Fire and Fuel Reduction Treatments in Riparian Areas:

Fire and Fuel ReductionTreatments in Riparian Areas:Management in the Context ofClimate Change:Kate DwireUS Forest ServiceRocky Mountain ResearchStation, Fort Collins, COkadwire@fs.fed.us

Presentation Overview:In the context of climate change,► Fire properties, behavior and history in riparianareas;► Riparian areas and local fire regimes;► Postfire processes and recovery in riparian areas;• Riparian functions: large wood recruitment tostreams; shade; habitat;• Role of invasives & herbivory; importance ofspecies traits.► Fuel management treatments in riparian areas.

Alpine tundraForestalpineecotoneRiparian Areas:Highly DiverseSubalpine forestMixed conifer forestMontane forestRiparian Area Land Cover:1-2% in mountainous areas;0.5 % in sagebrush steppe.ShrublandMajor forest zones in the Colorado Front Range, provided by Laurie Huckaby

Properties and Behavior of Fire in Riparian AreasPhysical FeaturesMicroclimateBasin topographyBasin & channelgeomorphologyFuelFireFire Environment Triangle(Pyne et al. 1996)

Properties and Behavior of Fire in Riparian AreasPhysical FeaturesSurface WaterSaturated SoilsFuelFire

Properties and Behavior of Fire in Riparian AreasVegetation – Fuel CharacteristicsBiomass (“loading” mass/area)Bulk Density (mass/volume)Size Distribution (SA/volume)Chemistry (volatiles vs. nonvolatiles)Ratio: live/deadShading/ exposureStrata (surface, understory, overstory)Continuity (horizontal & vertical)FuelFireFrom: Ryan 2001. Global change and wildland fire. pp 175-183. RMRS-GTR-42

Projections of Changing Climatic ConditionsRegionWestObserved 20 th CenturyClimateWarmer and generally wetter.• Increased T; up to 2-5 F (1-3 C).• Increased P; in much of region, up to50% in some areas.Highly variable climate withexceptionally wet & dry periods.Length of snow season decreased by16 days in CA & NV. Extreme pptevents have increased.Projections for 21 stCenturyContinued warming & increasedprecipitation.• Increased T: 3-4 F (2 C) by2030s, 8-11 F (4.5-6 C) by 2090s.• Increased P; in winter, esp. in CA.More extreme wet and dry years.PacificNorthwestWarmer and wetter.• Increased T: 1-3 F (0.5 – 1.5 C).• Increased P: 10% (on ave.); 30-40 % ineastern WA, no.ID.Significant recurring patterns of yearto-yearvariability.• Warm, dry years with light snowpack,low streamflows.• Cool, wet years with heavy snowpacks,high streamflowsMuch greater average warmingover the region.• Increased T: 3 F (1.5 C) by2030s, 5 F (3 C) by 2050s.Wetter on ave. across region.• Increased ppt. in winter.• Same or decreased ppt. insummer.From: Furniss et al., 2010. Water, climate change, and forests. PNW-GTR-812

Fire History in Riparian AreasChallenges of reconstructing riparian fire histories• Methodological constraints• Frequent natural disturbances affecting streamsideareas (flooding, debris flows)• Many riparian areas have been severely altered(grazing, beaver removal, logging, mining, flow alteration)• Limited understanding of natural fire dynamics, referencefuel loads, historic range of variability; understudiedvegetation types and geographic regions• Discrepancies in published informationTower Fire (1996), NE Oregon

Fire Return Intervals in Forested Riparian AreasLocationBlue Mountains,ORElkhornMountains, ORSalmon RiverMountains, IDCascade Range,WANo. SierraNevada Mtns, CAForest TypeDry, Douglas-fir andGrand Fir seriesDry, Ponderosa Pine,Douglas-fir seriesDry, Ponderosa Pineand Douglas-fir seriesDry, Ponderosa Pineand Douglas-fir seriesDry, Ponderosa/Jeffrey PineRiparian FireReturn Interval(yrs)Sideslope FireReturn Interval(yrs)Citation13-36 10-20 Olson 200013-14 9-32 Olson 200011-19 9-29 Barrett 200015-26 11-19 Everett et al.200310-87 10-56 Van De Water &North 2010Dry Forest Type Average 12-36 10-31Cascade Range,ORKlamathMountains, CAMesic, Douglas-firseriesMesic, Douglas-firseries35-39 27-36 Olson and Agee200516-42 7-13 Skinner 1997Mesic Forest Type Average 26-41 17-25Stone et al. 2010. Fuel reduction management practices in riparian areas of the westernUSA. Environmental Management 46:91-100.

Riparian Areas andLocal Fire Regimes1. Burn like adjacent uplands;i.e. wildfires burn with similarfrequency & severity;2. Burn less frequently and/ orless severely than adjacentuplands;3. Burn more frequently and/orseverely than adjacentuplands;4. Riparian serve as fire breaks.

Some Riparian Areas Burn Like UplandsWhere similar uplandstreamsidevegetation,moisture conditions, terrain &topography occur.• Small drainages, intermittentor ephemeral streams;• Headwaters; upper portionsof narrow drainages.When large fires burningunder severe fire weatherexceed the influence oflocal topography &riparian-upland vegetationdifferences.

Some Riparian Areas Burn Like UplandsRiparian vs. Upland Fire SeverityBasal Area Mortality10080RiparianUplandPercent6040aaaa200B & BFireBiscuitFire(Halofsky and Hibbs 2008; slide by Alan Tepley)

Some Riparian Areas Burn Less Frequentlyand/or Less Severely than Uplands• Where riparianvegetation distinctlydifferent from uplands;• Where saturated soilconditions, presence ofriparian wetlands, orhydrologic inputs fromhillslopes influence firebehavior.

Variation in Fire Severity within theStream Network100Biscuit Fire100B & B FireBasal Area Mortality (%)80604020abbBasal Area Mortality (%)80604020abb0Stream Type0Plant AssociationSteady flow, fish-bearingModerate flow, fish-bearingLow flow, few fishPonderosa PineDry Mixed ConiferWet Mixed Conifer(Halofsky and Hibbs 2008; slide by Alan Tepley)

Riparian Forests as Fire RefugiaEastern Cascades, Washington(Camp et al. 1997)Oldest trees most common in areaswith high soil and fuel moisture,including stream confluences andvalley bottoms.Mount Rainier (Hemstrom andFranklin 1982)“Nearly every major river valleycontains a streamside old-growthcorridor.”Klamath Mountains (Skinner 2003)Median fire intervals were nearlydouble in riparian areas compared toupland sites.

Riparian Areas Burn More Severely than Uplands•Where riparian areas serve as chimneys orcorridors for severe fire;•Little vegetative difference from adjacent uplands;•Intermittent stream valleys;•Primarily south aspects;•Upper portions of drainage networks.Pyne et al.1996. Introduction to Wildland Fire

Riparian Areas Burn More Frequently and/or MoreSeverely than Adjacent Uplands• Where fuel abundance /accumulation is higher inriparian areas than uplands dueto management or naturalconditions;• Primarily south aspects;• Middle to upper part ofdrainage network.Upland forest;spot fires did notspreadRiparian forest, highfuel loads, burned witha crown fireAgee 1998. The landscape ecology of westernfire regimes. NW Science 72, 24-34.Little French Creek, Payette NF, ID

Angora Fire, Tahoe Nat’l Forest, CA 2007“…dense stands of trees in the Angora SEZ likely contributed to the rapidspread upslope to Angora Ridge and across the slope to the base ofTahoe Mountain.” Murphy et al. 2007. USDA, R5-TO-025

Riparian Areas as Fire Breaks• Where perennial stream valleyscreate breaks in fuel characteristics& continuity;• Where saturated soil conditions,presence of riparian wetlands, orhydrologic inputs from hillslopesinfluence fire behavior;• When fires burn with low intensity.

Post-fire processes and recoveryWallowa Mountains, NE Oregon, 5 years after Teepee Butte Fire

Post-fire processes and recoveryBC41BC36BC46Little Granite CreekBridger-Teton NFElevation: 6500’ – 7000’Vegetation: Lodgepole PinePrecipitation: 21”BC31Perimeterof BoulderCreek Fire(2000)BC26BC21BC1BC6BC11BC16

Each LW piece (n ≈ 900)was tagged and trackedover time.

Each LW piece (n ≈ 900 )was surveyed.

Post-fire Recruitment and Transport of Large WoodBoulder Creek Reach 41 (BC41)BC41BC46Severely burnedRelatively wide valley bottomForested riparian areaBC36BC31Perimeterof BoulderCreek Fire(2000)BC26BC21BC1BC6BC11BC16

Post-fire Recruitment and Transport of LWRyan and Dwire (in preparation)

Post-fire Recruitment and Transport of LWRyan and Dwire (in preparation)

LW Source Boulder Creek 2002 and 2008BC461601401202002UnknownRiparianHillslopeFloated100Perimeter ofBoulder CreekFire (2000)BC41BC36BC31BC26BC21Pieces of wood (number/ 100 m)806040200160140120100806040202008BC1BC6BC11BC160BC1 BC6 BC11 BC16 BC21 BC26 BC31 xx BC36 BC41 BC46Downstream of Burn Moderately Burned Severely Burned

BC46BC41BC36BC31BC26oulder0)BC21BC16BC11BC6

Post-fire recovery of riparian shrubsstreamMeasured (3 sampling periods):• Shrub height, width (volume)• Basal and clonal resprouting• Mortality2 mhillslope

Post-firerecovery ofriparian shrubsHeight (m)0.70.60.50.40.30.20.1ANDba aNDa babbabND0.0Influence ofherbivory onshrub growth(x + 1SE; height,crown area, crownvolume ).Dwire et al. 2006. JAWRA.Crown Area (m 2 )Crown Volume (m 3 )0.80.60.40.20.00.60.40.20.0BCa aba a bAMAL(35)NDNDNDSept 2002June 2003Sept 2003LOIN(17)NDSHCA(16)NDNDSABO(81)NDNDSADR(32)NDNDSAWO(10)

New sprouts observed in transects:CommonSeptJuneSeptSpeciesName200220032003Rosa woodsii Wood’s rose 13 22 12PachistimamyrsinitiesMountainboxwood16 4 13Ribes lacustreSymphoricarpusalbaBlackgooseberry37 8 4Snowberry 10 6 1Salix boothii Booth’s willow 81 1 9AmelanchieralnifoliaServiceberry 35 1 5All Species 332 381(+ 49)439(+58)

Sprout from Surviving Root CrownSalix wolfiiSalix boothiiSalix drummondiana

Sprout from Surviving Root CrownSheperdia canadensisDasiphora fruticosaLonicera involucrataRibes lacustrePaxistima myrsinitesAmelanchier albnifolia

Clonal - sprout from rhizomes, stem base, andsurviving root crownsSymphoricarpos albusRosa woodsii

Regenerate from seed following fire:Wild hollyhocksIliamna rivularisCaribou National Forest, IdahoCeanothus velutinus

Herbaceous: sprout from rhizomes, stem base,and surviving root crownsCarex lenticularisCarex aquatilis

Fire and Invasive Plants in Riparian AreasRiparian areas are susceptible to invasion• Stream networks = corridors for movement of propagules• High resource availability• Periodic flow-related disturbance creates habitat heterogeneity• Human-caused disturbance (roads, flow alteration, grazing,proximity to existing nonnative plant populations)Many riparian areas have been invaded• Non-native woody species are as frequent and abundant asnatives (Tamarisk, Russian olive; Friedman et al, 2005)• Invasive herbaceous species are prevalent along many streams(Magee et al. 2008, Ringold et al. 2008)• Invasives increase after fire (Jackson and Sullivan 2009)

Land Management Impacts on Fire in Riparian AreasFire Suppression

A Guide To Riparian Fuel Treatments inthe Interior West (JFSP project)Kate Dwire, Riparian Ecologist, RMRS, Fort Collins, COKristen Meyer, Ecologist, BLM, Grand Junction, COSandra Ryan, Geomorphologist, RMRS, Fort Collins, COGregg Riegel, USFS Area Ecologist, Bend, ORTim Burton, Riparian Consultant, Boise, ID1. Literature review: effects of fire and fuels treatmentsissues in riparian areas;2. Survey: Completed and proposed riparian fuels projects;3. Case Studies: Challenges and opportunities – closer look at5 riparian fuel treatments;4. Guidelines for pre-and-post treatment monitoring.

Fuel Treatments in Riparian Areas: SurveyY= yes; N= noTreatment Size:< 100 acres 53%100-300 acres 40%> 300 acres 20%Treatment Target:Riparian areas 47%Riparian areas includedas part of larger project 59%Treatment Location:In wildland-urban interface 75%Not in WU interface 22%Management Objectives:Single objective 44%Multiple objective 56%Primary objective = fuel reduction 81%Primary objective = restoration/habitat improvement 41%Stone et al. 2010. Fuel reduction management practices in riparian areas of the western USA.Environmental Management 46:91-100.

ProjectObjectives andEffectivenessNumber of Completed ProjectsNumber of Completed Projects100806040200100806040200a) Project Objectivesb) Effectiveness at MeetingProject ObjectivesHazardous FuelReductionRestore HistoricalFire RegimeHabitatRestorationControl InvasivePlant SpeciesProtect Valuesat RiskOtherUSFSBLMUSFWSNPSnot at all effectivesomewhat ineffectiveunsuresomewhat effectivevery effective

Riparian VegetationTypesRiparian Vegetation Types(% completed projects)50403020100a) Completed Projectswillowcottonwoodconiferupland shrubmeadowb) Proposed ProjectsRiparian Vegetation Types(% proposed projects)50403020100dominant subdominant present not present

TreatmentMethodsNumber of Projects10080604020a) Treatment MethodsPost burning/ thinningUSFSBLMUSFWSNPS0Prescribed burnMechanical thinning(chain saws)Mechanical thinning(heavy equipment)ScatteringPile burningMasticationOther35b) Treatment Combinations30Number of Projects2520151050Single MethodTwo MethodsThree MethodsFour MethodsFive MethodsSix Methods

Constraints to Riparian Fuel TreatmentsNumber of Respondents300250200150100500Potential LitigationT & E SpeciesCultural ResourcesAdministrative PoliciesResource ManagementPlan StandardsLack of LineOfficer SupportUSFSBLMUSFWSNPSLack of AgreementAmong SpecialistsOther

Summary:► Fire properties, behavior and history in riparianareas: depends on context;► Riparian areas and local fire regimes: depends oncontext;► Postfire processes and recovery in riparian areas;• Large wood recruitment to streams; depends on location instream network;• Recovery rates depend on fire severity; generally fast;species traits important.► Fuel management treatments in riparian areas: bestviewed as restoration projects.

Thank You!Bambi fire`