National Fire Plan Success Story
Two Successful Fall Prescribed Fires
Lassen Volcanic National Park, California
National Fire Plan - Fuels Reduction
2009
Falling a snag to prevent spotting across the holding line on the Loomis Prescribed Fire. Photo by Eric Hensel.
Holding the line on the Butte Lake Prescribed Fire. Photo by Eric Hensel.
Lassen Volcanic National Park fire staff along with personnel from Whiskeytown National Recreation Area and Lava Beds National Monument completed the 65-acre Loomis Prescribed Fire on October 13 to 14, 2008 in the Manzanita Lake developed area. This project ensures protection of park developments and critically identified resources such as historic buildings and sensitive habitat for both raptor and neotropical ground nesting bird species. The project reduced the threat of high intensity and high severity fire in close proximity to one of the most developed and highly utilized recreational areas within Lassen Volcanic National Park.
The U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management assisted Lassen Volcanic National Park with the implementation of the second successful prescribed fire. The Butte Lake Prescribed Fire, completed on October 27, 2008, was located in the northeast corner of the park near Butte Lake, and totaled 265 acres. The purpose of this project was to treat a previously burned area and provide a buffer for fires entering or leaving park boundaries, thus reducing wildland fire hazards along the boundary and within a wildland-urban interface setting. This fire helped maintain the vegetation types, mixed conifer, and mature Jeffrey and Ponderosa pine stands that are adapted to this area’s natural fire regime. The project will also assist managers in making the decision to allow naturally ignited fires to burn within the interior of the park.
Contact: Scott Isaacson, Fire Communication and Education Specialist, (530) 595-4444 x5162.