Tab M 45SW Final Wildland Fire Management Plan_formatted.pdf

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

45th SPACE WING

“Control of the Battlefield Begins Here”

WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT PLAN

22 August 2007

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

45th SPACE WING WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT PLAN Table of Contents

1.0 INTRODUCTION

2.0 Goals and Objectives

3.0 Description of 45 Space Wing Wildlands

3.1 Cape Canaveral Air Force Station:

3.1.1 Wildland Classifications

3.1.2 Vegetation

3.2 Patrick Air Force Base

3.2.1 Wildland Classifications

3.2.2 Vegetation

3.3 Malabar Transmitter Annex:

3.3.1 Ecosystem Classification

3.3.2 Vegetation

3.4 Jonathan Dickinson Missile Tracking Annex:

3.4.1 Wildland Classification

3.4.2 Vegetation

4.0 Wildland Fire History

5.0 Wildland Fuel Factors

5.1 Cape Canaveral Air Force Station

5.2 Patrick Air Force Base

5.3 Malabar Tracking Annex

5.4 Jonathan Dickinson Missile Tracking Annex

6.0 Organizational Structure

6.1 Cape Canaveral Air Force Station

6.1.1 Wildland fire- lightning/accidental ignition

6.1.2 Wildland fire - launch blast ignition

6.1.3 Wildland Fire - Prescribed fire – Environmental Support Contractor ...

6.1.4 Wildland Fire – Prescribed fire - USFWS/MINWR

6.2 Patrick Air Force Base

6.2.1 Wildland fire – lightning/accidental ignition

6.3 Malabar Tracking Annex

6.3.1 Wildland fire – lightning/accidental ignition

6.3.2 Prescribed fire – City of Palm Bay/Florida Division of Forestry

7.0 Mission Impact Considerations

7.1 Critical Facilities

8.0 Safety and Emergency Operations

8.1 Personnel Safety Equipment

9.0 Smoke Management and Air Quality

9.1 Avoidance

9.2 Dilution and Dispersion

9.3 Emission Reduction

9.4 Factors Affecting Smoke Management

10.0 Natural and Cultural Resources Considerations Checklist

11.0 Monitoring Requirements

11.1 Wildland Fire: Pre-Burn

11.2 Wildland Fire: Post-Burn

11.3 Prescribed fire: Pre-Burn

11.3.1 Weather Forecast Process

11.4 Prescribed fire: Post - Burn

12.0 Public Relations

13.0 Funding Requirements

14.0 Interagency Cooperation and Mutual Aid Agreements

15.0 Personnel Training and Certification Standards and Records

16.0 Environmental Impact Analysis Process for WFMP Implementation

Appendix I Acronyms

Appendix II Attachments II-1 CCAFS 1997 Fuel Load Map II-2 Cape Land Management Unit Status II-3 Cape Future Burn Work Status II-4 Cape Burn Vegetation II-5 Prescribed Burn Process Flowchart II-6 45 CES Prescribed Burn Coordinator Checklist II-7 Natural and Cultural Resource Checklist for Prescribed Fire Activities II-8 Burn Supervisors Burn Prescription Process II-9 Sample Prescribed Fire Plan II-10 SGS Duty Office Instruction (DO-I-16) Controlled Burn Notification

Procedure II-11 SGS Controlled Burn Notification Checklist II-12 MTA Prescribed Burn Compartments (DoF)

Appendix III Distribution List

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Wildland fires are defined as fires that occur in natural, undeveloped land as either a naturally ignited wildfire, an inadvertently ignited wildfire or an intentionally ignited prescribed or controlled burn. Numerous federal programs, policies, guidance documents and working groups have been established to ensure the adequate management of wildland fires on federal lands. Further, the Air Force has adopted and incorporated these standards into its wildland fire management program as described in AFI 32-7064, Integrated Natural Resource Management, Chapter 12, Wildland Fire Management. The AFI directs installations with unimproved lands that present a wildfire hazard, and installations which utilize prescribed burning as a land management tool, to develop and implement a Wildland Fire Management Plan (WFMP).

Since the majority of 45 Space Wing (45 SW) lands are located in central Florida, which is believed to be the lightning strike capital of the world, the potential for a lightning ignited wildfire is significant. In addition, the 45 CES/CEVP conducts prescribed burns on CCAFS for habitat enhancement and fuel load reduction. At the Malabar Transmitter Annex (MTA), the City of Palm Bay Fire Department and the Florida Division of Forestry recently (2005) conducted a prescribed burn of 100 acres to reduce the fuel load danger to adjacent residential areas. Additional prescribed burns are planned for MTA. 45 SW WFMP is required to describe/document prescribed burn activities and establish procedures for responding to wildfire situations in a manner that fulfills the goals of the

WFMP.

The purpose of the 45 SW WFMP is to establish a level of fire management that reduces threat to 45 SW personnel, assets, forests and other related at-risk wildland resources (wildlife), while supporting the 45 SW mission and promoting natural resource management through the use of prescribed fire. The 45 SW wildland fire management program will support the mission of the 45 SW in the following ways:

Reduce the wildlands fuel load

Minimize the potential for a catastrophic wildfire

Identify critical facilities requiring fire/smoke protection

Re-introduce the natural fire regime

Enhance the health/condition of installation wildlands/forests

Support conservation efforts for the Florida Scrub-jay and other federally listed threatened and endangered species

Improve habitat for scrub-dependant species, and

Comply with the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Biological Opinion for Scrub-jay conservation on CCAFS

The 45 SW WFMP will:

Describe the goals and objectives of the wildland fire program

Explain procedures that will be implemented to control wildfires

Describe the 45 SW prescribed burn program and other possible wildland fire scenario‟s

Describe smoke management techniques

Describe the organizational structure and chain of command for the various wildland fire scenarios at each installation

Describe forest and fuel load conditions

List fire response personnel, Chain-of-Command, equipment and training

Show all interagency cooperative agreements, and

Describe safety concerns associated with all types of wildland fire situations and actions taken to minimize risk

2.0 Goals and Objectives

The primary goal of the 45 Space Wing (45 SW) wildland fire management program is to support the Air Force‟s mission by reducing wildfire potential for the purpose of protecting personnel and valuable Department of Defense (DoD) natural and man-made resources. Creating this WFMP will facilitate the coordination needed to objectively analyze wildfires and potentially manage them for the purposes of supporting ecosystem management goals and objectives identified in the 45 SW Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP). The WFMP will also describe the goals of the 45 SW prescribed burning program and how it relates to resource protection and conservation of Air Force (AF) lands.

The Wildland Fire Management Program‟s goals and their associated objectives are described below. These include both goals associated with wildland fire response/management and the prescribed burning program.

Goal 1 – Support the mission of the 45 SW by minimizing the wildland fire potential and severity on all 45 SW installations.

Objective 1.1 - Reduce the amount of vegetative fuels on 45 SW installations by conducting prescribed fires on at least 500 acres of wildlands per year.

Objective 1.2 - Maintain the existing network of firebreaks at all 45 SW installations and create new firebreaks as required.

Objective 1.3 – Create prescribed burn compartment maps that show firebreaks, critical facilities, previously burned compartments (reduced fuel load) and any other wildfire control issues for each 45 SW installation.

Objective 1.4 – Minimize potential for a catastrophic wildfire by scheduling prescribed burning of compartments known to contain high fuel loads.

Goal 2 – Manage wildfires and prescription fires on 45 SW land in a manner that protects the lives of firefighters, installation personnel, and the general public.

Objective 2.1 – Provide and ensure adequate training for all firefighters and prescribed burning personnel, maintain certifications and re-certification/refresher training schedule, schedule and complete annual safety training as required.

Objective 2.2 – Ensure all Fire Chiefs, On-Scene Commanders, prescribed burn bosses, firefighters, and prescribed burn personnel focus on providing the ultimate level of personnel safety protection while engaged in any type of wildfire operation, uncontrolled wildland fire, controlled prescribed fire, etc.

Objective 2.3 – Establish and maintain a personnel/installation-wide warning system with procedures to alert and/or inform Base personnel, tenants, contractors, etc., of a scheduled prescribed burn or wildland fire on each 45 SW installation.

Objective 2.4 – Provide adequate smoke management during wildland fires to minimize, if not preclude, potential public safety issues (visibility, driving impairment, breathing, etc.) associated with the fire.

Objective 2.5 Develop formal procedure and conduct safety briefings for all personnel involved in a prescribed burn prior to igniting and/or initiating a prescribed fire.

Goal 3 – Enhance 45 SW capability for utilizing inadvertently ignited wildfires for fulfilling the goals of a prescribed fire

Objective 3.1 – Establish and implement a procedure for analyzing a wildland fire scenario whereby a wildfire could be allowed to burn without jeopardizing personnel or 45 SW resources.

Objective 3.2 – Develop a checklist that can be used in conjunction with facility, infrastructure, and burn compartment maps to quickly determine critical aspects of a wildfire situation in order to provide rapid decisions to extinguish immediately or burn to the established compartment boundary.

Objective 3.3 – Develop a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the U.

S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) on the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (MINWR) and the 45 SW for all types of prescribed fire and wildfire support and/or response as applicable.

Goal 4 - Improve security visibility to enhance protection of 45 SW facilities and personnel.

Objective 4.1 – Use prescription fires to reduce the height and density of forests/vegetation to minimize areas of concealment by intruders.

Objective 4.2 – Maintain firebreaks, utility corridors, lines of sight, road shoulders, rights-of-way, etc., used to delineate prescribed burn compartments that are co-utilized as security clear zones.

Goal 5 – Support the Goals of the INRMP to improve wildlife habitat.

Objective 5.1 – Conduct prescribed fires/controlled burns for the purpose of maintaining the natural, fire dependant barrier island ecosystem on CCAFS and the upland hammocks and flatwoods communities on MTA.

Objective 5.2 – Analyze and coordinate wildland fire response to determine if a wildfire can be safely controlled and managed as a prescribed fire.

Objective 5.3 – Conduct periodic Controlled Burn Working Group meetings to coordinate and disseminate fire information, facilitate prescribed burn approval, resolve conflicts, and support the other goals of the WFMP.

Goal 6 - Improve forest quality

Objective 6.1 – Utilize prescribed fire to mimic the natural lightning ignited fire cycle.

Objective 6.2 – Use prescribed fire to remove dead and dying vegetation, inhibit the growth and spread of exotic and/or invasive plant species, promote new plant growth (regeneration), create open areas within scrub forests and facilitate species diversification/biodiversity.

Objective 6.3 – Facilitate the nutrient cycle by reducing the composition of vegetation to ash, thereby enhancing the solubility and uptake of nutrients utilized by regenerating plants and other organisms.

3.0 Description of 45 Space Wing Wildlands

The 45 SW is comprised of a number of installations within the continental United States (CONUS) and some Geographically Separated Units (GSU‟s) outside the continental United States (US). This section of the Plan will describe the wildlands at each 45 SW installation where they exist and the requirement to develop a WFMP is applicable. These installations include Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), Patrick Air Force Base (PAFB), the Malabar Transmitter Annex (MTA), and the Jonathan Dickinson Missile Tracking Annex (JDMTA). Each installation is listed below with a description of the wildlands found on the property.

3.1 Cape Canaveral Air Force Station:

3.1.1 Wildland Classifications

Eleven natural communities, as defined by the Guide to the Natural Communities of Florida (Florida Natural Areas Inventory and Florida Department of Natural Resources 1990) have been described and documented by FNAI on CCAFS. These communities are:

Beach Dune

Scrub

Hydric Hammock

Coastal Grassland

Xeric Hammock

Estuarine Tidal Swamp

Coastal Strand

Maritime Hammock

Estuarine Tidal Marsh

Coastal Interdunal Swale

Shell Mound

The occurrence and distribution of these natural communities on CCAFS is the result of a complex geological history. Limestone bedrock formation, fluctuating sea levels related to glacial advance and retreat, and more recent coastal processes of erosion and deposition have all shaped the geology and physiography of the Canaveral Peninsula. These factors, in combination with current climatic trends and human activity, determine the type and extent of natural community occurrences on CCAFS.

3.1.2 Vegetation

3.1.2.1 Historic Vegetation

The flora of an area is a basic component of its biological diversity and an important consideration for environmental planning, including prescribed fires and impact assessment. A wide variety of vegetation is found on CCAFS and the location and extent of the flora located is a product of the geologic history of the area. As noted in the previous section, eleven natural communities occur on CCAFS and each community is characterized by a range of floral species. Specific details pertaining to the endemic vegetation in the natural communities on CCAFS are described in detail in the INRMP.

There are no known federally listed threatened or endangered plants on CCAFS.

As previously stated, the occurrence and distribution of natural communities on Cape Canaveral is the result of a complex geological history. Limestone bedrock formation, fluctuating sea levels related to glacial advance and retreat, and more recent coastal processes of erosion and deposition have all shaped the geology and physiography of Canaveral Peninsula. These factors, in combination with current climatic trends and human activity, determine the type and extent of natural community occurrences on the installation.

The topographic position of natural communities on CCAFS reflects the various erosional and depositional processes of coastal land formation. Generally, older communities are found on the westward margin of the Canaveral Peninsula, along the Banana River; newer and successional communities are forming along the eastern coast. The communities are described below in the order of the zones they occupy, east to west.

3.1.2.2 Current Vegetative Cover

All historic vegetative communities known to occur on CCAFS presently exist in some form. However, the extent and distribution of these natural communities at the installation have been impacted by historic human settlement activities and development associated with the creation and operation of the launch base. The primary change from the historic vegetation cover to the current vegetative cover is associated with the creation of turf and landscaped areas and the introduction and establishment of invasive exotic vegetation.

Natural resource managers place a great deal of importance on the management of the flora on CCAFS. The following plans have been developed and incorporated into the Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) in an effort to protect and sustain the viability of the unique vegetative communities found on CCAFS:

Florida Scrub-jay Management Plan (INRMP Tab D-4);

Scrub Habitat Compensation Plan (INRMP Tab D-6);

Wildland Fire Management Plan (INRMP Tab M);

Grounds Maintenance Plan (INRMP Tab J);

Landscape Management Plan (INRMP Tab F); and

Invasive Species Management Plan (INRMP Tab K)

A description of the various vegetative communities found on CCAFS is found in INRMP Tab Q, Natural Communities. The CCAFS Fuel Loads, Land Management Unit Status, Future Burn Work, and a map of the types of burnable vegetation are included in Appendix II of this document. Brief fire management strategies for the vegetative communities are noted in the following sections.

3.1.2.2.1 Coastal Dune, Grassland and Strand

Of all the community types on CCAFS, coastal dune, grassland and strand receives the most direct influence from coastal processes such as erosion and deposition. Sections of the coastal dunes, grasslands, and coastal strand on CCAFS are subject to frequent natural disturbances from storms and overwash. Dunes are highly unstable and dynamic communities. Two sections of beach on CCAFS are accreting sand. False Cape at the north end of the installation has had a net increase of approximately 0.1 mile since 1847. The entire barrier island of Cape Canaveral is also accreting sand as demonstrated by several parallel lines of relic dunes and offshore sand bars (Johnson et al. 1990).

Where the dunes are low or dissected, and storm overwash is frequent, coastal grassland has developed in flat areas directly behind the dunes. In higher or more stable areas beach dune may grade directly into shrub dominated coastal strand.

3.1.2.2.2 Scrub

Scrub communities on CCAFS have undergone years of fire suppression; as a result, scrub on CCAFS is overgrown and plant species diversity is low. Although it does not burn frequently, scrub is essentially a fire-maintained community, with hot, intense fires occurring every 20-80 years (Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI) and Florida Department of Natural Resources 1990). A more recent estimate of the natural fire cycle to maintain optimal scrub habitat is 6.5 years. A 6.5 year re-burning cycle is the goal of the 45 Space Wing at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The nature of fuels in scrub, especially highly flammable palmetto, ensures that when fires occur, they are catastrophic. Such hot fires completely remove the vegetation and sterilize the soil in large areas, creating openings that support many important scrub species. As fire is re-introduced and openings in the scrub are created, species diversity in this community will increase. A prescribed fire plan that brings a „natural‟ fire cycle back to the scrub community will eliminate plant composition shading, low reproduction and species diversity problems. Quantitative studies of the effect of fire on species composition and community structure in scrub should continue to provide data to assess prescribed fire success.

3.1.2.2.3 Xeric Hammock

Xeric hammocks are difficult to ignite directly and usually burn only when adjacent pyrogenic communities carry fire into them (Myers 1990). As a result, the nature of adjacent communities influences the type and frequency of fire in scrub and xeric hammock. Xeric hammocks on CCAFS are interspersed with numerous hydric swales.

The presence of these wet communities probably acted as a seasonal barrier to the spread of fire. When fire did occur in xeric hammock, it was likely catastrophic (FNAI and FDNR 1990). Studies have shown that burning does not lead to a change in species composition and dominance in scrub; re-vegetation occurs as a result of root sprouting, which proceeds quickly and prevents establishment of new species (Schmalzer and Hinkle 1987, 1992). It is unlikely that burning will convert xeric hammock to a typical multi-oak-species scrub. If a secondary goal of prescribed fire is to restore it to its original condition, it is recommended that fire be introduced to xeric hammocks with return intervals that are longer than that in scrub (greater than 20-25 years). Restoration of natural hydrology at CCAFS by plugging and filling canals and ditches will also facilitate a more natural fire regime in xeric hammock.

3.1.2.2.4 Maritime Hammock

It is unlikely that natural fire played a significant role in maritime forests in the past given the density of canopy cover, lack of herb species, and depth of moist leaf litter. Salt spray is a limiting factor in the vertical development of maritime hammock. Dominant tree species of maritime hammock are relatively fire-adapted. Live oak is protected from scorching by its thick, ridged bark. Cabbage palm is protected by thick petiole bases, which sheath the trunk and also protect the apical meristem. Red bay and saw palmetto readily re-sprout after a fire.

3.1.2.2.5 Hydric Hammock

Fire is not a management issue in hydric hammocks because soils are usually saturated and ground cover is not substantial enough to carry fire. It is strongly recommended that all heavy equipment/mechanical clearing and disturbance be excluded from hydric hammocks to prevent further encroachment by invasive species. Management of the devastating invasive Brazilian pepper should be controlled by manual removal or spot treatments with herbicides to prevent thickets from becoming a monoculture understory.

3.1.2.2.6 Estuarine Tidal Marsh and Swamp

Fire is not a management issue in tidal swamps and marshes as these community types occur in flat areas where the soil is always saturated with brackish water.

3.1.2.3 Threatened and Endangered Floral Species

Table 1 provides a list of protected plants that are found on CCAFS, along with the status of each. There are currently no federally listed plants on CCAFS.

Table 1. Status of Endangered and Threatened Plants

Designated Status

Scientific Name Common Name

FWS2 FDA3 FCREPA4 FNAI5

Asclepias curtissii Curtiss milkweed

E G3, S3

Avicennia germinans

Black mangrove

SP

Chamaesyce cumulicola

Sand dune spurge

FC2 E G2,S2

Chrysophyllum oliviforme

Satinleaf T

Hymenocallis latifolia

Broad-leaved spider lily

G4, S2S3

Lantana depressa var. floridana

East coast lantana

FC2 E G2T2, S2

Lechea cernua Nodding pinweed

FC2 T G3, S3

Myrcianthes fragrans

Nakedwood FC2 T G4T3, S3

Ophioglossum palmatum (= Cheiroglossa palmata)

Hand fern E E G5, S2

Opuntia stricta Shell mound prickly-pear

T

Pavonia spinifex Yellow hibiscus G4G5, S2S3

Remirea maritima Beach-star E

Rhizophora mangle

Red mangrove SP

Rhynchosia cinerea

Brown-haired snoutbean

FC2

Scaevola plumieri Scaevola T

Tournefortia gnaphalodes (= Argusia gnaphalodes)

Sea lavender E T G4, S3

Verbena maritima

(= Glandularia maritima)

Coastal vervain FC2 E G2, S2

E = Endangered; T = Threatened; SP = Special Concern; and

C = Commercially Exploited United States Fish and Wildlife Service. FC2 indicates species that were formerly under consideration for listing.

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (Coile 1998).

Florida Committee on Rare and Endangered Plants and Animals (Ward 1978).

Florida Natural Areas Inventory (Marois 1997). FNAI assigns two ranks for each element. The global element rank is based on an element‟s worldwide status; the state element rank is based on the status of the element in Florida. Element ranks are based on factors including estimated number of element occurrences, estimated abundance, range, estimated adequately protected element occurrences, relative threat of destruction, and ecological fragility.

Global Element Rank:

G1 = Critically imperiled globally because of extreme rarity (5 or fewer occurrences or less than 1000 individuals) or because of extreme vulnerability to extinction due to some natural or man-made factor.

G2 = Imperiled globally because of rarity (6 to 20 occurrences or less than 3000 individuals) or because of vulnerability to extinction due to some biological or man-made factor.

G3 = Either very rare and local throughout its range (21-100 occurrences or less than 10,000 individuals), or found locally in a restricted range, or vulnerable to extinction because of other factors.

G4 = Apparently secure globally (may be rare in parts of range) G5 =Demonstrably secure globally G#T# = Rank of taxonomic subgroup such as subspecies or variety; numbers have same definition as above State Element Rank:

Definitions parallel global element ranks: substitute “S” for “G” in global ranks, and “in state” for “globally” in global rank definitions.

3.2 Patrick Air Force Base

3.2.1 Wildland Classifications

The 1943 Indian River land cover map developed by St Johns River Water Management District illustrates the area that became PAFB as primarily composed of scrub. The west shoreline was vegetated with flatwoods, disturbed estuarine wetlands, and salt marsh. The Banana River shoreline is generally disturbed but some natural sand beach, wetland/salt bush and mangrove plant communities do exist in patchy distribution. The primary land use at PAFB is urban.

3.2.2 Vegetation

The majority of the vegetation on PAFB consists of turf and landscaped areas.

Herbaceous vegetation represents over 40% of the land area within PAFB and is the dominant vegetation type. Mowed grass, sparse, and dense herbaceous vegetation surrounds developed areas (i.e., golf course and facilities), roadways, and the Airfield.

The beach and associated dune vegetation comprise approximately 3-4% of the base land area. This is the most extensive natural community found on PAFB and is composed of mostly native vegetation. Disturbed shrub and exotic species are the second most abundant types of vegetation on PAFB. The presence of these shrubs and other non-native vegetation indicate that most of these areas have at one time been severely disturbed. Disturbance facilitates the spread of invasive species and exotics now cover approximately 20% of the non-developed areas on base. A few isolated mangrove and salt bush/marsh grass communities exist along the Banana River but provide little ecological value because of their small areas and sparse distribution.

Cabbage palms, the state tree of Florida, appear throughout PAFB and act as vertical accents beside walkways and buildings. Many palms occur along State Road A1A and are also used sparingly as a landscape buffer between land uses. Mangroves grow along the Banana River all along PAFB‟s western boundary but in patchy distribution.

Mangroves are indigenous to the Florida coast and are protected under Florida statutes because of their valuable contribution to erosion control, improved water quality, and habitat use.

The beach dune and Banana River shoreline represent the two primary native vegetative communities on PAFB. In an effort to assess the characteristics of the beach dune community at PAFB, a comprehensive dune survey was conducted that identified the presence and distribution of native vegetative plants on the beach dune.

Dunes on PAFB constitute a narrow strip of vegetation bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, State Route A1A, Base Housing, or areas of mowed grass. Major hurricanes have significantly affected beach dune erosion. The flora of the remaining dunes includes four major elements:

common dune or coastal strand species such as sea oats, bitter panicum, beach sunflower, Spanish bayonet, sea grape, and railroad vine;

less common, state-listed dune species such as beach star, inkberry, prickly pear cactus, and spider lily;

native species of disturbed or open areas such as ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), beggar-ticks (Bidens pilosa), and southern crabgrass (Digitaria ciliaris); and introduced species such as sow thistle (Sonchus asper) and Vitex trigolia.

No federally listed rare or endangered plant species occur on PAFB. However, the following threatened or endangered plants listed by the State of Florida or the Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI) have been observed on PAFB:

spider lily (Hymenocallis latifolia);

beach star (Remirea maritima);

inkberry (Scaevola plumieri); and prickly pear cactus (Opuntia stricta).

State law affords some protection to the black mangrove (Avicennia germinans), red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle), and white mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa), which occur along the Banana River shoreline and the edges of some canals.

Several floral species found on PAFB are considered Category I invasive exotic plants.

These are species that are widespread in Florida and have an established potential to invade and disrupt native plant communities. Brazilian pepper, Australian pine, melaleuca, hydrilla, cogon grass and torpedo grass (Panicum repens) are in this class.

Brazilian pepper, Australian pine, and cogon grass are common on the Waste Study Site/Closed Landfill #5 and the Small Arms Firing Range berms. The invasives found on PAFB have a high salt tolerance and can replace native coastal shrubs very rapidly.

3.3 Malabar Transmitter Annex:

3.3.1 Ecosystem Classification

MTA was originally developed during World War II as an auxiliary airfield. Historic photos indicate that much of MTA was clear cut prior to 1960. An extensive drainage system of canals, ditches, and swales was installed to control surface water. Four natural communities, as defined by the Guide to the Natural Communities of Florida (Florida Natural Areas Inventory and Department of Natural Resources 1990) have been described and documented by Schultz and Knight (1997). These communities are:

depression marsh;

hydric hammock;

mesic flatwoods; and wet flatwoods.

Detailed descriptions of these communities are located in Tab S of the Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP).

3.3.2 Vegetation

MTA encompasses approximately one square mile (640 acres) and is completely surrounded by residential development. Approximately 120 acres in the center of the installation are covered by buildings, the paved airfield, and roads. Another 250 acres are regularly mowed around the antenna structures, in the cleared lines-of-site, and along roads that run through woods. The remaining 250 acres consist of unimproved grounds, predominantly mesic flatwoods. The natural areas are mainly restricted to the periphery of MTA and all have been disturbed to some degree.

Today, the natural communities on MTA are not of high quality due to extensive development. Alterations include direct disturbances such as airfield pavement, mowed antenna fields, roads, structures, and military exercises. Indirect disturbances include the suppression of the natural fire regime and the modification of the hydrology. A wildfire at MTA occurred in June 2003 and roughly 150 acres burned. It was determined that it was an accidental wildfire caused by juveniles. The fire began outside of the MTA fence and then jumped onto MTA property. This wildfire spurred the issue of fuel load and safety for the adjacent communities that surround MTA. A prescribed fire on 6 December 2005 roughly burned 100 acres. Additional prescribed fires are planned but a schedule will be based on assessed safety concerns and availability of personnel.

In 1997 a rare plant survey was completed for MTA (FNAI, 1997). Suitable habitat for most rare plants on MTA is not available due to the lack of burning in fire-adapted natural communities, widespread drainage, land clearing, and other disturbances. Only one rare plant species had been observed on MTA. A small but healthy population of the epiphytic hand fern Cheiroglossa palmata, was growing on cabbage palms in three locations. This plant is listed as endangered by the state of Florida but is not federally listed. This plant was located within the cabbage palm hammock in the flatwoods that are found along the southern edge of MTA. Recent surveys conducted after hurricanes indicate that the hand fern population was destroyed; surveys will be conducted periodically to assess if there has been any regeneration.

Several other unusual plant species have been observed on MTA. A small population (about 10 plants) of the terrestrial orchid crested coco (Eulophia alata) was found on the southeast side of the intersection of the northeast-southwest and north-south runways (about 1,500 feet west-southwest of the entrance gate). The orchids are approximately 30 feet from the mowed edge in an “island” of mesic flatwoods with many cabbage palms. This orchid is very similar to the closely related and listed species wild coco (Pteroglossapsis ecristata).

Three tropical shrub species are present in the maritime hammock at the north boundary. North of the perimeter security fence are abundant twinberry (Myrcianthes fragrans), common wild coffee (Psychotria nervosa), and one plant of wild lime. Inside the northwest corner of the installation‟s perimeter fence are a few twinberry and wild coffee plants. These plants are located amongst live oaks on a low ridge.

Variously sized populations of invasive exotic plants are located on MTA. Similar to other 45 SW installations in Florida, the most prominent exotic species is Brazilian pepper. It is widespread in disturbed areas and has become a dominant species along the southern border. Australian pine (Casuarina glauca) occurs in two locations in the northwest quarter of the installation. The first clump is a narrow 150 feet long band along the canal on the west border and the second is a 50-foot long band along a nearby east-west grassy road. A small patch of cogon grass (Imperata cylindrica) is located at the northwest end of the old runway. Melaleuca grows as two small clumps of trees at opposite ends of a depression marsh in the southeast quarter of the base.

Strawberry guava (Psidium cattleianum) occurs as one plant about half way between the melaleuca clumps. The closely related common guava (Psidium guajava) is abundant along the edges of the northeast-southwest runway. Camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora) occurs as a few isolated individuals. Earpod tree (Enterolobium contortisiliquum) occurs on the eastern side of the south end of the northeast-southwest runway.

3.4 Jonathan Dickinson Missile Tracking Annex:

3.4.1 Wildland Classification

The JDMTA is surrounded on three sides by the Jonathan Dickinson State Park, which consists of 11,383 acres in southern Martin County. The Annex was constructed on Park land leased by the 45 SW from the State of Florida. The wildlands that previously existed on the site and the current remnants were components of the natural wildlands found throughout the Park. The entire area is an example of an extensive xeric upland dominated by sand pine and scrub oak, mesic to dry flatwoods dominated by Pinus elliotti var densa (South Florida slash pine) and forested/herbaceous wetlands.

Communities within the park, which are also seen on JDMTA, include:

mesic/dry flatwoods;

depressional marsh;

scrub;

floodplain forest;

strand swamp; and hydric hammock.

The occurrence of the depressional marshes in the otherwise flat landscape is due to the local topography and soils that prevent rapid runoff or infiltration.

3.4.2 Vegetation

The primary vegetation found on JDMTA is associated with four discontinuous scrub “islands”. These areas are vegetated primarily by the following dominant plants: scrub oak (Quercus inopina); sand live oak (Q. geminata); sand pine (Pinus clausa); Florida rosemary (Ceratiola ericoides); saw palmetto (Serenoa repens); and wild blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) (Wunderlin, 1982).

4.0 Wildland Fire History

Wildland fires, or wildfires, in central Florida occur periodically as a result of lightning strikes. Throughout history, wildfires have been so prevalent that the majority of wild lands in Florida have evolved into fire-dominated ecosystems. Similarly, wildlife species inhabiting those wildlands have also learned to survive periodic wildfires and consequently have become dependant on various aspects of this fire cycle. Periodic wildfires rejuvenate forests and are an integral component in the life cycle of numerous plant and animal species. Since European settlers arrived in Florida wildfire suppression has been employed to protect people and property. Suppressing naturally occurring wildfires allows the build-up of vegetative fuel loads and adversely affects the health of the forest and the habitat quality for indigenous wildlife species. In addition, seasonal drought conditions can exacerbate the wildfire potential with the increased fuel load allowing a lightning strike to result in a catastrophic wildfire. A recent example of this situation occurred throughout the State of Florida in 1998. Documentation of similar catastrophic wildfires has occurred throughout the recorded history of Florida.

Since Air Force acquisition of the lands comprising the 45 SW, the suppression of wildland fires has been mandated for the protection of personnel and property. On CCAFS, the majority of wildland fires were actually caused by inadvertent ignition from rocket/missile launches, launch anomalies, or other human related activities.

Regardless, the response to a wildland fire has always been immediate suppression.

When a naturally occurring, lightning ignited wildfire does occur on a 45 SW installation, the response is to immediately suppress the fire. This response does inhibit the natural fire cycle and creates unfavorable forest conditions; however, the protection of 45 SW personnel and mission resources is foremost. One of the goals of this Plan is to establish a procedure whereby naturally occurring wildland fires may be controlled, instead of immediately extinguished, for the purpose of reducing fuel loads and improving habitat/forest quality.

On CCAFS and MTA, the 45 SW utilizes prescribed fire as a land management tool.

Prescribed fire is used primarily as a mechanism to improve the quality of selected portions of the CCAFS coastal scrub habitat for the Federally Threatened Florida Scrub-jay. A secondary benefit of prescribed fire on CCAFS is to reduce the amount of vegetative fuels accumulated during 50 years of fire suppression at CCAFS. The amount of accumulated fuels has created an imminent danger to United States Air Force and contractor facilities and personnel on CCAFS. On MTA, the primary use of prescribed fire is to reduce the accumulated fuel load and to minimize the potential threat to adjacent residential developments and 45 SW property.

In addition, the Air Force uses prescribed fires in selected portions of CCAFS to implement some of the goals and objectives described in the INRMP. A total of 8,030 acres of unimproved lands were compartmentalized to facilitate a prescribed fire program on CCAFS. One hundred thirty-four management compartments have been identified. These compartments are delineated by roads, firebreaks, lines-of-sight, canals and other natural and man-made barriers and each one has been identified to receive various scrub habitat manipulations. These compartments have been in use since the initiation of the CCAFS prescribed burn program. The first prescribed burn conducted by the 45 SW on CCAFS was ignited in 1992 in compartment number 116.

Subsequent prescribed fires demonstrated the fire hazards associated with the suppression of wildfires and the subsequent accumulation of fuels. These hazards include high flame length, fire intensity, excessive smoke and ash generation, limited forest accessibility, fire spot-overs, crown fires, etc. For these reasons, the pre-burn preparation of a compartment was increased from only establishing perimeter firebreaks to cutting all vegetation within the compartment. This action reduced the height of the vegetation, thereby reducing flame height, fire intensity and the number of spot-over‟s.

Mechanical treatment of a compartment is now scheduled approximately six months prior to conducting the prescribed fire. This obtains the fuel management goals and allows adequate time for “green” vegetation to dry enough to support fire.

5.0 Wildland Fuel Factors

Wildland fuel factors on the 45 SW vary widely between installations and at different locations within a single installation, specifically CCAFS, PAFB and MTA. Fuel factors will be described separately for each installation and broken down further by wildland types as applicable. Typical wildland fuel factors that could apply include, but may not be limited to; type of fuel, size of fuels, accumulation of fuels, combustibility/flammability of fuels, continuity of fuel, and fuel moisture content.

The State of Florida Division of Forestry (DOF) has adopted the use of the Keetch- Byram Drought Index (KBDI) as an indicator of soil and surface fuel dryness. High values of the drought index are associated with severe wildfire outbreaks such as those which occurred during 1998. However, no threshold point has previously been determined to indicate that conditions are far above normal and warrant concern. Using 35 years of rainfall and temperature measurements from nine locations throughout the state, average KBDI values are determined for the state on a regional basis. These regions are North (stations used are Pensacola, Tallahassee and Jacksonville), Central (Daytona, Gainesville and Orlando) and South (Tampa, Fort Meyers and Miami). This extrapolation operates under the premise that widespread drought is accompanied by severe wildfire outbreaks. The average KBDI is compared to recent levels of fire activity (1981 – present) to determine threshold levels that indicate above normal fire activity.

The mean drought conditions show a wide range of variability by region. Winter conditions are driest in the south and become wetter to the north because the central and northern regions experience a greater frequency of frontal passages. During the summer, convective activity produces significant rainfall particularly in the southern part of the state. Florida‟s fire season begins with increased activity starting in January and peaking in May and June. All three regions exhibit a peak in their KBDI around May- June period. Drought conditions are high during the fall but fire activity is at a minimum.

This shows the need for any threshold values to be determined on a monthly basis to account for the seasonal variation in fire activity.

In addition, the DOF has developed an internet based mapping tool referred to as Florida‟s Wildland Fire Risk Assessment System (FRAS). Users can link directly to the WEB-FRAS application and view the maps by clicking on the link WEB-FRAS Mapping System (best viewed with MS IE 6.0 or later). This data is continuously monitored by 45 SW prescribed fire management personnel.

5.1 Cape Canaveral Air Force Station

A map of CCAFS fuel loads was created in 1999. This map was developed based upon the absence of fire and the accumulation of combustible biomass within the forest and on the forest floor. The resolution of this map is not high enough to provide accurate compartment-specific data on all applicable fuel factors; however, it does provide a good overview of potential “hot spots” where fire intensity could result in an uncontrollable fire situation.

5.2 Patrick Air Force Base

On PAFB, wildlands are limited to the natural dune vegetative community and the Family Campground area. The dune vegetation could burn under the right conditions, but a fire in this vegetation/fuel type is very rare. The width of dune vegetation along the Atlantic coastline of PAFB varies between 25-100 feet and stretches linerally for most of the 4.5 mile coastline. Small breaks occur adjacent to the few developed areas, such as the former Officers Club, NCO Club area and Temporary Lodging Facilities. There is no adjacent coastal strand vegetation, but rather an area of mowed and maintained native grasses. This area includes the shoulder of State Road A1A, a four lane highway traversing the eastern side of the installation.

The areas surrounding the airfield are mowed and maintained grasses, similar to the housing areas, industrial and administrative areas, and the golf course. The only “forested” area on PAFB is located around the FAMCAMP, campground area along the Banana River shoreline. The vast majority of vegetation in this area is Brazilian Pepper and Australian Pine trees, which are exotic/invasive plant species and are not prone to burning. Since these trees resist fire, even when dead and dried/aged, and the remaining undeveloped lands are considered light fuels (grasslands), the fuel factors present would not support a wildland fire as described within the context of this Plan.

5.3 Malabar Tracking Annex

Fuel factors at the MTA vary due to the significantly different forest communities within the installation; oak hammock and pine flatwoods. Both forest types have experienced the suppression of naturally occurring wildfires throughout the history of the installation, which dates back to World War II. Due to the absence of fire, a dangerous amount of fuel, in the form of pine needles, oak leaves and tree limbs has accumulated in a sizable duff layer and “ground to crown” fuel ladders in the older Pine and Oak trees. The height of the mature oak and pine trees add to the significance of the fuel load and exacerbates the difficulties associated with control of a wildland fire.

The potential severity of the consequences from a wildland fire at MTA is further elevated by the fact that the installation is basically surrounded by private residences and some commercial development. Further, a wildland fire was ignited by lightning at MTA during the summer of 2005 showing the need to reduce the extensive fuel load in the wooded portions of the installation. As a result, on 1 December 2005, the City of Palm Bay Fire Department and the Florida Division of Forestry conducted a prescribed fire on 100 acres in the northwest quadrant of the Annex. In order to reduce and/or eliminate the potential for a catastrophic wildfire, the Florida DoF and Palm Bay Fire Dept. have plans to continue conducting prescribed burning at MTA, primarily to protect the surrounding properties.

5.4 Jonathan Dickinson Missile Tracking Annex

Fuel factors at JDMTA include those fuels associated with a sand pine scrub vegetative community. Some of these factors create a mixture of oak leaves, pine needles, and various forbs and grasses comprising a flammable duff layer. Large pines, palms, mature scrub oak and palmetto make up the vertical fuels and various species of grasses, weeds and underbrush complete the installation‟s fuel factors. However, the severity of the fuel load at JDMTA is metered by the fact that “wildlands” on the installation are minimal and discontinuous. There are two scrub “islands” along the eastern fence of the main compound and a separate, larger forested area paralleling the western boundary of the facility. The forth wildland area at JDMTA surrounds the Bore-sight tower, to the east. The larger area paralleling County Line Road, consisting primarily of Pine and scrub oak was preserved during construction to provide a visual barrier from the Road and adjacent residential community.

Any of these areas of wildlands could burn if ignited under the right weather conditions, however, the limited size of the wildland parcels would facilitate containment and minimize the potential for spread into the adjacent Jonathan Dickinson State Park (JDSP) wildland. In addition, JDSP personnel periodically burn the land adjacent to the JDMTA which further minimizes the potential for wildfires on JDMTA.

6.0 Organizational Structure

Wildland fires on 45 SW installations may be ignited in a number of different ways under a variety of circumstances. Wildland fire responders differ at each installation and also depending on the source, or origin, of the fire, such as launch or lightning ignited fire, prescribed burning conducted in-house, or prescribed fire conducted by the

USFWS/MINWR. Other ignition sources could be man-induced intentional, unintentional, and accidental/careless. The easiest way to describe the various scenarios that would require a specific, and different, organizational structure would be to describe each separately according to type of wildland fire and for each installation individually.

A wildland fire management organizational structure describes the personnel and agencies necessary for all operations involved in the execution and control of natural wildland fires and prescribed fires. All organizational structures are consistent with the National Wildland Fire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Incident Command System standards. Should a wildfire arise, either from natural causes or from a prescribed fire, a modified 45 SW Fire Department organizational structure with additional off-site resources may be necessary.

Regardless of whether a prescribed fire is conducted under the ultimate supervision of the 45 CES/CEVP, the Environmental Support Contractor (ESC), the Natural & Cultural Resources Contractor (NCRC) or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (USFWS/MINWR), the following general Chain of Command or Organizational Structure would be implemented for the purposes of decision-making and commanding the operation. These positions and responsibilities are described below.

Commander, Det. 1: The Cape Commander, Det 1 45 MSG/CC, has overriding authority to approve, disapprove or cancel a scheduled prescribed burn for reasons he/she believes could negatively affect the 45 SW mission, personnel, facilities and/or the installation‟s resources.

Burn Boss/Supervisor. The Burn Supervisor is responsible for obtaining the necessary permits through the Division of Forestry, writing the burn prescription, identifying assignments for all participants, developing the burn sequence and coordinating the burn schedule. In addition, the Burn Supervisor is responsible for the entire operation and for the safety of all individuals involved.

A trained and certified representative from the 45 CES/CEVP or the ESC would be designated the Burn Supervisor when the proposed burning of a compartment does not require the additional support services of the USFWS/MINWR.

Depending on if the USFWS/MINWR is needed to cooperate in the proposed prescribed fire, a qualified individual from the USFWS may assume the role of Burn Supervisor.

USFWS personnel at MINWR are trained and certified individuals with many years of experience in conducting and commanding prescribed burns, both on Refuge lands and on CCAFS.

Senior Fire Officer. The Senior Fire Officer represents the CCAFS Fire Services Department. Responsibilities include coordinating with the Burn Supervisor, assisting in the development of the prescription for adequate protection of…