhere get help if you need it
  (READ trainees and technical specialists)
• Be prepared to get dirty

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How to go from words to actions

• Know your line officer and stay within their
  limits
• Help firefighters be successful by doing whats
  necessary to make it work
• Helicopters vs. Stock Support
• Toilets for proper camps sanitation
• W Cross cut saw training equipment

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Proactive ways help MIST happen

• Check out your areas standard Delegation of
  Authority letter is MIST in there?
• Provide MIST training to your local ICs and crews
  before the season begins
• Share the burden challenge
• Remind them that MIST is their responsibility
• Challenge crews to do good work
• Remind ICs that they are responsible for the
  actions of their subordinates and that they will
  be held accountable for both successes and
  failures

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Crossing the Line How is Wilderness Different?

• Your success will be measured not only by your
  management of the fire, but also by the impacts
  you leave behind.
• Following a fire, the effects of the fire may
  be evident but the impacts of any management
  actions should not be.
• You become a Wilderness Manager

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Proactive ways help MIST happen

• Set up an annual meeting with other resource
  specialists to review resource concerns (get info
  in advance with a signature when appropriate)
• Help identify tool and skills gaps and work with
  your Fire organization to build the skills and
  get the tools
• Get on the agenda for Guard School and talk about
  MIST fire line tactics are best learned before
  firefighters are on the incident
• Work with your fire shop to prepare a resource
  map (values at risk) for your area

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Final suggestions

• Dont assume that experienced firefighters know
  about MIST and will automatically do the right
  thing (Smokejumpers and Hot Shots included)
• Be especially alert with ICs from different
  regions or agencies
• Name request specific ICs that you know
  understand MIST or your resource

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Final suggestions

• W some will ask for moto/mech approval just
  because they can (and make the Line officer say
  no)
• Keep track of what people and equipment are where
  to aid in rehab and monitoring
• Start the rehab plan on day one
• On big fires, use all the resources you have
  available get help from other specialists, use
  their knowledge!

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Other suggestions?or lessons learned?
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Resources

• www.Wilderness.net Toolboxes, Fire Management
• There you will find
• Handbooks/pocketguides
• Guidelines/briefing papers
• Powerpoint presentations

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