Burned Area Emergency Response Team is evaluating the Elk Fire

The Bighorn National Forest reports the Elk Fire Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) assessment team has been working within the Elk Fire perimeter to evaluate conditions to determine the level of potential risks to human life, safety, property, critical natural and cultural-heritage resources on National Forest System Lands.

In a release by the BNF said the team will generate a soil burn severity map using a Burned Area Reflectance Classification (BARC) map from satellite imagery and field surveys that ground truth the BARC map. The BNF Reports that it really comes down to looking closely at the ground to determine where the fire may have affected soil health. There is a big difference between high fire intensity (how much energy or heat was released during the fire) and the soil burn severity (how much heat the ground was exposed to). From many years of research and experience, scientists have determined that what happened to the soil during a fire – not just the above ground vegetation – is a critical indicator of recovery and a key predictor in what issues may arise later.

The Elk Fire BAER team is comprised of soil scientists, hydrologists, geologists, botanists, recreation and trail specialists, engineers, archaeologists, and geographic information specialists. Some are local and some have traveled here to assist.

Once their evaluations are complete, the team will determine if there are measures that can be implemented in a timely manner to reduce unacceptable risks due to post-fire conditions such as potential flooding and debris flow events.

The team’s findings and recommendations to the Forest Supervisor will be presented in a final report. The report identifies immediate and emergency actions needed to address potential post-fire risks to human life and safety, property, cultural-heritage, and critical natural resources on National Forest System lands.

Federal assistance to private landowners regarding potential post-fire impacts is the primary responsibility of the Natural Resources Conservation Service through the Emergency Watershed Protection program, https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/ewp-emergency-watershed-protection. 

For Elk Fire updates check Facebook (US Forest Service – Bighorn National Forest) or call 307-303-7642. For Forest information including current closures, visit the BNF website https://www.fs.usda.gov/bighorn.