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Type: Report
Author(s): Randy B. Foltz; Peter R. Robichaud; Hakjun Rhee
Publication Date: 2009

We synthesized post-fire road treatment information to assist BAER specialists in making road rehabilitation decisions. We developed a questionnaire; conducted 30 interviews of BAER team engineers and hydrologists; acquired and analyzed gray literature and other relevant publications; and reviewed road rehabilitation procedures and analysis tools. Post-fire road treatments are implemented if the values at risk warrant the treatment and based on regional characteristics, including the timing of first damaging storm and window of implementation. Post-fire peak flow estimation is important when selecting road treatments. Interview results indicate that USGS methods are used for larger watersheds (>5 mi2) and NRCS Curve Number methods are used for smaller watersheds (<5 mi2). These methods are not parameterized and validated for post-fire conditions. Many BAER team members used their own rules to determine parameter values for USGS regression and NRCS CN methods; therefore, there is no consistent way to estimate postfire peak flow. Many BAER road treatments for individual stream crossings were prescribed based on road/culvert surveys, without considering capacities of existing road structure and increased post-fire peak flow. For all regions, rolling dips/water bars, culvert upgrading, and ditch cleaning/armoring are the most frequently used road treatments. For Forest Service Regions 1 and 4, culvert upgrading is preferred, especially for fish-bearing streams. For Forest Service Region 3, culvert removal with temporary road closure and warning signs is preferred. Except for culverts, insufficient data is available on other road treatments to estimate their capacity and to evaluate their effectiveness.

Online Links
Citation: Foltz, Randy B.; Robichaud, Peter R.; Rhee, Hakjun. 2009. A synthesis of post-fire road treatments for BAER Teams: methods, treatment effectiveness, and decisionmaking tools for rehabilitation. General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-228. Fort Collins, CO: USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 152 p.

Cataloging Information

Regions:
Alaska    California    Eastern    Great Basin    Hawaii    Northern Rockies    Northwest    Rocky Mountain    Southern    Southwest    National
Keywords:
  • BAER - Burned Area Emergency Response
  • burned area
  • emergency response
  • erosion
  • fire damage
  • fire intensity
  • fire management
  • hydrology
  • peak flow
  • post-fire recovery
  • post-fire treatments
  • roads
  • runoff
  • soil management
  • soils
  • statistical analysis
  • storms
  • water repellent soils
  • watersheds
  • wildfire
  • wildfires
Tall Timbers Record Number: 25739Location Status: Not in fileAbstract Status: Fair use, Okay, Reproduced by permission
Record Last Modified:
Record Maintained By: FRAMES Staff (https://www.frames.gov/contact)
FRAMES Record Number: 9221

This bibliographic record was either created or modified by Tall Timbers and is provided without charge to promote research and education in Fire Ecology. The E.V. Komarek Fire Ecology Database is the intellectual property of Tall Timbers.