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National Fire Plan Success Story

Oregon Caves National Monument Completes Largest Fuel Project in its History
Oregon Caves National Monument, Oregon
National Fire Plan - Fuels Reduction

Oregon Caves Chateau
Fuels project helps protect the Oregon Caves Chateau, a National Historic Landmark at Oregon Caves National Monument.

Fire management staff at Oregon Caves completed a hazardous fuels project, thinning, cutting and burning a total of 55 acres in 2007. While this may seem like a small number to most, it is of great significance to this small monument as it is the largest fire management project completed in the history of the fire management program at Oregon Caves and the first prescribed burn since 1997.

Fire management staff identified a critical need to reduce the excessive fuel loading in and around high visitor use areas, including the historic Oregon Caves Chateau and Chalet. By reducing the fuels, which included dead and down on the forest floor, this project will help to reduce the intensity of a forest fire moving through the area, improve the hydrology of the caves, and restore the ecology of the surrounding forest.

In summer 2006, Oregon Caves National Monument fire management staff and crews from Grayback Forestry Inc. mechanically treated 15 acres of forest around the Chalet and Visitor Center. The vegetation was allowed to cure over the next several months. After the rains came to the monument all of the piles were burned during winter 2007 and 20 more acres of the forest were thinned and piled for future burning.

These fuel projects are critical to protecting people and vital resources at Oregon Caves. The completion of these projects will help reduce hazardous fuels on the forest floor that can contribute to a greater risk of high intensity wildfires. The fire management staff appreciates the support from park staff and the regional office to allow these projects to move forward for the protection of people and park resources.

Contact: Al Augustine, Fire Management Officer Lava Beds and Oregon Caves National Monuments, Phone: (530) 667-8122