Document

Title

Safety alert for wildland firefighters: fuel conditions in spruce-beetle-killed forests of Alaska
Document Type: Journal
Author(s): Martin E. Alexander ; Joseph C. Stam
Publication Year: 2003

Cataloging Information

Keyword(s):
  • cured grass
  • Dendroctonus rufipennis
  • Kenai Peninsula
  • LCES - Lookouts, Communication, Escape Routes, Safety Zone
  • snags
  • spruce bark beetle
Topic(s):
Region(s):
Partner Site(s):
Record Maintained By:
FRAMES Staff; catalog@frames.gov
Record Last Modified: March 27, 2018
FRAMES Record Number: 3429

Description

The fire environment on Kenai Peninsula and in south-central Alaska has experienced significant changes due to the recent spruce beetle epidemic (Fastabend 2002). Firefighters and fire researchers do not have enough experience with wildland fires that occur in the dead-spruce/cured-grass fuel complexes to appraise potential fire behavior in these fuel types accurately. All firefighters, despite their general experience level, should use caution when approaching fire incidents in beetle-killed areas.

Online Link(s):
Link to this document (105 KB; pdf)
Citation:
Alexander, Martin E.; Stam, Joseph C. 2003. Safety alert for wildland firefighters: fuel conditions in spruce-beetle-killed forests of Alaska. Fire Management Today 63(2):25.