Environmental Assessment

ISSUE 3 – WILDFIRE RISK – DIRECT & INDIRECT EFFECTS - CHAPTER 3
Protection of Improvements
observatory. There are no proposed vegetation treatment units in this area that would provide additional
protection. Units F01, F04, F06, F07, F09-F11, F16-18, and F36-F39 would perform a similar function
on the north side of Pine Mountain and would also help to protect the Antelope electronic site at the
eastern end of Pine Mountain. The adjacent vegetation units would also contribute to this protection.
These same units also function to protect old growth habitat (including existing old growth ponderosa
pine) on Pine Mountain by reducing the risk of an uncharacteristic wildfire (Fire/Fuels and Air Quality
Report).
Additional protection would also be attained, at least indirectly, by improving safety and access for
firefighters. Units along Roads 23 and 2017, including but not limited to F08, F19, F27, F36, and F39
would result in reduced fuel loadings adjacent to these roads making it easier for firefighters to quickly
and safely attack a wildfire. The reduced fuel loadings would reduce flame lengths and rates of spread.
Under Alternative 3, units F03, F08, F19, and F27 would be treated and would provide protection to the
observatory and electronic site from a fire spreading for the Pothole flats area to Pine Mountain. In
contrast to Alternative 2, units F08, F19, and F27 would average 200 feet wide on either side of Road 23
in contrast to the 150 foot distance under Alternative 2. Also in contrast to Alternative 2, in units F08 and
F19, the area between the road and the boundary with Unit F03 would be treated using prescribe fire
which would be ignited from within unit F03 and allowed to creep toward the road. Mowing would only
be applied in this area in both units only when and where the use of fire did not meet fuel reduction
objectives. The east side (Pine Mountain side) of the road would be mowed only. This increase in unit
width would provide additional safety for firefighters although it would still be less than the desired width
of 600 to 700 feet. On the north side of Pine Mountain, units F04, F11, F38, F36, F01, F06, F09, F17,
and F39 and adjacent vegetation units would help to protect the observatory and both electronic sites.
These same units also function to protect old growth habitat (including existing old growth ponderosa
pine) on Pine Mountain by reducing the risk of an uncharacteristic wildfire (Fire/Fuels and Air Quality
Report).
Unit F46 is only proposed for treatment under Alternative 3. It is a plantation in which understory
vegetation is creating ladder fuels that threaten to damage or destroy the plantation should a wildfire
occur. Mowing would reduce the understory vegetation to an average height of six (6) to eight (8) inches
thereby reducing current and future ladder fuels and reducing the risk of a wildfire becoming a crown fire
and damaging or destroying this plantation.
All Alternatives (long-term): In 10 years or longer, the potential for future uncharacteristic wildland fire
within the planning area would remain under all alternatives. The greatest potential would remain under
Alternative 1, which does not provide any opportunities to reduce existing forest fuels and the hazard they
pose in the future on wildland fires. Under Alternatives 2 and 3, although the potential would remain, the
size and location of an uncharacteristic wildfire would be limited and the likelihood of control would be
greatly enhanced.
Ecosystem restoration/maintenance under Alternative 2, units F12, F24, and F32, prescribe fire would be
utilized to return fire to a ponderosa pine ecosystem. Under Alternative 3, only Unit F18 would be treated
to meet this goal. No other fuel reduction activities would be prescribed in these units. During initial
treatment operations, longer flame lengths, greater residual tree mortality, and increased smoke emissions
would be expected due to the existing high fuel loadings. Subsequently, treated areas would be expected
to result in shorter flame lengths, reduced residual tree mortality, and fewer smoke emissions due to lower
fuel loadings resulting from the initial treatment. It is expected that return to pretreatment fuel conditions
(fuel model) would take 30 or more years although continued growth and development of vegetation
would continue to result in slow increases in fuel loadings thereby also resulting in increases in flame
lengths, smoke emissions, and fire intensities should a fire event be initiated.
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