National Fire Plan Success Story
Fuel Treatment Effects On Wildfires, Black Crater Fire
Deschutes National Forest, Oregon
National Fire Plan - Fuels Reduction
July 2006
Fire Name: Black Crater
Date of Fire: July 23, 2006
Location: Deschutes National Forest, Oregon
Fuel Treatment Type: Broadcast underburn only.
Date of Treatment: Underburn conducted April 23rd 2004
Effects of the treatment on fire behavior and/or how it facilitated control efforts: There was a dramatic change in fire behavior within the treatment unit verses the adjacent stands and this can be seen in an aerial view of the treatment unit. There was very little, if any, scorch within the treatment unit.
Values protected by the treatment associated change in fire behavior/more rapid containment of the fire:
The treatment unit that fell within the perimeter of the Black Crater Fire did not directly stop the forward fire progression, although the treatment unit is still intact with LOS characteristics due to the fact that the fire smoldered along in very light surface fuels throughout the treatment unit.