Essay Example on Tripod Complex Fire: $82.8M Suppression Efforts in 50 Years

Introduction

Tripod Complex fire is among the large fires witnessed in Washington State for the last 50 years, costing $82.8 million for suppression (Prichard et al., 2020). It started in July 2006 with two lightning strikes, and within six weeks, it spread over 175,000 acres of mixed conifer forest in Okanogan National Forest. In controlling the fire, fuel treatments were applied to compact the fire out of Winthrop, Washington. The availability of pre-wildfire data has made it difficult to evaluate the efficiency of fuel treatment in fighting and reducing wildfire severance (Haugo et al., 2019). This report will summarize the findings of studies conducted about the Tripod Complex fire.

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A three-year study conducted by Susan Prichard found that fuel treatments can reduce the severity of the fire and protect the older trees, which are essential for timber, wildlife, and their carbon storage capacity in Tripod Forest. Results showed that 60% of trees with thinning and fuel treatment survived, and 75% of giant trees of more than 8-inch diameter survived (Prichard et al., 2010). Further research on the effects of surface fuel treatments in young, reinforcing stands on the severity of wildfire in the Tripod Complex forest was conducted. It showed that more severe fire effects were on the units not treated with fuel, with a 77% mortality rate. The treated unit has lesser severe consequences, with a mortality of 37% (Prichard et al 2014). A study done in 2014 suggested that fuel treatment can be a beneficial management approach for forest landscape resilience to wildfires; hence, it was helpful in the Tripod Complex fire.

The wildfire area burned was controlled by the climate, although grouped by the vegetation type. Mountainous vegetation type showed a strong relation with fire, low precipitation, and moderate severity index for palmer droughts and high temperatures (Lyons et al., 2012). Eco provinces dominated by shrubs and grass portrayed a positive relationship with the Palmer drought severity index. Vegetation type, elevation, fuels, and seasonal climates like temperature and relative humidity are the specific drivers of wildfire severity. With the fire drivers known present, the fire extends, and seriousness can be predictable.

The findings of the study on the effects of fuel treatment and carbon emitted showed that fuel treatments not only reduce tree mortality but also reduce the carbon emitted by wildfires (Haugo et al., 2019). More in-depth research concluded that fire severity is significantly influenced by fuel treatments used in Tripod Complex fire. The seriousness, in turn, affects carbon dynamics (Littell et al., 2010). Thus, fuel treatments reduced the fire severity in the Tripod Complex fire, which led to a reduction in the ecosystem's carbon loss. Further suggested that fuel treatment should be controlled as the treatment removes carbon, too (Restaino & Peterson, 2013).

Case 2: Carlton Complex Fire

Carlton Complex Fire was started by lightning as four fires (Stokes, Cougar flat, French Greek, and Gold Hikes) from a weather system moving through Methow Valley on July 14, 2014 (Prichard et al., 2020). On July 20, the four fires combined into one large fire. Hot weather and windy conditions made the fire more severe and spread to ridge tops and Pateros town, causing evacuations. July 17/18th, the fire spread much toward Brewster and Pateros cities, destroyed essential infrastructure, and consumed an estimated 300 homes. It burned 256,108 acres (Haugo et al., 2019). Several studies have been conducted about the fire, and this report analyzes the findings.

A study on drivers of fire severity and effectiveness of fuel treatment in the Carlton Complex Fire of 2014 was conducted. The results indicated that the treated units showed higher percentages of unburned and less severity in milder fire weather conditions (Prichard et al., 2020). It provides evidence that strategic fuel treatment placements are suitable for reducing localized fire spreads and severances in times of severe fire weather. It adds that all the treated areas were burning with higher levels of moderation and more severely in early fire progressions (Haugo et al., 2019). However, during spread progressions caused by wind, fuel treatments placed on the leeward slopes had lower fire severity compared to treatments located on windward sides.

Following the incident of the Carlton Complex Fire, people have developed several perceptions of wildfires and learned from the increasing cases (Haugo et al., 2019). Many participants in media coverage of the event believed that there is an increased risk of wildfire breaking even in the future and calls for preparedness. Although some people think they can protect themselves, it is clear that fighting wildfire requires the collective responsibility of the community prone to fires. The residents express their views, stating that despite risk exposures in the rural west, local authorities and the planning department are hesitant about developments (Haugo et al., 2019). In Pine Forest, people are making hard choices of cutting trees, although painful decisions as they know about the risk of wildfire and climatic changes risks.

Conclusion

The case accuses the firefighters of negligence during the Carlton Complex Fire in 2014, and they didn't contain the fire; instead, it spread to private lands (Oldham, 2016). The plaintiffs argue that the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has a responsibility to protect the general public from fire. However, it has a special duty as a landowner to contain wildfires that start on DNR land. The firefighters argue on their side claims that they have no particular obligation to any individual in preventing the spread of the wildfire (Oldham, 2016). The US Forest Service is not part of the lawsuit as they performed their duties of informing the public about the fire and also informing the firefighters hence not liable for negligence. If I were the judge, I would take the side of the plaintiffs and order compensation for the burnt properties. The firefighters have to exercise due care and prevent the spread of the fire to private lands.

References

Haugo, R. D., Kellogg, B. S., Cansler, C. A., Kolden, C. A., Kemp, K. B., Robertson, J. C., ... & Restaino, C. M. (2019). The missing fire: quantifying human exclusion of wildfire in Pacific Northwest forests, USA. Ecosphere, 10(4), e02702. https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ecs2.2702Littell

J. S., McKenzie, D., Peterson, D. L., & Westerling, A. L. (2009). Climate and wildfire area burned in western US ecoprovinces, 1916–2003. Ecological Applications, 19(4), 1003-1021. https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1890/07-1183.1

Lyons-Tinsley, C., & Peterson, D. L. (2012). Surface fuel treatments in young, regenerating stands affect wildfire severity in a mixed conifer forest, eastside Cascade Range, Washington, USA. Forest Ecology and Management, 270, 117-125. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378112711002313Oldham

C. H. (2016). Wildfire liability and the federal government: A double-edged sword. Ariz. St. LJ, 48, 205. https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/arzjl48&div=15&id=&page=

Prichard, S. J., & Kennedy, M. C. (2014). Fuel treatments and landform modify landscape patterns of burn severity in an extreme fire event. Ecological Applications, 24(3), 571-590. https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1890/13-0343.1

Prichard, S. J., Peterson, D. L., & Jacobson, K. (2010). Fuel treatments reduce the severity of wildfire effects in dry mixed conifer forest, Washington, USA. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 40(8), 1615-1626. https://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/abs/10.1139/X10-109

Prichard, S. J., Povak, N. A., Kennedy, M. C., & Peterson, D. W. (2020). Fuel treatment effectiveness in the context of landform, vegetation, and large, winddriven wildfires. Ecological Applications, e02104. https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/eap.2104

Restaino, J. C., & Peterson, D. L. (2013). Wildfire and fuel treatment effects on forest carbon dynamics in the western United States. Forest Ecology and Management, 303, 46-60. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378112713001904