Distinctly Montana Magazine

W W W. D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA NA . C O M 61 INTERVIEW WITH RALPH RAU U.S. FOREST SERVICE ARE THERE ANY NEW TECHNOLOGIES ON THE HORIZON WHICH MIGHT MITIGATE THE INTENSITY OR DURATION OF THE FIRE SEASON? e intensity and duration of the fire season are driven by a variety of short and long term factors including buildups of trees, brush, and grass, known as "hazardous fuels;" insect and disease epidemics; invasions of non-native species, such as cheatgrass, and; long and short term weather conditions (i.e. drought, temperature, humidity, winds, etc.). Fire season is predicted to continue to get longer, as previously discussed, and scientists predict that by the middle of this century, the average number of acres burned annu- ally will double. ere are a number of new technologies that could help the USDA Forest Service mitigate the intensity or duration of fire sea- son by enhancing the safety and effectiveness of wildfire response. ese include more widespread use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS, also known as drones) which could help enhance wildfire management in a variety of ways; improvements in the resolution of images acquired by sensors on satellites that may help detect wildfires earlier, and; implementation of models that identify areas that have high numbers of human caused fires and are at high risk of catastrophic wildfires help focus fire prevention and active management efforts. HOW CAN THE AVERAGE CITIZEN HAVE AN IMPACT ON PREVENTION AND SUPPRESSION OF WILDFIRES OVER THE NEXT MANY YEARS? ere are three key ways that members of the public can have an impact on prevention and suppression of wildfires. First, take the time to learn how to prevent human-caused wildfires. Nation- ally, nearly nine out of ten wildfires are human caused. e fewer RALPH RAU is the Director of Fire, Aviation, and Air for the USDA Forest Service's Northern Region which spans portions of North and South Dakota, Montana, and Northern Idaho. human caused wildfires that agencies like the USDA Forest Service have to respond to, the more they can focus on wildfires that can't be prevented, such as lightning caused wildfires. On land managed by the USDA Forest Service, campfires are the biggest source of human-caused wildfires. Information about campfire safety, and how to prevent other types of human caused wildfires, is available at smokeybear.com. Second, individuals who live in the wildland urban interface, those places where human development and fuels intersect, should take the time to "harden" their homes and to create defensible space. Research shows that structure hardening or reducing a structure's vulnerability to ember intrusion is the most effective way to reduce ignition from wildfires. Structure hardening, combined with creating defensible space, not only helps improve the chances that structures will survive wildfires but also enhances safety for wildland firefight- ers. Additional information is available at www.fs.fed.us/managing- land/fire/fac Finally, members of the public can participate in efforts to plan projects to help create resilient landscapes on National Forests in their areas and can participate in efforts to implement the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy in the West. To determine which National Forest(s) are located nearby, go to www. fs.fed.us/ and use the "Find a Forest or Grassland" function. To learn more about implementation of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy in the West, go to www.wildfireinthewest. blogspot.com/ NATIONALLY, NEARLY NINE OUT OF TEN WILDFIRES ARE HUMAN CAUSED. Gibraltar fire of 2017 near Eureka K.C. GLASTETTER

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