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Fire Management Annual Report Fiscal Year 2016

Report provided by the Branch of Fire Management National Wildlife Refuge System Headquarters Office, located at the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) Boise, Idaho

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Engine at Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Minnesota assists with conducting a prescribed burn. Credit: Phil Millette/USFWS

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Overview 3

Headquarters (Branch of Fire Management) 4

Region 1 (Pacific) 8

Region 2 (Southwest) 13

Region 3 (Midwest) 17

Region 4 (Southeast) 21

Region 5 (Northeast) 25

Region 6 (Mountain-Prairie) 29

Region 7 (Alaska) 33

Region 8 (Pacific Southwest) 37

Contacts 41

In Memoriam 43

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OVERVIEW

This report summarizes Fiscal Year 2016 (FY16) accomplishments in the Fire Management Program for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) across its eight Regions and Headquarters (HQ) office in the areas of personnel, wildland fire management, fuels management, training, communications/outreach, planning, and all-hazard response.

The year began in October with a National Fire Leadership Team (NFLT) and Line Officer Team (LOT) meeting in Billings, Montana. As part of the meeting, the Branch of Fire Management (Branch) organized a staff ride for 36 attendees to examine leadership and decision-making relevant to challenges facing the fire program.

A highlight of the year was the spring Wildland Fire Management Strategic Workshop, which brought together the NFLT with additional fire program leaders from across the country to build a framework for implementing the Strategic Plan for Managing Wildland Fire on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Lands. The workshop was held in Fredericksburg, Virginia and was attended by more than 90 employees from field stations, regional offices, and headquarters and addressed major obstacles that challenge the program. The workshop included a staff ride examining leadership lessons from the Civil War battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville.

During the workshop, the Branch also presented its third annual National Fire Safety Award to a group of seven wildland firefighters stationed at Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma for sustained safe performance during flash food recovery efforts in May 2015. The award was accepted on the group’s behalf by the Southwest Regional Fire Management Coordinator and the Oklahoma/North Texas District Fire Management Officer.

FWS Fire Management Strategic Workshop, 2016. Attendees gather along the Rappahannock River after a field training day studying Civil War battle sites near Fredericksburg, Virginia. Credit: Josh O’Connor/USFWS.

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HEADQUARTERS – Branch of Fire Management

General Overview: The Branch administered the Service’s FY16 Fire Management Budget from the Department of the Interior (DOI) Office of Wildland Fire (OWF): $28.2M for Preparedness (includes $282K for Facilities Construction and Maintenance), $22M for Hazardous Fuels (includes $1.3M for Resilient Landscapes), $12.4M for Suppression(includes $99K for Emergency Stabilization), and $1.6M for Burned Area Rehabilitation. The Branch also administered the Fire Management Information System (FMIS) for reporting fire information. During FY16, a total of 374 wildfires burned nearly 118,500 acres on Service lands, with wildfires occurring on refuges, wetland management districts, and/or national fish hatcheries. The Branch continues to work with developers on improving the efficiency and functionality of fire reporting in FMIS. Branch staff continued to work with the Service’s Refuge System leadership, along with the NFLT, its working teams and the LOT, which represent all Regions. Branch staff worked with regional and field staff to plan and conduct the 2016 Strategic Workshop and two leadership staff rides (fall and spring). The Branch represented the Service to OWF, Interior Fire Executive Council (IFEC), National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG), National Multiple-Agency Coordinating Group (NMAC) and other interagency governance and operational groups. Personnel: The Branch filled four vacancies during FY16. The Deputy Chief (Management) served as the Acting Branch Chief of Fire Management from October to December 2015. In November 2015, a shared Budget Analyst position at Refuges Headquarters (HQ) began serving the Branch, and the Deputy Chief (Operations) was promoted to Branch Chief. A Budget Officer and Administrative Officer were hired in January 2016, and a new Deputy Chief (Operations) was hired in July 2016. The Wildland Fire & Emergency Management Advisor continued to serve as the Refuge System's Acting Emergency Management Coordinator from October to December 2015 and retired at the end of the FY; his fire-related duties were assumed by the Deputy Chief (Management). The Branch Fire Planner continued to be a shared position with the National Park Service (NPS) and the Branch Chief continued to supervise the DOI Medical Standards Coordinator position.

New Branch employees (below, left to right), Administrative Officer, Reah Reedy; Budget Officer, Gillian Fay; and Budget Analyst, Sara Randolph. All joined the Branch in Boise in FY2016, filling existing vacancies.

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HQ – Branch of Fire Management, continued… The Branch Fuels Specialist served in a 90-day detail as the Region 8 Regional Fire Management Coordinator (RFMC); three detailers filled behind the fuels specialist from the Branch, Region 6, and Region 2, each completing 30 days. The Branch Office Assistant completed a 4-month detail as an office assistant at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Great Basin Fire Cache. Branch staff members with various fire management qualifications supported interagency wildfire incidents in the Great Basin and Northwest geographic areas. Wildland Fire Management: In FY16, several Service units across the nation experienced elevated fire danger conditions and requested severity funding and/or resources to increase fire preparedness. Regionally managed short-term severity expenditures totaled $239,894 out of $2.4M available for FY16. A total of $75,319 out of $358,578 available long-term severity funds were approved by the Branch and expended by field stations for:

• Region 1: Sheldon/Hart Mountain NWR Complex and Malheur NWR (August); • Region 4: District 7 (October) and Alligator River NWR (May).

Of 374 wildfires occurring on Service lands in FY16, 73.5% (275 fires) were reported as either human-caused or having an undetermined cause, with 26.5% (99 fires) caused by lightning. Initial attack of wildfires on Service lands was successful nearly 95% of the time.

The Service now maintains 50 fire vehicles within the Working Capital Fund program, with a current replacement value of $11.8 M. In the coming year, the fire management program will be phasing out underutilized engines and other fleet to comply with the Refuge Chief's "Light and Medium Duty Motor Vehicle Fleet Management Funding and Allocation" decision. One Service project was funded for $250K through the DOI Facilities Construction and Maintenance Program to replace an equipment storage facility in Region 4 at Pocosin NWR. The Branch provided $99,102 for two Emergency Stabilization (ES) projects in Region 1: Saddle Lakes, Hanford Reach NM and Lau Strike Kipapa, Oahu NWR; and approved one new ES plan in Region 1: Range 12, Hanford Reach NM. The Branch provided $1,399,670 for six Burned Area Rehabilitation (BAR) projects in:

• Region 1: Saddle Lakes, Hanford Reach NWR; • Region 2: Arroyo Ramirez, Lower Rio Grande NWR; Island Lake, Imperial NWR; and Willow,

Havasu NWR; and • Region 4: Disaster, Laguna Cartegena NWR and Last Dance, A.R.M Loxahatchee NWR;

and approved five new BAR plans in: • Region 1: Range 12, Hanford Reach National Monument; • Region 2: Topock, Havasu NWR and San Pasqual, Bosque del Apache NWR; and • Region 4: Grand Bature , Grand Bay NWR and Panther, Florida Panther NWR.

Fuels Management: The Branch chaired the NWCG Fuels Management Committee and provided expertise to OWF and IFEC for the DOI Fuels Management and Resilient Landscapes programs and ongoing projects, such as the National Fire Plan Operations and Reporting System (NFPORS), Interagency Fuels Treatment Decision Support System (IFTDSS), and response and coordination for Secretarial Order #3336. Fire management staff from Regions 1, 3, 4, and 6 supported the national Fuels Management workload.

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HQ – Branch of Fire Management, continued…

Training: The Fire Management Employee Development Program connected employees from 18 zones across five Regions with funding and individualized training opportunities, including for:

• Region 2: Online and classroom college attendance for three employees in natural resource subjects that meet education requirements for the GS-401 position;

• Region 3: Detail to Redding Interagency Hotshot Crew that provided 45 days of firefighting and leadership training for one employee;

• Region 4: Attendance at Advanced Fire Behavior Interpretation course for one employee working toward qualification as Fire Behavior Analyst.;

• Regions 4 and 6: Interregional details for six employees during peak burn season to develop fire operations, smoke management, leadership, and project coordination skills.

• Regions 2, 5, and 8: Three specialized wilderness first aid courses by the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS); and

• Plans for NOLS to provide first aid courses for three more Regions during FY17. Communications/Outreach: The Branch continued to work with Regions and HQ to monitor and expand national media and social media coverage of Service fire program activities, and to provide a fire management point-of-contact for national media. The Branch supported the Service’s expanded use of Inciweb to provide public information for wildfires and prescribed fires, and provided ongoing support to Service Public Information Officers (PIOs) and PIO trainees. The Branch Communication Coordinator became certified to teach Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) All-Hazards PIO course adopted by NWCG, and presented a customized session on Crisis Communications at the FWS National Public Affairs Workshop. Planning: The Branch Fire Planner, in a jointly funded position with NPS, coordinated formulation of a prototype NPS Multi-Unit Environmental Assessment, which can be used as a template by FWS Fire Management to meet National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance requirements. The Branch also supported development of a spatial fire management plan (FMP) on a refuge complex that had just completed a draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP), streamlining the process by using the same data for the CCP and FMP. A facilitated workshop produced spatial habitat management plans (HMPs) for six refuges in Arkansas. Future efforts may include producing an FMP and HMP concurrently, and developing environmental compliance to jointly cover both projects. All-Hazard Response: The Branch participated in a national DOI Risk Communications Workshop with other DOI safety and health programs, and led a Service break-out session to identify ways to increase the agency’s risk communications capability. The Branch Safety Specialist assisted with training for Serious Accident Investigation Team members.

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Branch Staff: Training Specialist Russ Babiak, ES&R Coordinator Lou Ballard, and Branch Chief Chris Wilcox at 2016 Strategic Workshop. Credit: USFWS

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Regional Reports

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REGION 1 – Pacific

Wildland Fire Management: The Pacific Northwest experienced a moderated fire season with 481,000 acres burned, down from more than 1M acres burned in Washington and Oregon in FY2015 (FY15). The states of Idaho and Hawaii experienced above-average burning conditions, although Service lands were not impacted. In FY16, 65 permanent and temporary firefighters from Region 1 were involved with the management of fires across the country. Region 1 managed 24 wildfire starts on Service lands that burned 32,268 acres in four of the Region’s fire management zones. Of particular note, the Mid-Columbia NWRC in southeast Washington hosted one Type II Incident Management Team (IMT) and two Type III IMTs.

General Overview FY2016 brought consistency to the Region 1 Fire Program, which retained all but one member of its permanent work-force. A shared Incident Business Specialist was hired for Regions 1, 7 and 8, with the intent to build a business acumen that promotes fire business strategies through adherence to federal and agency policies. Many individuals supported key tasks and program emphasis such as resilient landscapes initiative, interagency re-organization to increase land management efficiency, Rangeland Fire Protection Associations, Malheur illegal occupation support, habitat management through fuels modification, reducing risk from harmful wildfires, mindful suppression response, protection of critical habitat for greater sage-grouse, and personnel development of fire and support staff.

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Region 1 Fire Staff: (l to r): Jeremiah Maghan - WV Prescribed Fire Specialist; Andy Kikuta - Hawaiian Islands Fire Mgt Specialist, Molly Cox - Fire Planner, Brain Gales - Dept RFMC, Jona Ensley - Asst Engine Captain, Jim Forsythe - FMO SE Idaho, John Janak - AFMO Mid-Co, Ken Meinhart - Fuels Specialist Inland Northwest, Brett Fay – RFMC. Credit: USFWS

Region 1, Pacific, continued… The Region was busy supporting its interagency partners, managing 18 fires, and additionally responding to 59 support actions. The Region received approval for two long-term fire severity requests in southeast Oregon, and approved several short-term requests in southeast Washington, providing additional staffing during times of critical fire indices and increased fire activity.

The new Fire Business Program will support ongoing efforts to develop key partnerships with state and private entities, fire business coordinating groups, and dispatch centers, and continued strategic planning with our federal partners, through standardizing implementation of master agreements, operating plans, and memorandums of understandings. An ongoing priority for the geographic area was to build on interagency preparedness and staffing in critical greater sage-grouse habitat. The Service led partners in an effort to further integrate with Rangeland Fire Protection Associations to ensure a coordinated suppression response to rangeland fires. Additional engines, dozers, overhead, and aircraft were staffed through partnerships to increase capability for initial attack to protect the greater-sage grouse, and take appropriate response to preserve its range in southeast Oregon.

Painting a line from above: DC-10 Very Large Air Tanker (VLAT) over Saddle Mountain NWR in Washington drops fire retardant to slow progression of the Range 12 Fire. Courtesy: Paul Bayse.

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Region 1, Pacific, continued…

Fuels Management: Region 1 identified and prioritized targeted treatments as mutually beneficial for hazardous fuel reduction and habitat restoration. A total of 62 treatments were completed in 7 Fire Management Zones – this included 49 prescribed burn treatments totaling 4,418 acres burned, as well as 13 mechanical treatments (chipping, mastication, mowing, and thinning), for an additional 2,374 acres treated. Interagency partnerships were instrumental in implementing many of the prescribed fire treatments on Service lands; existing partnerships with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) as well as local, state, and federal agencies supported the use of fire as a land management tool within the Region.In addition, 102 miles of fuel breaks were disked along highways within the Mid-Columbia River Complex, helping prevent thousands of acres from burning onto refuge lands.

FY16 Region 1 Treatment Accomplishments

Total of Treatments

NFPORS Acreage

Habitat acreage

Total Acres Treated

62 5,334 1,458 6,792

At right, Prescribed fire at Conboy Lake NWR in Washington. Credit: USFWS

Interagency cooperators at Nestucca Bay NWR in Oregon. Credit: USFWS

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Region 1, Pacific, continued…

Resilient Landscapes and Focus on the Greater Sage-grouse: The Greater Sheldon Hart Mountain Resilient Landscapes Collaborative (RLC) hosted a field trip for the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget, and the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Safety, Resource Protection and Emergency Services in early June. The Collaborative had a member meeting later that month to welcome new members and discuss projects and accomplishments. In FY16, the RLC received $404K, which was distributed to new partners through the Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program. These dollars are working to enhance and protect private lands in the project area. Across the landscape, all partners together treated an estimated 8,400 acres in FY16 to improve fire resilience in the sagebrush steppe. This work was in addition to the ongoing projects obligated in FY15 for treatment on 26K acres.

Training: The Region emphasized personal and career development to highlight the importance of leadership concepts in wildland fire management. One individual instructed at the Prescribed Fire Training Center, one completed an Interagency Hotshot Crew detail, and many others participated in various staff-rides. Several Project Leaders completed Fire Management Leadership training through the National Applied Fire and Resource Institute, as well as prescribed fire and large fire training assignments. The Region continues to actively participate in numerous interagency training opportunities by attending and instructing courses at the 100-500 levels.

Preparedness Review and Training conducted at William L. Finley NWR in Oregon. Credit: USFWS.

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Region 1, Pacific, continued…

Communications/Outreach: Portland’s urban Refuge, Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge teamed up with the USFWS Pacific Region Fire Management and Public Affairs programs, to conduct its first-ever demonstration prescribed fire in September, 2016. Media outlets, including KGW-TV, the Pamplin Media Group, and the Portland Tribune, as well as the public, came to watch the Refuge and cooperators burn an area of mixed woodland habitat live on the day of the burn.

About 1.2 thousand people tuned in to watch the “Facebook Live” video of the Refuge Manager being interviewed behind the scenes on the fire line, and almost 135,000 fans watched the prescribed fire video posted onto USFWS Headquarters’ Instagram site.

Using social media, Fire Management continued to post photographs and highlight information onto its Facebook Webpages, Pacific Region Fire Management page, as well as its collaborative Willamette Valley Prescribed Fire page, which includes stories provided by the BLM and the Nature Conservancy-Oregon. Photographs and video continued to be posted onto the USFWS Pacific Region Flickr webpage, where alongside photographs of endangered species, there are now hundreds of photographs capturing fire management related activities.

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Left: Educational signage placed for the public at Turnbull NWR in Washington. Right and below, right: Media blitz at an urban refuge, Tualatin River near Portland, Oregon. Credits: USFWS

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REGION 2 - Southwest

General Overview: The Southwest Region (Region 2) had a very steady wildfire season with 63 wildfires that burned 37,242 acres on Service lands. The Region had a greater than 95% initial attack success rate, with no significant lost-time accidents; and also accomplished 133 fuel and habitat improvement projects on 45,477 acres. Over the past five years, the Region’s fuel and habitat management needs were about four times greater than projects funded; this lack of funding impacted fuel accomplishments and fundamental habitat management needs.

The performance of our fire budget staff (both field and regional) exceeded our expectations again this year; the three primary budget program areas (Preparedness, Fuels, and Burned Area Rehabilitation) were obligated between 98% and 100%, with no over-expenditures.

Region 2 has been working through some difficult financial times with a series of budget reductions over the last five years, amounting this year to more than $6 million. Strategic workforce planning during this time has resulted in a drop from 106 to 75 fire management FTE positions by the end of FY16.

Despite many challenges, Region 2 was able to accomplish critical work, and is better prepared to meet future strategic fire and habitat conservation needs. Please see the Region 2, Refuges Fire Management website for more information; http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/fire/index.html

Southwest Regions Fire Organization and Districts

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Region 2, Southwest, continued…

Personnel: The Region 2 Division of Fire Management includes an RFMC and Deputy RFMC, Prescribed Fire Coordinator, Fire Ecologist, Chief of Predictive Services at the Southwest Area Coordination Center, and a Fire Budget Lead. Fire District Fire Management Officers (FMOs) are located at Texas Chenier Plains, Texas Mid-Coast, Balcones Canyonlands, and Buenos Aires (Arizona) NWRs, with new District FMOs hired this FY for South Texas, Oklahoma/North Texas, and New Mexico Districts. Workforce planning over the last five years resulted in reorganization from eight to seven fire districts, with fire personnel strategically located to meet fire management needs for all Region 2 refuges and fish hatcheries. The workforce has been modified to include more temporary, seasonal, and student hires to enhance workforce mobility and flexibility.

Wildland Fire Management: The Region had a steady and moderate wildfire season overall with neutral El Niño-La Niña conditions and above-average summer precipitation. The majority of the Region's fire personnel participated with interagency Incident Management Teams, assisting in large wildfire response throughout the summer.

Two wildfires interacted with prior hazardous fuels treatments, which played an important role in controlling the fires by enabling rapid suppression with fewer acres burned, mitigating impacts to our resources with lower suppression costs. The San Pasqual Fire, started by lightning on July 4, became quickly established on both sides of the Rio Grande River. Fuel breaks constructed in a prior year by the New Mexico Fire District were used as contingency lines. The fire was fully contained on July 10 at 808 acres, due to the fuel breaks reducing fire behavior and providing defensible space.

Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge initiated a fuel reduction operation this year in a mature stand of invasive cedar trees, mixed with heavy slash, less than a mile from the refuge headquarters. Given the spotting potential associated with high intensity fire in this vegetation type, fuel reduction in these trees north of headquarters, in conjunction with a 2,400-acre burn in August to the south, significantly lessened the wildfire threat to buildings and homes. In addition, the treatment eliminated a prominent seed source, thus reducing the potential spread of this invasion on the refuge.

Refuge Firefighters: Fire Operations Specialist Eric Krueger works with a Region 2 fire crew at Bosque Del Apache NWR in New Mexico. Credit: USFWS

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Region 2, Southwest, continued…

Burned Area Rehabilitation (BAR): There are four ongoing BAR Projects funded in the Region, including one ongoing at Santa Ana NWR, two at Havasu NWR, and one at Bosque del Apache NWR. These four BAR projects were funded partially in FY16 for about $477K. These projects will treat and

restore approximately 400 acres to native and less-flammable wildlife habitat this year.

These BAR projects provide cost-effective and ecologically sound processes to restore wildlife habitat and to create ecological resilience at sites through the rehabilitation of native-dominated plant habitats. They are designed to restore native vegetation that is more suitable for wildlife, watershed and ecosystem function, and less-prone to future wildfire impacts. The long term goal of these projects includes the reduction of future wildfire threats to threatened, endangered, and candidate species, and important watershed and wildlife resources.

Fuels Management: Fuel treatments included 61 Wildland-Urban Interface projects (28,924 acres), as well as 72 hazardous fuels reduction projects (16,533 acres). Many of the hazardous fuel reduction treatments contributed to strategic wildlife habitat enhancement, including prescribed burns for the Attwater prairie chicken, whooping crane, mottled duck and Black-capped vireo. One escaped prescribed fire occurred at Attwater Prairie Chicken NWR in FY16; it was reviewed by the Region and lessons learned were documented to improve future prescribed fire operations.

The Resilient Landscapes Wildfire Module at Balcones Canyonlands NWR spent 85 days off-district on four assignments, completing 22 prescribed burns in five states and multiple assignments on two wildfires for resource benefit. They added detailers from four other Region 2 Fire Districts, to increase support for refuges throughout the Region. Prescribed burning to maintain landscape and ecological resiliency continues to remain a high priority for the Module.

Below, Fire Module Burn Boss Kathryn Sebes from Balcones Canyonlands NWR in Texas assesses holding conditions during a prescribed burn. Credit: USFWS

Firefighters Recognized for Flash Flood Recovery: Noe Garza, South Texas NWRC works with Derrick Nahill, Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma, to assess flood damage to a refuge fence at Wichita Mountains. The OK/ North TX Fire District crew was awarded the FWS Third Annual National Safety Award for sustained safe performance during recovery efforts. Not pictured: Aaron Roper, T.J. Lowder, Darren Proctor, Howard Boss, Steven Natho, and Kimberly Frey. Credit: USFWS

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Region 2, Southwest, continued…

Communications/Outreach: The New Mexico Fire District led a public prescribed burn at the annual Festival of the Cranes event. Several dozen visitors, including a class from the local Socorro school district, attended. This educational prescribed burn has become very popular as an outreach tool and is a proven model that can be replicated at other refuges.

Region 2 took the lead on Service outreach and education at the 2016 Association for Fire Ecology Conference in Tucson, Arizona. One of the two field trips was hosted by Buenos Aires NWR and a partner organization, Altar Valley Conservation Alliance. About 30 participants learned about the role of fire on refuge lands in relation to native Sonoran grasslands, the endangered masked bobwhite quail, Sonoran pronghorn antelope, and the Cienega wetlands. Additionally, with support from the Branch, educational displays were set up at a booth throughout the week, with more than 200 contacts made.

Planning: Region 2 helped spearhead development of the National Asset Database. This included the mapping and correction of spatial data for more than 1,500 assets located on fish hatcheries and refuges across the region. These data were uploaded into the SAMMS database and will be used in future hazard risk analysis scenarios.

Region 2 is in final stages of developing a region-wide Fire Atlas tool for monitoring, science applications, and planning. Using satellite imagery and historical fire records, the Region 2 Fire Management has completed fire atlases for more than 90% of the refuge and national fish hatcheries in the Region. The Fire Atlas documents the location and extent of fires, 10 acres or greater, occurring on (or near) refuge lands during the past 42 years. This project has helped inform a future national standard operating procedure. This

spatial data in the future will be input into FMIS and used in wildfire response strategies, budget scenarios, planning, monitoring, science applications, and other agency and interagency analysis models. Training: Region 2 funded and led a series of leadership training opportunities about 100 fire and non-fire personnel nationally. One course involved the Gettysburg Leaders of Organizations Staff Ride with participation from all Regions fire leadership, Refuge leadership (Division Chiefs) teams, and Headquarters staff. Another course offered at our regional level included Incident within an Incident training offered at Balcones Canyonlands NWR

for upper level fire district leadership. This training provided critical skills for medical response and in dealing with an emergency within an incident. The participants provided excellent reviews on the value of this course for future operations. Region 2 intends to continue leading these leadership opportunities, contingent on funding. The overall intent has been to more deliberately invest in our future leadership, and to help better integrate the fire program with other programs in efforts to enhance mutual respect and conservation outcomes.

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Incident within an Incident Training: Region 2 conducts accident simulation at Balcones Canyonlands NWR in Texas. Credit: USFWS

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REGION 3 - Midwest

General Overview: Following several years of strategic workforce planning, the Region 3 fire organization is now organized under four Fire Management Zones with two Zone Budget Analysts. Current FTE count is at 30.25, which is below the minimum of 35 specified in the Fire Staffing Plan of FY15 and is a reduction of 25.25 FTE since workforce planning began in FY11. Under the Zone organization, the fire program was able to maintain an active engagement with partners across the Region to continue cooperative projects and work with a wide variety of stakeholders. Work included completing of critical urban-interface fuels reduction projects, conducting restoration and maintenance projects, and supporting public education and firefighter development through workshops, academies, and field days. Regional Fire Program Reviews were conducted for East Zone stations Crab Orchard NWR and Big Oaks NWR. Personnel: The Region had positive changes in personnel this year, including adding the first of two Zone Budget Analysts; a new Fire Program Tech. at Necedah NWR; and an employee promotion to the Chief of Budgets & Administration. A former employee returned to Region 3 as the FMO at Litchfield Wetland Management District (WMD) and career seasonal firefighter positions were filled at Fergus Falls and Litchfield WMDs. Other staff changes include: one Prescribed Fire Specialist at Neal Smith NWR transferred to another agency (this position will not be filled per Staffing Plan); a career seasonal employee at Agassiz NWR took a permanent position at Great Dismal Swamp NWR; a career seasonal employee at Big Oaks NWR took a permanent position at Aransas NWR; the FMO at Morris WMD transfer to another agency, and the West Zone Assistant FMO has accepted a promotion with another agency.

Service firefighters monitor a burnout. Krysten Dick and Eric Nelson work on the 250-acre fire on Vesledahl WPA in Minnesota. Credit: Darrin Franco/USFWS

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Region 3, Midwest, continued…

Wildland Fire Management: In FY16, 15 employees were members of ten Type 1 and 2 Incident Management Teams (IMTs). Field stations were able to manage a dynamic fire season on Service lands as well as provide incident support to local partners on wildfires. There were 31 wildfires for a total of 1,232 acres on Service lands within the Region in FY16. No long-term severity funding was requested for Service lands in Region 3 during the FY16 fire season. The Region actively supported national fuels work and incidents, dispatching 174 fire staff and collateral duty firefighters to fifteen states out of Region in operations, aviation, plans, finance, dispatching, and command positions and trainee assignments.

At right: Minnesota Interagency Fire Crew (MIFC) #5 on the Cliff Creek Fire on the Bridger Teton National Forest in Wyoming. Below: Prescribed burn at the Morris WMD in Minnesota. Credits: Phil Millette/USFWS

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Region 3, Midwest, continued…

Fuels Management: Even with a wetter-than-average fire season and a reduced workforce, field stations were able to conduct 407 prescribed burns for 59,319 acres in FY16; since FY01, the Region has averaged 446 ignitions for 61,106 acres. The Region used a variety of grants and partnerships to meet Service

objectives. Federal, state, county agencies and non-governmental organizations, such as TNC, teamed up with Service staff to assist. Other collaborative fuels efforts include restoration of the Moquah Barrens, a pine barrens area in northwest Wisconsin; this ongoing project includes joint funding for seed collection and future treatment of 250 acres of adjacent Service land at Iron River National Fish Hatchery.

At left, Fire on ice Firefighter Shane Otto (left lower) monitors prescribed burn at Horicon NWR in Wisconsin. Credit: Sean Sallman/USFWS

Prescribed burn at Morris WMD in Minnesota. Blue helmet: Erik Acker, Fire Management Specialist for Port Louisa NWR, Iowa; Red helmet:-Sean Sallmann, Fire Management Specialist for Horicon NWR, Wisconsin. Yellow helmet: Jake Saverynski, Maintenance Worker, Morris WMD with an amphibious Marsh Master firefighting vehicle. Credit: Phil Millette/USFWS

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Region 3, Midwest, continued…

Training: Eighteen Position Task Books were certified this year in the Region. Ten employees were able to attend upper level leadership classes and five fire staff attended a Section Leader’s Academy in Duluth, Minnesota. The Minnesota Incident Command System (MNICS) Wildfire Academy continues to grow and the Service sponsored 32 of the 864 students, provided nine instructors, and had two trainees on the IMT managing the academy. Interagency fire refreshers and other local courses were held at most Service field stations in the Region. Regional staff members attended a leadership staff ride at Gettysburg and four Line Officers attended fire leadership courses. Communications/Outreach: The Region continues to be engaged with active outreach and involvement in community projects through the MNICS, the Big Rivers Forest Fire Compact, the Great Lakes Forest Fire Compact, and local activities at Service field stations. Service fire staff continue to provide leadership in both the Tallgrass Prairie & Oak Savanna and the Lake States fire science consortia. Several fuels projects received media attention, an avenue to inform stakeholders of fire management activities and objectives.

• Fire Frequency and the FWS Fire Atlas: https://www.fws.gov/Midwest/Planning/r3ssd/main.html?charland_fire_atlas

• Igniting Diversity in the Prairies: https://www.fws.gov/midwest/news/IgniteDiversity.html • Fire Over Ice: https://www.fws.gov/midwest/news/FireOverIce.html • Fire on the Prairie: http://www.news8000.com/news/News-8-Eye-Piece-Fire-on-the-

Prairie/39172316 • Sherburne NWR: http://www.sctimes.com/story/news/local/2016/03/16/sherburne-nwr-plans-

spring-controlled-burns/81855092/ • Port Louisa NWR Welcomes AmeriCorps Wildland Fire Crew:

https://www.fws.gov/midwest/news/FireCrew.html • Wildfire Today—Application of Fire to Brice Prairie: http://wildfiretoday.com/2016/04/26/the-

application-of-prescribed-fire-in-brice-prairie/ • Sherburne NWR Oak Savana Restoration:

http://www.sctimes.com/story/sports/outdoors/2015/11/07/sherburne-nwr-starts-largest-oak-savanna-restoration/75302052/

• Wildfire on Ice continues to grow and raise funds for the Wildland Firefighter Foundation: http://wildfireonice.com/

Planning: The Fire Workforce and Fire Administrative Officer Efficiency Plans are being implemented, with positive feedback from the Zones and Line Officers. Spatial Fire Management Plans (SFMPs) are in progress for Neal Smith NWR and Detroit Lakes WMD. In addition, the Region again provided SFMP design and delivery to Region 5 refuges and technical assistance to HQ in developing Spatial HMPs. An Intent Based Planning exercise was conducted by regional fire staff and finalized by Region 3 Fire Leadership to continue integrating Fire and Refuge programs under a common operating picture; success conditions, strategies, and tactics from this exercise link to goals outlined in the national Strategic Plan, e.g. All Hazard: Several oil spills occurred along the River Districts, but none required more than a local level response and coordination. Sherburne NWR conducted a full-scale exercise simulating a pipeline rupture on the refuge, with more than 50 participants and six other cooperating organizations.

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REGION 4 – Southeast

General Overview: With favorable weather conditions, good coordination between districts and programs, a boost in operational capacity via Resilient Landscapes and a workforce focused and committed to conservation delivery; the Southeast Region had a very safe and successful year. The Region was able to treat more acres with prescribed fire in FY16 than any previously reported fiscal year. Strategic workforce planning continues as budget forecast are still declining, albeit at a slower rate than a couple years ago. Planning efforts to date, and the subsequent reduction in staff, were able to catch up with budgetary declines and allowed more funding to be targeted towards operations instead of salaries. Unfortunately, with budgets declining again in FY17 and forecast not favorable for out-years, Region 4 is not finished “rightsizing” the organization. The Southeast Region began FY16 with 89 FTEs and through attrition now has 86 FTEs. The workforce continues to be supplemented by temporary, seasonal and student conservation organization positions. The Region significantly changed how the Service helicopter is managed. Instead of having a Service Pilot/Regional Aviation Manager (RAM) with numerous collateral duties, the Region now shares a RAM with Region 5 and contracts out pilot services. The region has also appointed a Regional Helicopter Coordinator to schedule the ship so that its use is maximized and efficient. Wildfire Management: The Southeast Region saw a slight decrease in the number of wildfires with a slight increase of acres in FY16. Service firefighters responded to 141 wildfires which burned 29,374 acres on Service lands in Region 4 this year; compared to 151 fires burning 25,157 acres in FY15. All fires were managed in a safe manner with no lost-time accidents reported. North Carolina had a Type II incident, but the majority of wildfire activity was centered in Florida this FY. While many of these fires were actively suppressed, there were cases where local management plans allowed the fires to be managed for resource benefit; eight wildfires were managed for resource benefit for a total of 4,932 acres. Long-term severity funding (30 days) was requested this FY by Districts 1, 6 and 7. Region 4 Fire Management completed Annual Preparedness Reviews at stations receiving preparedness funds, gaining Region 4, Southeast, continued…

At right, Prescribed Fire, Savannah NWR in South Carolina along Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive helped reduce wildfire risk to surrounding communities and improve wildlife habitat. Courtesy: Judy Doyle

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100% compliance with its system implemented in FY2014 to complete reviews of all 20 stations receiving preparedness funds. Southeast Region personnel (both fire and non-fire funded) supported suppression efforts across the country, from Alaska to Puerto Rico, in addition to the regional workload. There were 50 Service employees that participated on the three interagency IMTs in the Southern Area. These teams were deployed in Idaho and Virginia this FY and created great opportunities for the development of our workforce, while providing valuable oversight to units experiencing complex incidents. Fuels Management: This FY funding levels saw a slight increase as compared to FY15 and total acres managed through prescribed fire treatments were much higher than last year due in part to favorable weather patterns, contributed funds, helicopter availability and a flexible workforce. The Region accomplished 100% (68,170 acres) of the FY16 target for acreage treated, as determined through the DOI Hazardous Fuels Reduction process. Additional funds through internal and external partnerships were used to help treat an additional 137,243 acres. All treatments were accomplished in a safe and efficient manner, reducing hazardous fuel loading and maintaining the health of fire-dependent landscapes. This year, the Region treated 138,547 acres of hazardous fuels in the wildland-urban interface.

Region 4, Southeast, continued…

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Training: This year, more than 60 position task books were completed by service personnel in the field and at the regional office. The interagency priority trainee dispatching process “Priority Trainee List” was continued this year. The purpose of this national process is to better serve the agencies as a more robust trainee prioritization and rotation system. Although the process is still being honed, the number of trainees placed on assignment and completed task books indicate the process is becoming efficient.

Region fire staff were involved in the Tennessee/Kentucky Wildland Fire Academy steering committee for the 14th straight year session. The Region also delivered Crew Boss and Strike Team / Task Force Leader training and provided for 23 Service firefighters to attend the academy as students.

Above, Marsh Burn at A.R.M Loxahatchee NWR in Florida. Firefighters Josh Havird and Joseph Whelan use an airboat to patrol an 18,500-acre prescribed fire in July, 2016 Credit: Missy Juntunen/USFWS

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Region 4, Southeast, continued…

Planning: The Region maintained a database with 71 Fire Management Plans (FMPs); field units performed annual FMP reviews and provided updates as needed. The Region also maintained a database for statewide master fire agreements with the ten southeastern states and Puerto Rico, with the Puerto Rico agreement renewed this year. The Region 4 Fire Program initiated two agreements this FY with Tall Timbers Research Station: a grant agreement allowing the Research Station to use a Service Type 6 fire engine, and a cooperative agreement to partner to train private landholders in the planning and implementation of prescribed fire on private lands adjacent to Service lands. The Region also entered into two agreements with TNC: a grant agreement to allow TNC to use a Service burn trailer, and another grant agreement to facilitate rangewide Longleaf Pine conservation efforts funded by DOI Resilient Landscapes program. In addition, the Region entered into an Intra-Agency Agreement (IAA) with the Southeast Region of NPS to facilitate cooperative prescribed burning efforts.

All-Hazard Response: In FY16, Hurricane Hermine impacted several refuges in Florida. One six-person team was deployed to assist with cleanup efforts at the Crystal River NWR.

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Award Winning Cooperators: Fire staff at Okefenokee NWR in Georgia, along with their partners in the South GA/North FL Fire Cooperative, accepted the Pulaski Award from the DOI Office of Wildland Fire in November 2015, with Region 4 and Headquarters management in attendance. (left to right) Rocky Chesser (Maintenance Supervisor), Jon Wallace (Deputy RFMC), Terri Jenkins, Vince Carver (RFMC), Michael Lusk (Refuge Manager), Fred Wetzel (Fire HQ Branch), Elizabeth Souheaver (Refuge Supervisor), Rob Wood (standing, from Savannah Coastal NWRC in GA)),Brantley Boatright (sitting), Reggie Forcine, Chris Wilcox (Fire HQ Branch) Credit: USFWS

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REGION 5 - Northeast General Overview: Normal spring weather in New England allowed for a productive prescribed fire season before spring green-up occurred. Short-term drought moved to long-term drought during the summer and fall months in New England, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Winter weather and rains limited the Mid-Atlantic Zone from completing many of their burns in January and early February. Once the weather broke, prescribed burns were conducted throughout the entire zone until May. Winter and early spring conditions in the southern part of the region allowed for an initially typical prescribed fire season in the Virginia/West Virginia Zones.

A prescribed fire module went to South Carolina to assist the U.S. Air Force. Prescribed fire assistance was also provided to Region 2 in Oklahoma. This was also the first year of the North Country Interagency Fire Zone. Region 5 also agreed to start working on the development of the Air Force Fire module that will be hosted at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in Pemberton, New Jersey. Personnel: Several key positions such as FMO, Prescribed Fire Specialist, and heavy equipment operator remained vacant. The RFMC retired in December 2015 and a new RFMC was hired in April. At the end of FY16, Region 5 had 13 fire program employees (down 5 positions from FY15) and about 100 collateral duty fire-qualified employees. The Region also sponsored 11 emergency hires (ADs) and 31 AmeriCorps NCCC firefighters.

Grassland prescribed fire at Wallkill River NWR, New Jersey. Credit: USFWS

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Region 5, Northeast, continued…

Wildland Fire Management: Region 5 had 11 wildfires for a total of 26.6 acres - three occurred at E.B. Forsythe NWR in New Jersey; three at Montezuma NWR and one at Werthiem NWR in New York; one each at Maine Coastal Islands NWR and Moosehorn NWR, and two at Rachel Carson NWR in Maine. Short-term severity was used a few times for aerial wildfire detection at Great Dismal Swamp NWR. Twenty-six fire-qualified employees, three emergency hires (ADs), and eight AmeriCorps firefighters were deployed on wildfire incidents outside of Region 5, including seven Corps members deployed on a 20-person handcrew to Pioneer Fire in Idaho.

Interagency Cape Cod Crew at Pioneer Fire, Lowman, ID. (l to r) Norman Feil, Hopewell Forge NHS; Alex Wong, Chesapeake NWRC; John Veale, Rhode Island NWRC; Tom Eagle, Eastern Massachusetts NWRC; John Sewell, and Clayton Sockabasin, Passamaquoddy Tribe, BIA; Josh Francisco, Gettysburg NP; Cecil Stanley, Passamaquoddy Tribe, BIA; Brian Skidmore, Gettysburg NP; Roy Hunter, FWS AD/TNC; Bob Jones, Gettysburg NP; Paul Smith (Crew Boss) and Garrett Geller, Gettysburg NP; Chris Siwik, Cape Cod National Seashore NPS/AD. (Not pictured: Chad Roderick, Eastern Massachusetts NWRC; Christine Fallon, Southern New England ES FWS; Dave Blick, Allegeheny NFH, FWS; Casey Johnson, NCTC, FWS; Kathy Schwager, NYS AD; Mike Wilson, Cape Cod National Seashore NPS/AD.) Credit: USFWS

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Region 5, Northeast, continued…

Fuels Management: Overall, Region 5 had a safe and successful fuels management program and strong prescribed fire partnerships with several state agencies, The Nature Conservancy and AmeriCorps NCCC played important roles in meeting fuels and habitat goals both on and off refuge lands. A total of 61 treatments were completed for 7,093 acres using prescribed fire and mechanical treatments – 4,180 acres on refuge lands and 2,913 on partner lands. The assigned fuels management target for Region 5 was 7,965 acres. Region 5 had no escaped prescribed fires during approximately 50 burn events on Service lands.

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Region 5, Northeast, continued…

Interagency prescribed fire crew at Moosehorn NWR in Maine. Credit: USFWS

Burning for Wildlife at Mashpee NWR, Massachusetts. Dave Walker and Kaiti Titherington help burn in pitchpine oak understory to maintain habitat for New England cottontail, northern long-eared bats, and other species. Credit: USFWS

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Training: Fire staff participated as instructors, facilitators, or course organizers for numerous interagency sponsored courses, including fire operations, leadership, and radio training. Several AmeriCorps attended the Mid-Atlantic Wildfire Training Academy in Morgantown, West Virginia. Communications/Outreach: The following strategy success stories were published on various websites:

• “Wildland Fire Interagency Partnership at Rappahannock River Valley NWR” in Drip Torch Digest: https://research.cnr.ncsu.edu/blogs/southeast-fire-update/files/2016/08/Driptorch-Digest-Vol_7_Sept-2016.pdf

• “Wildland Fire Interagency Partnership at Rappahannock River Valley NWR” in Southeast Cohesive Strategy Success Stories: http://www.southernwildfire.net/success-stories?state=VA

• “U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Northeast Region’s 2016 Prescribed Burn Season: Partners in Success” in Northeast Cohesive Strategy Newsletter: https://issuu.com/gamlam1107/docs/ne_rsc_newsletter_july_2016_publish

• “How Resilient is a Landscape?” in Virginia Prescribed Fire Council: http://www.vafirecouncil.com/#!blank-1/c1nv8

• “Shawangunk burn designed to help wildlife” in Times Herald-Record: http://www.recordonline.com/news/20160415/shawangunk-burn-designed-to-help-wildlife

• “Fuel break will reduce fire risk at Ninigret refuge, benefit animals” in The Westerly Sun: http://www.thewesterlysun.com/news/latestnews/8338198-129/fuel-break-will-reduce-fire-risk-at-ninigret-park-benefit.html

• AmeriCorps firefighter program- http://www.southernwildfire.net/success-stories?state=VA Smokey Bear fire prevention items were purchased for distribution at ten refuges and two fish hatcheries. Fire staff participated in the following interagency organizations: New York Wildfire & Incident Management Academy, Mid-Atlantic Wildfire Academy, Virginia Wildfire Academy, Northeastern Forest Fire Protection Compact, Mid-Atlantic Compact and Virginia Multi-Agency Coordination Group.

Planning: Regional planning efforts included on-going spatial fire management plans (SPFMs) in New England. The Stewart B. McKinney NWR SFMP is in the review process and the North Country Interagency SFMP has been kicked off. All-Hazard: A very rainy spring and summer lead to flooding in West Virginia, Virginia, and Maryland. Two fire staff and eight AmeriCorps NCCC firefighters responded to July flooding damage at White Sulphur Springs National Fish Hatchery in West Virginia. ###

AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) firefighters in Virginia. Credit: USFWS

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REGION 6 – Mountain-Prairie

General Overview: The Region 6 Fire Program had a safe and productive year, staying busy not only at home, but helping other regions as the fire season dictated. Our strategy to better serve the Service and interagency fire community has been to adapt to our changing world and be proactive in our staffing, workload and approach to wildland fire. Some of our highlights include:

• Creating a mobile, scalable workforce with centers of excellence located in areas where Service priorities overlap with partner and national efforts.

• Meeting Secretarial Order 3336 objectives to protect greater sage-grouse habitat through partnering with agencies on the Resilient Landscapes initiative, providing extensive detailer support from North Dakota Zone to BLM Elko District in Nevada, and through cooperative project assessment in Utah.

• Hosting a comprehensive prescribed fire Training Exchange program (TREX) with mutual benefits for the Service and many partners in SD and NE. This program treats a significant number of acres and helps train a future workforce including federal, state, local government, and private personnel.

• Continuing numerous partnerships in the Mid-Plains Zone to forward our conservation mission as

measured by acres on the ground and impacts of collaborative working efforts across the spectrum of land management such as our sponsorship and leadership of the Mid Plains interagency hand crew to provide training opportunities and continued education and demonstration of fire’s natural role near a major population center at Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR.

Region 6, Mountain-Prairie, continued…

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• Providing leadership, expertise and staffing in the Northern Rockies Geographic Area. Here the

Montana Zone remains heavily involved with the Coordination Group, Operations Committee, and other local boards throughout the state. Additional cooperation with our interagency partners is evident through participation in interagency hand crews, providing NWCG fire training and Cadre members, hosting the Montana Conservation Corp, and hosting a Veteran’s Green Corps in which we hire, train, and work with veterans to provide a workforce and pathway to future opportunities.

• Partnering with the U.S. Air Force to develop a new fire program in their Mid-West Region. The program currently has two core Module leadership positions filled and a detailer in the AFMO position. The two modules plan to be fully operational in FY2017 to support Department of Defense (DOD) priorities. This is an excellent mission-fit example for each agency, as there is significant overlap regarding core ecological sustainability goals. The program also provides excellent entry and mid-level career development opportunity for all employees.

Personnel: The Region lost four fire employees this year. Two new hires were placed in San Luis Valley and Bear River. Unfilled positions include an AFMO in the Great Plains Zone, our USAF AFMO, a Station manager in MT and two Fire Technicians in the Mid-Plains Fire Management Zone (FMZ). The Refuges Program is planning to hire additional prescribed fire specialists to demonstrate the Region’s commitment to conservation on Service lands. Fire personnel within the Region also continue to complete detail opportunities. The Mid Plains Interagency Handcrew completed its 14th year. Wildfire Management: In FY 2016, Region 6 had a below-average wildfire occurrence year. 40 wildfires occurred on Service lands compared to 10-year average of 53 wildfires per year. Additionally, Service acres burned by wildfire was also below the 10-year average - wildfires burned a total of 2,616 Service acres in the Region compared to the 10-year average of 5,777 acres.

Region 6 Fire Management program staff (left to right) Shelly Crook, Rich Sterry, Bill Waln, Dave Carter, Shane Del Grosso, Jeff Meadows, Colby Crawford, Jeff Dion, Deon Steinle, Jason Wagner, Calvin Moldenhauer, Mike Granger, Tracy Swenson, Erik Haberstick, Mike Haydon, and Neal Beetch. Credit: USFWS

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Region 6, Mountain-Prairie, continued…

Wildfire data includes all wildfires that occurred on FWS lands The North Dakota Zone had the most wildfires (17) and most Service acres burned (1,127). The largest single Service acreage wildfire in FY16 was the West Jacobs Creek Wildfire, which burned 214 acres of Service land within Flint Hills NWR (Mid-Plains FMZ).

Fuels Management: A total of 158 fuels treatments were completed on Service lands in FY16; the largest single treatment was the 1,096-acre Fescue burn on Lostwood NWR. Of the 158 total treatments, 156 were prescribed fires (39,329) acres and 2 were mechanical treatment (94 acres). While the number of treatments and acres completed in FY16 was more than FY15, these numbers are still below the historical 10-year average for the Region, which is 197 treatments per year treating 41,371 acres. Challenges in meeting targets were numerous again in the northern tier of the Region, with Montana and western North Dakota having early drying, and then going from drought to flooding in eastern North Dakota. Burn bans in Montana and North Dakota with high wildfire potential caused Zone FMO’s to substitute treatments in several areas. High water in eastern North Dakota caused reduced treatment sizes or moving the target to a lesser risk area. Other significant challenges were an escaped prescribed fire in northern Colorado resulting in litigation and several tort claims. Success in reducing fuel loads in high risk areas was accomplished with no known injuries and no known damaged equipment. Resources were also able to assist with prescribed burning in southeastern part of the Region when conditions permitted.

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Region 6, Mountain-Prairie, continued…

(Treatment data above is only for treatments that occurred on FWS lands)

Training: Region 6 focused on continued training opportunities for both coursework and experience within the fire community. We support a significant portion of our workforce playing key roles on IMTs regionally. In FY16 the Great Plains FMZ hosted its second prescribed fire Training Exchange (TREX). This proved to be a huge success and a great deal of experience and training was gained by employees. During this short event there were: 39 RXB2 training assignments, 65 FIRB training assignments, 50 ENGB training assignments, 75 FFT1 training assignments, 10 FEMO training assignments, 1 IC4 trainee assignment, and 1PIO trainee for 10 days. Additionally, 4 individuals completed their field portion of the 130/190. During the TREX numerous task books were initiated, burn bosses re-certified and many prescribed burns completed to the benefit of wildlife on Service (Sand Lake burned 19 units for 5,795 acres, Waubay burned 20 units for 3,215 acres) as well as U.S. Forest Service, NPS and State lands. Communications/Outreach: Zone FMO’s reached out this year and reinvigorated partnerships and relationships both at the local and regional level. Publicity for our TREX event and some successful critical burns were also highlighted. Region 6 PIOs continue to function as members on several Geographic Area information groups, operations groups and advisory boards. Planning: During FY16, Fire Management Plans were completed for Seedskadee and Cokeville Meadows NWRs. A Resilient Landscapes proposal to improve habitat for the Greater and Gunnison Sage-grouse was also completed. Two Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposals in the Region were funded – Southwest Colorado Resilient Landscape Proposal, which focused on the T&E listed Gunnison Sage-grouse; and Southern Utah, which focused on Greater Sage-grouse; Region 6 supported both of these proposals as well as other proposals that were not selected for funding in FY16.

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REGION 7 – Alaska

General Overview: What a difference a year makes. In FY2015, wildfire burned 1.2 million acres on refuges, while in FY2016, only a tenth of that acreage burned -- 124,000 acres. Fire activity was slow in Alaska in FY16, burning about half of the typical annual acreage. Low snowfall in most of the state, including areas that broke records for winter dryness, had fire managers concerned about an early fire season given an extended snow-free period with exposed dry, flashy fuels, record spring temperatures, and a high potential for human ignitions. The fire season did start early, but wet conditions put a damper on fire activity in many areas despite the number of lightning strikes being similar to FY15, which ranked #2 in terms of annual acreage burned. The slow fire season was helpful for planning and fuels treatment efforts. Interagency plans were updated and spatial fire management unit (FMU) data were uploaded into the Wildland Fire Decision Support System (WFDSS). Notable fuels projects included initiation of the Sterling Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) fuels break on and adjacent to Kenai Refuge. Personnel: Several personnel changes occurred within the Alaska Region Fire Program in 2016. The Eastern Interior Refuges fire program filled two positions; a GS-11 FMO and a GS-09 Fire Management Specialist (AFMO). Region 7 NWRS and BLM Alaska Fire Service (AFS) continued to co-fund a Fire Planning Specialist position duty-stationed on Fort Wainwright at AFS Headquarters; the position fills a need for both agencies and provides a valuable link between the Service and AFS, which is responsible for providing fire protection on Service lands. Wildland Fire Management: Five hundred fifty-eight wildfires burned 500,095 acres statewide, well below the annual average of more than a million acres, with 124,309 acres burned on Refuge lands. The amount of lightning was similar as in FY2015, but this year that lightning was followed by rain. Eastern Interior Refuges recorded four fires and one false alarm for a total of 3,460 acres. Kenai NWR had 23 human-caused fires, with 2 of these being holdovers from the 2014 Funny River Fire and 13 holdovers from the 2015 Card Street Fire. Six human-caused fires were also reported as wildfires. Nine lightning caused fires on Yukon Delta NWR burned 12,811 acres. Northwest Alaska Refuges had notable acreage burned at 108,036 acres: just under 63,000 acres on the Koyukuk NWR; 44,426 acres on the Nowitna NWR; 398 acres on the Innoko NWR, and 26 acres on Selawik NWR; all were lightning-caused except for 21 acres attributed to human ignitions. Fuels Management: The Alaska Region successfully completed ten fuels treatments for 363 acres. Although seemingly small, the treatments allow for the effective management of landscape scale fires. Through cooperation with Federal, State, Tribal, and private landowner partners, risk to thousands of homes and businesses from wildfire is being mitigated. Nine of these acres were completed in the Eastern Interior Refuges zone, on land around Tetlin NWR headquarters on land purchased specifically for creation of a fuels break. Biomass from this project is being utilized by the local school district to fuel their biomass boiler. Nine fuels treatments occurred on and around the Kenai NWR totaling about 220 acres, including initiation of the multi-partner, multi-year Sterling CWPP fuels break. These treatments provided biomass to the public and for Refuge projects in the form of firewood and chips, respectively. Sixty-one vegetation monitoring plots were established in the Sterling fuels treatment area to document pre- and post-treatment conditions. Region 7, Alaska, continued…

Reducing wildfire risk at Tetlin NWR, Alaska. Tour of fuels treatment around refuge headquarters. Credit: USFWS

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Future fuels treatments will be implemented on all cooperator lands with the purchase of several new pieces of equipment. The Alaska fuels program, with support from the regional heavy equipment fund co-purchased a new Bobcat T770, Caterpillar D5 fire dozer, and a Fecon FTX400lgp masticator. These tools will further the regional fuels program and support interagency fuels reduction efforts. Training: Regional Office fire staff served as instructors or coaches for CAN290 (Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System Intermediate Fire Behavior) in Palmer, AK. Southern Alaska Refuges fire staff participated as instructors, facilitators, or course organizers for S-130, S-190, ICS-100 (online), S-212, RT-212, S-248, RT-130, and Water Handling Refresher(s). The FMO for the Eastern Interior Refuges attended Refuge Academy at the National Conservation Training Center. The Eastern Interior Refuges fire program coordinated with the local BLM field office to deliver non-fire chainsaw training. Southern Alaska Refuges fire staff attended the following training: FAPO, a Supervisory Skills Workshop, Prevention Workshop, Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act training, A-312, CAN290, and M-580. All FMOs, AFMOs, the RFMC, the Regional Fire Management Specialist, and the Line Officer Team member attended the FWS Strategic Fire Management Workshop in Fredericksburg. Two fire staff from Southern Alaska Refuges completed extended details; one for 28 days to the MN Fire Zone and one for 30 days at the Great Dismal Swamp NWR. Planning: Eleven fire management plans (FMPs) provide direction for managing wildland fire on the 61 million burnable FWS acres in Alaska. FMOs ensured that all FMP reviews were completed and that Preparedness Plans were updated. The Revised Kodiak NWR FMP received final signatures in January 2016. In 2016, Region 7 FWS and five other participating Federal and State agencies updated the Alaska Statewide Annual Operating Plan and revised the Alaska Interagency Wildland Fire Management Plan. WFDSS was populated with spatial FMU data for all lands in Alaska including each of the Refuges. Zone FMOs continue to work with Refuge staff and the Fire Planning Specialist to incorporate strategic direction from FMPs and Comprehensive Conservation Plans into the spatial FMUs. WFDSS decisions were published for six fires affecting FWS lands in Alaska this season. Fire Ecology: Fieldwork was completed for a vegetation and landbird monitoring project in a 10- year old burn on Kanuti NWR. The Regional Fire Ecologist planned a vegetation monitoring project for fuels treatments on Kenai NWR, trained Refuge staff and partners to collect data, and helped conduct pre-treatment surveys. She is a collaborator on a project that was funded by the Western Alaska Landscape Conservation Cooperative investigating fire, vegetation, and permafrost on the Yukon Delta NWR; fieldwork will begin summer 2017. Region 7, Alaska, continued…

At right, Sterling fuels treatment monitoring plot, pre-mastication. Credit: USFWS

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Communications/Outreach: Southern Alaska Refuges- In December, the FMO met with local author Taz Tally to hike the Marsh Lake Trail and provide Card Street Fuels Treatment Effectiveness Monitoring (FTEM) information for his book “50 Hikes on the Kenai Peninsula”. In February, the Kenai Refuge hosted the Interior Fire Executive Council, during which overviews and field visits of the Funny River Fire and Sterling CWPP fuel break project were presented. The 2014 Funny River Fire continues to attract local, regional, national, and international attention so fire ecology and Fuels Treatment Effectiveness presentations and site visits were conducted for Elmira College students in April, University of Alaska Natural Resource Management students in May, Delegates from Russia in June, Alaska Insights Teachers’ Training in June, and budget representatives from HQ in July. Also in June, a British Film company (Off the Fence) interviewed staff concerning the management and ecology of Funny River Fire (to be aired during the “Wild Anchorage” series in France). Information from the Funny River Burned Area Emergency Response work was presented to the local Kenai River Special Management Area committee meeting in April. Over 98% of the fires on the Kenai Refuge are human caused and fire prevention activities are critical to decreasing this risk. Visitor contacts are made in the campgrounds and high use areas most weekends during the summer. In addition, the Prevention Technician visited schools and staffed a booth during the Soldotna Home Show, Sterling Carnival Days, and Togiak NWR open house. Multiple agencies came together and presented a FIREWISE and Ready, Set, Go workshop and fuels project open house in Sterling in September. A joint press release announcing the Sterling Fuel Break was issued and picked up by multiple news outlets, including the Associated Press. Fire program staff authored 4 Refuge Notebook articles in the local Kenai Clarion newspaper. Links to these can be found at:

• http://peninsulaclarion.com/outdoors/2016-08-25/refuge-notebook-options-for-managing-wildfires-in-alaska

• http://peninsulaclarion.com/outdoors/2016-05-12/refuge-notebook-a-new-helper-for-smokey-bear-on-the-refuge

• http://peninsulaclarion.com/outdoors/2016-03-10/refuge-notebook-how-prior-fuel-treatments-helped-manage-the-2015-card-street

• https://www.fws.gov/uploadedFiles/Region_7/NWRS/Zone_2/Kenai/Sections/What_We_Do/In_The_Community/Refuge_Notebooks/2015_Articles/Refuge_Notebook_v17_n50.pdf

The Region participated in a fire career video called “Get Fired up about Fire Careers” produced by the Alaska Teen Media Institute. The video can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pf-xpxT7YLY. The Region also participated in a webinar hosted by the Alaska Fire Science Consortium titled “WFDSS Analyses: Getting Ready for the 2016 Season” and organized and hosted a webinar to introduce researchers from the NASA Arctic-Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE) to LANDFIRE staff in order to promote potential collaboration for the upcoming LANDFIRE re-map. The Regional Fire Ecologist gave a presentation to the Society of American Foresters Alaska Chapter meeting titled “Alaska Vegetation, Fire Behavior Fuel Models, and Spatial Fire Behavior Analyses: An Overview.”

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Region 7 – Alaska, continued… Interagency Cooperation: FMOs, Regional Office fire staff, and several Refuge Managers attended the Interagency Fall Fire Review and the annual spring Interagency Incident Management Team Meeting and Fire Management Officer meeting. Many also attended the Alaska Fire Science Consortium workshops associated with each meeting. Regional and Refuge fire staff continue to participate in several Alaska Wildland Fire Coordinating Group committees, providing representation on the Operations, Training, Fire Weather, Smoke Management, GIS, Fire Research Development and Application, Fire Modeling and Analysis, and Safety committees. The Regional Fire Ecologist led an interagency, interdisciplinary team tasked with revising the 2008 Fuel Model Guide to Alaska Vegetation, is a steering committee member for the Alaska Fire Science Consortium, is on the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee Wildfire Team, and is a steering committee member for the Northwest Boreal Landscape Conservation Cooperative. The Southern Alaska Refuges FMO represented the Refuge on the Interagency All Lands All Hands Committee, the Kenai Peninsula Fire Chiefs Association, and the Kenai Peninsula Borough’s Local Emergency Planning Committee. The Regional Fire Management Coordinator and the Fire Planner serve as geographic editors for the GACC. Staff participated in national committees: Operations, Coordinating Group Advisory Council, Successional Planning, FWS Unmanned Aviation Vehicle representative for wildland fire, the FWS Fire Ecologist Team, the FWS Fuels Team, and the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee Wildfire Team.

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Building the Sterling Fuels Break. Chips from the project were stockpiled for use in future trails projects on Kenai NWR, Alaska. Credit: USFWS

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REGION 8 - Pacific Southwest

General Overview: FY 2016 was another year of change, challenge, and success for the Region 8 fire program. Our fire staff accomplished an amazing amount of work with an excellent safety record. Winter rain and snowpack moderated extreme drought conditions across northern California and Nevada, but southern California and Nevada received little relief from the prolonged 5-year drought. Extremely dry dead and live fuel moistures persisted across the valleys, foothills and higher elevation forest zones. An estimated 61 million trees have died in California over the past four years, with the highest concentrations in the southern Sierra Nevada Range and Coast Range south of Monterey Bay. Fire risk remained high across refuges in the San Joaquin Valley, the coastal mountains of Ventura County, and San Diego County.

Personnel: The Klamath Basin and North Central Valley Zones experienced key vacancies this season. To augment staffing and capabilities in these two zones, FMOs collaborated with adjoining Federal wildland fire programs. At Klamath Basin Zone, an MOU was established with Lava Beds National Monument (NPS) to jointly staff one engine and share duty officer coverage. At the North Central Valley Zone the FMO initiated an interagency agreement with the Mendocino National Forest to provide staffing and shared duty officer coverage. Staffing was largely unchanged in the Region’s other three zones. The acting Regional Fire Management Coordinator (RFMC) accepted a position with BLM in the summer, and a new RFMC was hired this fall. Region 8 – Pacific Southwest, continued…

Prescribed burn at San Joaquin River NWR in California. Credit: USFWS

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Wildland Fire Management: The Region, particularly northern California, had a relatively slow year for wildfires. The Region had 33 wildfires for 210 acres on refuge lands in FY16. Effective initial attack prevented most starts from growing into large wildfires. Strategically placed fuel reduction treatments and use of additional severity-funded patrols were critical in preventing rapid spread of fire starts in the Central Valley despite having record dry conditions. Fire personnel supported interagency wildfire suppression needs throughout Nevada and Southern California, with the majority of fire-qualified personnel on overhead or engine assignments. Ten Regional Office personnel were committed to interagency incident management teams on pre-identified rosters or as priority trainees. A number of Service engines and individual overhead completed multiple assignments to the Soberanes Fire on the Los Padres National Forest, which required nearly 100 days to contain and was the most expensive wildfire to suppress in United States history, to date. Several other large wildfires occurred in Kern and Los Angeles Counties and were supported by Service staff and engines.

Soberanes Fire. A Region 8 engine crew was sent to this large wildfire in response to an interagency request. Credit: USFWS

New Type 3 engine at San Diego NWR in southern California. Credit: USFWS

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Region 8 – Pacific Southwest, continued… Fuels Management: In general, most prescribed burning in the Region occurred in upland fuels adjacent to wetland habitats. However, treatments were also implemented in other habitats such as riparian woodlands along the Sacramento River, ponderosa pine and mixed conifer forests on Bear Valley Refuge, and farmed lands at the Lower Klamath and Tule Lake Refuges. In most areas of the Region, drought and air quality restrictions affected prescribed fire implementation. The Region was able to meet 94% of the fuels management target, accomplishing 12,569 acres with 81 individual treatments. In most zones, collateral-duty firefighters and cooperators were essential to successfully complete prescribed fires. Mechanical fuel reduction projects included fuel breaks and disc lines on San Diego and Hopper Mountain NWRCs. These fuel breaks are extremely important for both keeping fire out of private lands that are adjacent to the refuges, as well as protecting designated critical habitat for the coastal California gnatcatcher and California condor. The Region completed 5,251 acres of non-WUI and 7,318 acres of WUI treatments.

Training: Across the Region, 37 individuals attended training classes hosted by either California or Great Basin training centers. There are currently 160 red-carded employees in the Region, including non-fire personnel. Six employees participated in the California priority trainee program and received assignments to wildfires. Several Southern California Zone staff participated as instructors for the Southwestern College Wildland Fire Academy. Other zones hosted annual fireline refresher training, S-130/190, and chainsaw and ATV training.

Air Support. At left: Relocating a Remote Automated Weather Station (RAWS) at Desert NWR in Nevada helps reduce maintenance costs. At right: Water drops help suppress a wildfire at San Joaquin River NWR in California. Credits: USFWS

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Region 8 – Pacific Southwest, continued… Communications and Outreach: The Region 8 Fire Management webpage was updated and a Twitter account was established and used to notify followers of wildfire risk, wildfire incidents and prescribed burns across the Region. Regional Office staff participated in California Wildland Fire Coordinating Group state-wide news briefings to kick off the fire season and to inform the public on the impacts of drones to wildfire operations. Zone fire staff attended several prevention events and parades with local and interagency partners, including events at local elementary schools.

Planning: The Klamath Basin NWRC, Modoc NWR, and Ruby Lake NWR fire management plans (FMPs) were amended to address DOI Secretarial Order #3336 for protection of sage-grouse habitat. In Nevada Zone a spatial FMP workshop was held to begin planning efforts. The Sacramento NWRC FMP was completed and signed in March 2016. The San Diego NWRC FMP final draft has been completed and is undergoing review. At Klamath Basin NWRC, Zone and Regional Office fire staff provided input on the draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and helped respond to fire-related comments. A spatial FMP workshop was held at the Complex and a draft FMP is undergoing final edits prior to distribution for internal reviews. All-Hazard Operations: The Region did not experience an all-hazard incident this year. Refuge and Ecological Services personnel continue to participate in interagency drills for oil spills and earthquake response. ###

Above: Building Wetline: Firefighter uses hose to create fire break at San Luis NWR in California. Credit: USFWS

At left: Heavy mop-up. Two human-caused wildfires at San Joaquin River NWR were quickly contained, but took many hours to completely extinguish. Credit: USFWS

Below: Pile burning during the winter at Bear Valley NWR in Oregon provides a safe means for removing previously thinned vegetation. Credit: USFWS

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National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) Fire Management Program Contacts – October 2016

Fire Management Branch Chief Chris Wilcox 208/387-5599 Chris_Wilcox@fws.gov Deputy Chief (Management) Robert Eaton 703/358-1834 Robert_Eaton@fws.gov Deputy Chief (Operations) Shane McDonald 208/387-5583 Shane_McDonald@fws.gov Budget Officer Gillian Fay 208/387-5536 Gillian_Fay@fws.gov Budget Analyst (shared NWRS) Sara Randolph 703/358-2129 Sara_Randolph@fws.gov

Preparedness Coordinator Kevin Conn 208/387-5505 Kevin_Conn@fws.gov Fuels Management Specialist Kim Van Hemelryck 208/387-5957 Kim_VanHemelryck@fws.gov Emergency Stabilization and Rehabilitation Coordinator Lou Ballard 208/387-5584 Lou_Ballard@fws.gov Communication Coordinator Karen Miranda Gleason 208/387-5891 Karen_Miranda@fws.gov Fire Safety Specialist Ted Mason 208/387-5831 Theodore_Mason@fws.gov

Fire Planner (shared with NPS) Becky Brooks 208/387-5345 Becky_Brooks@fws.gov Geospatial Specialist Cameron Tongier 208/387-5712 Cameron_Tongier@fws.gov Training Specialist Russ Babiak 208/387-5896 Russ_Babiak@fws.gov Administrative Officer Reah Reedy 208/387-5736 Reah_Reedy@fws.gov Office Assistant Curt Tjomsland 208/387-5595 Robert_Tjomsland@fws.gov

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

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Fire Management Program Contacts – October 2016, continued

Regional Fire Management Coordinators Region 1– Pacific Brett Fay 503/872-2756 Brett_Fay@fws.gov Region 2 – Southwest Loren DeRosear 505/248-6848 Loren_DeRosear@fws.gov Region 3 – Midwest Jason Riggins 612/713-5366 Jason_Riggins@fws.gov Region 4– Southeast Vince Carver 404/679-7225 Vince_Carver@fws.gov

Region 5 – Northeast Art Canterbury 413/253-8589 Art_Canterbury@fws.gov Region 6 – Mountain-Prairie Mike Haydon 303/236-8125 Michael_Haydon@fws.gov Region 7 – Alaska Doug Alexander 907/786-3497 Doug_Alexander@fws.gov Region 8 – Pacific Southwest Lee Rickard 916/978-6181 Lee_Rickard@fws.gov

www.fws.gov/fire

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In Memoriam

1965 - 2016

Shane Del Grosso

Region 6 Fire Management Operations Specialist

Huron, South Dakota