Appendix_D_PartII_MasticatedFuelPhotoGuide.pdf

PHOTO GUIDE FOR APPRAISING DOWNED WOODY

MASTICATED FUELS IN INTERIOR PONDEROSA PINE

FORESTS ON THE COLORADO FRONT RANGE

PART ONE OF A FOUR-PART SERIES ON INTERIOR PONDEROSA PINE,

GAMBEL OAK, MIXED CONIFER AND LODGEPOLE PINE COVER TYPES

THIS PHOTO GUIDE IS BEING DEVELOPED BY FOREST STEWARDSHIP CONCEPTS, LTD., OF MONTE VISTA, COLORADO, AND IS FUNDED BY THE COLORADO STATE FOREST SERVICE IN COOPERATION WITH THE

COLORADO FOREST RESTORATION INSTITUTE AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

This photo series on downed woody masticated fuels in interior ponderosa pine is the first in a four-part series.

The following photo series is being developed and will be available as treatment occurs:

SERIES 1 – Masticated Interior Ponderosa Pine Stands, SAF Cover Type 237

SERIES 2 – Masticated Gambel Oak Stands, Society of Range Management Code SRM 109

SERIES 3 – Masticated Mixed Conifer Stands (Douglas-fir/ponderosa pine), SAF Cover Types 237 and 210

SERIES 4 – Masticated Lodgepole Pine Stands, SAF Cover Type 218

PUBLICATIONS CITED—MASTICATED INTERIOR PONDEROSA PINE

Andrews, Patricia L., Collin D. Bevins, Robert C. Seli. 2005. BehavePlus fire modeling system Version 3.0.1 Users Guide. USDA Forest Service. General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-106WWW. Rocky Mountain Research Station.

Brown, James K. 1974. Handbook for inventorying downed woody material. USDA Forest Service. General Technical Report INT-79.

Intermountain Forest and Range Experimental Station, Ogden, Utah.

Hornby, L.G. 1936. Fire control planning in the northern Rocky Mountain region. USDA Forest Service. Program Report 1, Northern Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experimental Station. Missoula, Montana.

Society of American Foresters (SAF). 1954. Forest cover types of North America. Society of American Foresters, Washington D.C.

Carlton, Donald. Fuels Management Analyst Suite FMAPlus users’ guide. 2005. Fire Program Solutions & Acacia Services. Sandy, Oregon.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES OF INTEREST

Webb, J.B. 2006. Kennedy Gulch Prescribed Burn Fuel Modeling and Smoke Management. Colorado Forest Restoration Institute & Colorado State Forest Service. Fort Collins, Colorado.

INTRODUCTION

This photo guide contains information that can be used to appraise the dead woody debris found on the forest floor after mastication treatment. The photos, which were taken from early to mid-summer 2006, concentrate on forested stands along the Front Range of Colorado, but are applicable across a much wider zone in the Central Rockies. Interior ponderosa pine is the only cover type completed to date. Plots in this series that have not yet been treated are scheduled for treatment in 2007-2008, and post-treatment conditions will be inventoried. Gambel oak, mixed conifer and lodgepole pine cover types also will be included in the guide as the sites are treated. Treatment in these forest types will occur sometime during the spring or winter of 2007.

The guide will facilitate estimation of dead woody fuel-loading following mastication treatments under a wide variety of vegetative conditions.

Knowledge of fuel-bed loading by size class and fuel-bed depth allows one to determine expected fire behavior and smoke production. Stand conditions such as pre- and post-treatment basal area and stems per acre provide insight into woody fuel production and eventual aesthetic outcomes.

The photos provide a relatively quick and inexpensive means to determine fuel-loading across a forested landscape. This photo guide will provide better accuracy than the stylized fuel models used in the National Fire Danger Rating System or BehavePlus system, but less accuracy than an intensive standard fuel inventory.

Perhaps the most useful feature of this series is the fire potential rating of each photo.

METHODOLOGY

Photo points were chosen to represent a wide variety of forest stand conditions and fuel-loading. Four dead/down woody fuel inventory transects were run at each photo point to capture the variety of fuel-loading shown in the photo. James Brown’s 1974 Handbook for Inventorying Downed Woody Material describes the inventory technique used.

The fuel treatment triangle sign was always located 30 feet from the camera. Digital photos were taken with two different cameras and the best photo was selected for each plot. Other site-specific information was collected to complete the “Data Sheet” for each photo.

Two approaches were taken to determine pre- and post-treatment stand data. All but a few of the ponderosa stands already had been treated when this project started. In treated stands, all the stumps in a 1/100-acre plot were measured so that pretreatment stand basal area and stems per acre could be reconstructed. In stands that had not been treated, basal area was measured with a ten-factor prism and stand stocking was derived using basal area factors by size class.

Raw fuel inventory metrics were processed using the DDWoodyPC® program from Fuels Management Analyst Plus® (FMAPlus). Consolidated fuel loading by size class information for each plot was then entered into the BehavePlus3.0.1 fire modeling system to determine fire behavior potential for the site. The D2L1 fuel moisture scenario in BehavePlus was used to describe relatively hot fire conditions. It has low dead fuel moistures of 6, 7 and 8 percent for 1-, 10- and 100-hour fuels. A seven mile per hour mid-flame wind speed is a constant in all runs.

Fire behavior potential is described in both empirical and adjective ratings. Rate of spread in chains/hour and flame length in feet were derived directly from BehavePlus runs. Torching, crowning, resistance to control and overall fire potential are expressions of expected fire behavior.

This approach of estimating fire potential is not without precedent. In many ways, it is a refinement of the time-tested concept of fuel rating introduced more than 40 years ago by L.G. Hornby (1936).

The adjective ratings nil, low, moderate, high and extreme are defined as follows for each of the different expressions of fire behavior.

TORCHING:

Nil – no chance of torching Low – occasional tree may torch Moderate – pole-sized understory trees likely to torch-out High – most understory and occasional overstory trees likely to torch-out Extreme – entire stand likely to torch out

CROWNING:

Nil – sustained spread in crowns will not occur Low – sustained spread in crowns unlikely Moderate - some crowning likely, but will not be continuous High – sustained crowning likely Extreme – sustained crowning will occur

RESISTANCE TO CONTROL:

Nil – no physical impediments to line building and holding Low – occasional tough spots but not enough to cause serious line building and holding problems Moderate – hand-line construction will be difficult and slow, but dozers can operate without serious problems High – slow work for dozers, very difficult for hand crews; hand-line holding will be difficult Extreme – neither dozers nor hand crews can effectively build and hold line

OVERALL:

Nil – fire will not sustain itself Low – fire can be easily controlled by several smokechasers with hand tools Moderate – aggressive crew-sized (6-10 persons) initial attack required for successful control High – aggressive crew-sized (25 persons) initial attack with substantial reinforcement required for successful control; 10-percent chance that initial control action will fail Extreme – 90 percent chance that initial control action will fail

PONDEROSA 1 DATA SHEET

Stand Number: Lower North Fork 11 Forest Cover Type: SAF No. 237 Interior Ponderosa Pine

DOWN & DEAD WOODY

FUEL LOADINGS

OTHER FUEL DATA:

Average Duff Depth: 1.31 inches Fuel Bed Depth: 0.21 feet

STAND DATA

SITE DATA:

Average Slope: 30 percent Aspect: East Elevation: 6,870 feet Latitude & Longitude: N39.43301/W105.21227 Remarks: Denver Water Lower North Fork Area Mastication Method: Timbco with Fecon head Treatment Year/Contractor: 2006, West Range Reclamation, Crawford, CO

Note: No tally trees in the 1/100th acre post-treatment plot

SIZE CLASS WEIGHT

(INCHES) T/AC

0-0.25 0.04 0.25-1 0.74 1-3 1.71 Subtotal 0-3 2.50 3+ 3.62 Needles 0.68 Total 6.80

FIRE BEHAVIOR POTENTIAL RATING

Rate of Spread: chains/hour 3.6 Flame Length: feet 2.1 Torching Low Crowning Low Resistance to Control Low Overall Fire Potential Low

STEM

SIZE

PRE-

TREAT

BASAL

AREA

PRE

TREAT

STEMS

POST

TREAT

BASAL

POST

TREAT

AREA STEMS

0-2” 3-4” 5-6” 7-8” 9-10” 11-12” > 13” 40 21

Total Not measured 40 21

PONDEROSA 2 DATA SHEET

Stand Number: Lower North Fork 5

Average Duff Depth: 0.34 inches Fuel Bed Depth: 0.18 feet

Average Slope: 10 percent Aspect: East Elevation: 7,000 feet Latitude & Longitude: N39.43655/W105.21503 Remarks: Denver Water Lower North Fork Area Light loading plot Mastication Method: Timbco with Fecon head Treatment Year/Contractor: 2006, West Range Reclamation, Crawford, CO

SIZE CLASS

(INCHES)

WEIGHT

T/AC

0-0.25 1.30 0.25-1 3.03 1-3 0.38 Subtotal 0-3 4.72 3+ 2.42 Needles 1.27 Total 8.41

FIRE BEHAVIOR POTENTIAL RATING

Rate of Spread: chains/hour 1.8 Flame Length: feet 1.2 Torching Low Crowning Low

PRE-

TREAT

BASAL

AREA

PRE

TREAT

STEMS

POST

TREAT

BASAL

POST

TREAT

AREA STEMS

0-2” 1 100 0 0 3-4” 7 100 0 0 5-6” 31 100 0 0 7-8” 26 100 0 0 9-10” 11-12” 20 25 20 25 > 13” 20 16 20 16

Total 105 441 40 41

PONDEROSA 3 DATA SHEET

Stand Number: Lower North Fork 13

Average Duff Depth: 0.95 inches Fuel Bed Depth: 0.35 feet

SITE DATA: STAND DATA

Average Slope: 20 percent Aspect: North Elevation: 7,110 feet Latitude & Longitude: N39.43582/W105.21770 Remarks: Denver Water Lower North Fork Area Mastication Method: Hydro-Ax with rotary ax mower Treatment Year/Contractor: 2005, Rue Logging, South Fork, CO

SIZE CLASS

(INCHES)

WEIGHT

T/AC

0-0.25 0.27 0.25-1 1.86 1-3 1.58 Subtotal 0-3 3.71 3+ 4.94 Needles 0.83 Total 9.48

FIRE BEHAVIOR POTENTIAL RATING

Rate of Spread: chains/hour 3.9 Flame Length: feet 2.0 Torching Low Crowning Low

Overall Fire Potential Moderate

PRE-

TREAT

BASAL

AREA

PRE

TREAT

STEMS

POST

TREAT

BASAL

POST

TREAT

AREA STEMS

0-2” 2 100 0 0 3-4” 5 100 0 0 5-6” 20 100 0 0 7-8” 35 100 0 0 9-10” 20 45 20 45 11-12” > 13” 40 54 40 54

Total 122 499 60 99

PONDEROSA 4 DATA SHEET

Stand Number: Lower North Fork 6

Average Duff Depth: 1.14 inches Fuel Bed Depth: 0.87 feet

Aspect: South Elevation: 7,050 feet

Latitude & Longitude: N39.43920/W105.2176 Remarks: Denver Water Lower North Fork Area

Pretreatment Plot in Mastication Unit 4

LOOKING UPHILL BEFORE TREATMENT

LOOKING DOWNHILL BEFORE TREATMENT

(INCHES) T/AC

0-0.25 0.08 0.25-1 0.15 1-3 0.00 Subtotal 0-3 0.24 3+ 9.51 Needles 0.19 Total 9.94

FIRE BEHAVIOR POTENTIAL RATING

Rate of Spread: chains/hour 0.9 Flame Length: feet 0.2 Torching High Crowning High Resistance to Control Moderate Overall Fire Potential High

PRE-

TREAT

BASAL

AREA

PRE-

TREAT

STEMS

POST

TREAT

BASAL

POST

TREAT

AREA STEMS

0-2” 3-4” 5-6” 20 102 7-8” 9-10” 40 90 11-12” 20 30 > 13” 40 41

Total 120 263

PONDEROSA 5 DATA SHEET

Stand Number: Lower North Fork 8

Average Duff Depth: 0.75 inches Fuel Bed Depth: 1.60 feet

Average Slope: 10 percent Aspect: Southwest Elevation: 7,300 feet Latitude & Longitude: N39.45488/W105.20889 Remarks: Denver Water Lower North Fork Area Pretreatment Plot in Mastication Unit 14 Ponderosa and Gambel oak understory

Note: Many small trees did not tally with a 10-factor basal area prism

(INCHES)

WEIGHT

T/AC

0-0.25 0.05 0.25-1 0.07 1-3 3.37 Subtotal 0-3 3.49 3+ 4.39 Needles 3.57 Total 11.45

FIRE BEHAVIOR POTENTIAL RATING

Rate of Spread: chains/hour 43.7 Flame Length: feet 7.0 Torching High Crowning High Resistance to Control High

PRETREATMENT

PRE-

TREAT

BASAL

AREA

PRE

TREAT

STEMS

POST

TREAT

BASAL

POST

TREAT

AREA STEMS

0-2” 3-4” 5-6” 7-8” 9-10” 11-12” > 13” 60 27

Total 60 27

PONDEROSA 6 DATA SHEET

Stand Number: Lower North Fork 3

Average Duff Depth: 1.29 inches Fuel Bed Depth: 0.22 feet

SITE DATA: STAND DATA

Average Slope: 25 percent Aspect: Northeast Elevation: 7,080 feet Latitude & Longitude: N39.43596/W105.21655 Remarks: Denver Water Lower North Fork Area Mastication Method: Hydro-Ax with rotary ax mower (cover photo area)

WEIGHT

T/AC

0-0.25 0.72 0.25-1 5.76 1-3 3.54 Subtotal 0-3 10.02 3+ 1.92 Needles 2.53 Total 14.46

FIRE BEHAVIOR POTENTIAL RATING

Rate of Spread: chains/hour 0.8 Flame Length: feet 0.8 Torching Low Crowning Low

PRE-

TREAT

BASAL

PRE

TREAT

POST

TREAT

BASAL

POST

TREAT

# SIZE

AREA STEMS AREA STEMS

0-2” 3 200 0 0 3-4” 20 300 0 0 5-6” 33 200 0 0 7-8” 9-10” 56 100 0 0 11-12” > 13” 20 20 20 20

Total 132 820 20 20

PONDEROSA 7 DATA SHEET

Stand Number: Trumbull 1

Average Duff Depth: 0.44 inches Fuel Bed Depth: 0.39 feet

Average Slope: 10 percent Aspect: North Elevation: 6,680 feet Latitude & Longitude: N39.25341/W105.21240 Remarks: USDA Forest Service, Pike National Forest east of Trumbull Mastication Method: Rough grind & firewood sale Treatment Year/Contractor: 2002, Forest Rehab Vegetation Management, Libby, MT

0-0.25 0.18 0.25-1 0.92 1-3 1.24 Subtotal 0-3 2.34 3+ 11.77 Needles 0.72 Total 14.82

FIRE BEHAVIOR POTENTIAL RATING

Rate of Spread: chains/hour 3.0 Flame Length: feet 1.3 Torching Low Crowning Low

PRE-

TREAT

BASAL

AREA

PRE

TREAT

STEMS

POST

TREAT

BASAL

POST

TREAT

AREA STEMS

0-2” 5 400 0 0 3-4” 54 800 0 0 5-6” 116 700 0 0 7-8” 31 100 0 0 9-10” 11-12” > 13” 60 56 60 56

Total 266 2,056 60 56

PONDEROSA 8 DATA SHEET

Stand Number: Trumbull 2

Average Duff Depth: 0.50 inches Fuel Bed Depth: 0.26 feet

Average Slope: 35 percent Aspect: West Elevation: 6,490 feet Latitude & Longitude: N39.25840/W105.21568 Remarks: Denver Water east of Trumbull Mastication Method: Hydro-Ax with rotary ax mower Treatment Year/Contractor: 2003, Enviro Land Management, Grand Junction, CO

WEIGHT

T/AC

0-0.25 0.40 0.25-1 3.99 1-3 4.78 Subtotal 0-3 9.17 3+ 3.77 Needles 2.82 Total 15.76

FIRE BEHAVIOR POTENTIAL RATING

Rate of Spread: chains/hour 1.6 Flame Length: feet 1.5 Torching Low Crowning Low

PRE-

TREAT

BASAL

AREA

PRE

TREAT

STEMS

POST

TREAT

BASAL

POST

TREAT

AREA STEMS

0-2” 3 200 0 0 3-4” 14 200 0 0 5-6” 17 100 0 0 7-8” 9-10” 11-12” > 13” 40 60 40 60

Total 74 560 40 60

PONDEROSA 9 DATA SHEET

Stand Number: Lower North Fork 7

Average Duff Depth: 1.28 inches Fuel Bed Depth: 1.15 feet

Average Slope: 15 percent Aspect: North Elevation: 7,410 feet Latitude & Longitude: N39.444967/W105.20060 Remarks: Denver Water Lower North Fork Area Pretreatment Plot in Mastication Unit 13 with abundant common Juniper

WEIGHT

T/AC

0-0.25 0.12 0.25-1 1.89 1-3 1.26 Subtotal 0-3 3.27 3+ 10.20 Needles 2.55 Total 16.01

FIRE BEHAVIOR POTENTIAL RATING

Rate of Spread: chains/hour 16.2 Flame Length: feet 3.9 Torching High Crowning High Resistance to Control High

PRETREATMENT

PRE-

TREAT

BASAL

AREA

PRE

TREAT

STEMS

POST

TREAT

BASAL

POST

TREAT

AREA STEMS

0-2” 3-4” 5-6” 20 102 7-8” 9-10” 40 90 11-12” 20 30 > 13” 40 41

Total 120 263

PONDEROSA 10 DATA SHEET

Stand Number: Lower North Fork 14

Average Duff Depth: 1.25 inches Fuel Bed Depth: 0.33 feet

Aspect: East Elevation: 7,030 feet Latitude & Longitude: N39.43657/W105.21867 Remarks: Denver Water Lower North Fork Area

WEIGHT

T/AC

0-0.25 1.27 0.25-1 7.01 1-3 0.79 Subtotal 0-3 9.07 3+ 3.78 Needles 2.04 Total 17.36

FIRE BEHAVIOR POTENTIAL RATING

Rate of Spread: chains/hour 3.4 Flame Length: feet 2.5 Torching Low Crowning Low

PRE-

TREAT

BASAL

AREA

PRE

TREAT

STEMS

POST

TREAT

BASAL

AREA

POST

TREAT

STEMS

0-2” 1 200 0 0 3-4” 34 500 0 0 5-6” 83 500 0 0 7-8” 9-10” 20 37 20 37 11-12” > 13” 20 11 20 11

Total 158 1,248 40 48

PONDEROSA 11 DATA SHEET

Stand Number: Lower North Fork 15

Average Duff Depth: 1.25 inches Fuel Bed Depth: 0.33 feet

Average Slope: 25 percent Aspect: North Elevation: 6,770 feet Latitude & Longitude: N39.43678/W105.22256 Remarks: Denver Water Lower North Fork Area

**Note: Many large Douglas-fir taken

SIZE CLASS

(INCHES)

WEIGHT

T/AC

0-0.25 0.76 0.25-1 1.97 1-3 7.18 Subtotal 0-3 9.91 3+ 9.17 Needles 0.74 Total 19.82

FIRE BEHAVIOR POTENTIAL RATING

Rate of Spread: chains/hour 3.4 Flame Length: feet 2.5 Torching Low Crowning Low

PRE-

TREAT

BASAL

AREA

PRE

TREAT

STEMS

POST

TREAT

BASAL

AREA

POST

TREAT

STEMS

0-2” 3-4” 9 100 0 0 5-6” 20 100 0 0 7-8” 9-10” 55 100 0 0 11-12” > 13” 92 100 0 0

Total 176 400 0 0**

PONDEROSA 12 DATA SHEET

Stand Number: Lower North Fork 4

Average duff Depth: 0.94 inches Fuel Bed Depth: 0.26 feet

Average Slope: 25 percent Aspect: East Elevation: 7,020 Latitude & Longitude: N3943622/W10521532 Remarks: Denver Water Lower North Fork Area Douglas-fir & ponderosa pine Mastication Method: Timbco with Fecon head Treatment Year/Contractor: 2006, West Range Reclamation, Crawford, CO

COVER PHOTO AREA

0-0.25 2.39 0.25-1 8.78 1-3 5.50 Subtotal 0-3 16.67 3+ 1.15 Needles 5.36 Total 23.18

FIRE BEHAVIOR POTENTIAL RATING

Rate of Spread: chains/hour 0.2 Flame Length: feet 0.3 Torching Low Crowning Low

PRE-

TREAT

BASAL

AREA

PRE

TREAT

STEMS

POST

TREAT

BASAL

AREA

POST

TREAT

STEMS

0-2” 1 100 0 0 3-4” 7 100 0 0 5-6” 17 100 0 0 7-8” 92 300 0 0 9-10” 49 200 0 0 11-12” > 13” 20 20 20 20

Total 252 920 20 20

PONDEROSA 13 DATA SHEET

Stand Number: Lower North Fork 9

Average Duff Depth: 1.13 inches Fuel Bed Depth: 0.31 feet

Average Slope: 30 percent Aspect: Northwest Elevation: 6,600 feet Latitude & Longitude: N39.43000/W105.19762 Remarks: Denver Water Lower North Fork Area Mastication Method: Timbco with Fecon head Treatment Year/Contractor: 2006, West Range Reclamation, Crawford, CO

WEIGHT

T/AC

0-0.25 3.15 0.25-1 6.36 1-3 8.21 Subtotal 0-3 17.72 3+ 4.68 Needles 4.27 Total 26.66

FIRE BEHAVIOR POTENTIAL RATING

Rate of Spread: chains/hour 0.4 Flame Length: feet 0.4 Torching Low Crowning Low

PRE-

TREAT

BASAL

AREA

PRE

TREAT

STEMS

POST

TREAT

BASAL

AREA

POST

TREAT

STEMS

0-2” 3-4” 5-6” 27 200 0 0 7-8” 35 100 0 0 9-10” 20 40 20 40 11-12” 20 30 20 30 > 13” 40 51 0 0

Total 142 421 40 70

PONDEROSA 14 DATA SHEET

Stand Number: Lower North Fork 12

Average Duff Depth: 1.31 inches Fuel Bed Depth: 0.21 feet

Aspect: Northeast Elevation: 6,870 feet Latitude & Longitude: N39.43450/W105.21764 Remarks: Denver Water Lower North Fork Area

WEIGHT

T/AC

0-0.25 2.33 0.25-1 18.27 1-3 17.11 Subtotal 0-3 37.71 3+ 2.37 Needles 9.51 Total 49.58

FIRE BEHAVIOR POTENTIAL RATING

Rate of Spread: chains/hour 0.4 Flame Length: feet 1.8 Torching Low Crowning Low

PRE-

TREAT

BASAL

AREA

PRE

TREAT

STEMS

POST

TREAT

BASAL

AREA

POST

TREAT

STEMS

0-2” 2 100 0 0 3-4” 5 100 0 0 5-6” 7-8” 9-10” 44 100 0 0 11-12” 66 100 0 0 > 13” 20 11 20 11

Total 137 411 20 11

PONDEROSA 15 DATA SHEET

Stand Number: Lower North Fork 10

Average Duff Depth: 1.41 inches Fuel Bed Depth: 0.34 feet

Average Slope: 15 percent Aspect: East Elevation: 6,800 feet Latitude & Longitude: N39.43081/W105.21275 Remarks: Denver Water Lower North Fork Area

WEIGHT

T/AC

0-0.25 3.33 0.25-1 12.25 1-3 4.98 Subtotal 0-3 20.56 3+ 33.40 Needles 5.60 Total 59.65

FIRE BEHAVIOR POTENTIAL RATING

Rate of Spread: chains/hour 0.3 Flame Length: feet 0.3 Torching Low Crowning Low

PRE-

TREAT

BASAL

AREA

PRE

TREAT

STEMS

POST

TREAT

BASAL

AREA

POST

TREAT

STEMS

0-2” 3 200 3-4” 20 300 5-6” 33 200 7-8” 31 100 9-10” 11-12” 14 100 > 13” 160 116 20 16

Total 260 1,116 20 16