Table of Contents

OVERVIEW OF PARK ECOSYSTEMS AND CONSERVATION GOALS............................................................... 3

OUTLINE OF OBJECTIVES FOR THE CONSERVATION OF OLD GROWTH SPRUCE................................. 6

Conserve Biodiversity and Old Growth Spruce Ecosystems........................................................................... 6

Protect Recreation & Aesthetics.......................................................................................................................... 6

Protect Public Safety............................................................................................................................................... 6

Protect Adjacent Commercial Forests.................................................................................................................. 6

Reduce Potential Liabilities.................................................................................................................................... 6

Minimize Costs........................................................................................................................................................ 6

Improve Knowledge................................................................................................................................................ 6

FIRE MANAGEMENT.................................................................................................................................................... 9

TERRAIN/BIOLOGICAL VARIABLES USED FOR FIRE HAZARD ASSESSMENT AND MODELLING.. 11

Topography........................................................................................................................................................... 11

Slope................................................................................................................................................................... 11

Aspect................................................................................................................................................................ 11

Biology.................................................................................................................................................................... 11

Biogeoclimatic Subzone................................................................................................................................... 11

Successional Stage........................................................................................................................................... 11

Species Composition........................................................................................................................................ 11

Crown Closure................................................................................................................................................... 11

EVALUATION OF PRESCRIBED BURNING AND OTHER OPTIONS................................................................. 16

MANAGEMENT OPTIONS..................................................................................................................................... 16

Do Nothing............................................................................................................................................................. 16

Fall & Burn spot treatments................................................................................................................................. 16

Bait and Burn......................................................................................................................................................... 16

Prescribe Burn larger areas.................................................................................................................................. 16

Combinations of the above over space & time................................................................................................. 16

DECISION OBJECTIVES........................................................................................................................................... 16

Conserve Biodiversity and Old Growth Spruce Ecosystems......................................................................... 16

Protect Recreation & Aesthetics........................................................................................................................ 16

Protect Public Safety............................................................................................................................................. 16

Protect Adjacent Commercial Forests................................................................................................................ 16

Reduce Potential Liabilities.................................................................................................................................. 16

Minimize Costs...................................................................................................................................................... 16

Improve Knowledge.............................................................................................................................................. 16

KEY CONSIDERATIONS......................................................................................................................................... 17

Biodiversity............................................................................................................................................................ 17

Recreation & Aesthetics...................................................................................................................................... 17

Public Safety.......................................................................................................................................................... 17

Liability................................................................................................................................................................... 17

Costs....................................................................................................................................................................... 17

Knowledge............................................................................................................................................................. 17

OPTION COMPARISON.......................................................................................................................................... 18

PROPOSED AREAS FOR PRESCRIBED BURNING................................................................................................. 18

DECIDING WHERE TO BURN................................................................................................................................ 18

Carp Lake Option................................................................................................................................................... 18

Whisper Lake Option............................................................................................................................................ 21

War Lake Option................................................................................................................................................... 24

TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS.......................................................................................................................... 27

Likelihood of success........................................................................................................................................... 27

Implementation of a sound burning prescription............................................................................................. 27

Public safety protection....................................................................................................................................... 27

SOCIAL CONSIDERATIONS.................................................................................................................................. 27

Smoke management............................................................................................................................................... 27

Impacts on Park visual quality............................................................................................................................ 27

Areas at risk of escaped burns............................................................................................................................ 27

Impacts on wildlife populations.......................................................................................................................... 27

Adjacency of commercial forests........................................................................................................................ 27

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS.............................................................................................................. 27

Potential to make positive adjustments to landscape-level age class distributions................................... 27

Need to avoid or protect rare ecosystems and important wildlife habitat.................................................... 27

Impacts on the distribution of Spruce Beetle attack........................................................................................ 27

COST CONSIDERATIONS....................................................................................................................................... 27

Cost of burn preparation and planning.............................................................................................................. 27

Cost of the actual burn......................................................................................................................................... 27

Cost associated with mop-up and evaluation................................................................................................... 27

List of Figures

Figure 1. Biogeoclimatic Subzone Map................................................................................................................... 4

Figure 2. Seral Stage Map......................................................................................................................................... 5

Figure 3. Old Growth Spruce Map........................................................................................................................... 7

Figure 4. Mature and Old Growth Lodgepole Pine Map...................................................................................... 8

Figure 5. Fire History Map...................................................................................................................................... 10

Figure 6. Fire Hazard Map....................................................................................................................................... 12

Figure 7. Blowdown Areas Map............................................................................................................................ 13

Figure 8. Mean and maximum August drought codes for McLeod Lake station 1215.................................. 14

Figure 9. Number of days/month with rainfall >1.5mm for McLeod Lake station 1215................................. 14

Figure 10. Number of days/month with high risk of significant ignition and rate of spread for McLeod Lake station 1215 15

Figure 11. Carp Lake Option................................................................................................................................. 19

Figure 12. Carp Lake Example............................................................................................................................... 20

Figure 13. Whisper Lake option........................................................................................................................... 22

Figure 14. Whisper Lake Example....................................................................................................................... 23

Figure 15. War Lake Option.................................................................................................................................. 25

Figure 16. War Lake Example................................................................................................................................ 26

List of Tables

Table 1. Option Comparisons................................................................................................................................ 18

INTRODUCTION

In 1972, Carp Lake Provincial Park was established for it’s ecological representation of the Nechako Plateau and recreational purposes. In 1995, the Omineca Peace Regional Protected Areas Report proposed an addition of 37,925 ha to the existing Carp Lake Provincial Park. This addition was proposed to:

· provide a better representation of the moist cool Sub-boreal Spruce forest (SBSmk1)

· to improve the ecological integrity of Carp Lake Park

· to improve the representation of the Nechako Lowland Ecosection

· to provide a provincially significant contiguous area of Sub-boreal Spruce forest ecosystem

In 1996, the Land Use Coordination Office published a "Provincial Overview and Status Report" of the Protected Areas Strategy. The report identified that Sub-Boreal Interior ecoprovinces containing sub-boreal spruce forests (all successional stages) are one of the most significant conservation features/values of this ecoprovince. These forests were cited as being internationally significant and represented a major gap in the existing system of protected areas. Given that Carp Lake Provincial Park represents the largest sub-boreal spruce protected area in this ecoprovince, it becomes internationally significant for those values.

In June 1998, the Prince George LRMP recommended the addition of 18,000 ha to the existing Provincial Park to create a contiguous area of the Sub-boreal spruce forest ecosystem and representation of the Nechako Lowland Ecosection.

A Forest Management Plan (Sharpe 1994) for Carp Lake recommended an adaptive management strategy to try and mimic natural disturbance patterns with management of spruce bark beetles in the short term and use of prescribed fire to mimic natural disturbance patterns at the landscape level. Wood (1998) wrote an Evaluation of Bark Beetle Management Options for Carp Lake. His recommendations included the conversion, over a period of several decades, of some portion of the existing older-age class spruce stands to younger seral stages, and to maintain a large portion of the old growth forests".

Carp Lake Provincial Park has been expanded to improve representation and protect a sub-boreal spruce ecosystem. Fire suppression has been responsible for creating a larger % of old growth in Carp Lake Provincial Park than would "naturally" occur in the landscape. However, as neighbouring old growth forests are harvested, managed for beetle, and fragmented with roads the higher percentage of old

growth found in protected areas becomes increasingly important for old-growth and interior-forest dependent species.

Over the past several years a combination of spruce bark beetle, spruce budworm and root rot have negatively impacted a number of these important spruce stands causing mortality and blowdown. In the fall of 1999 BugBusters was contracted to survey the problem and recommend a forest health management strategy for the Park. This strategy includes modeling the hazard and risk of the spruce beetle in the Park. Recent Park policy changes restrict bark beetle control options to the following control measure;

· Pheromone baits and traps

· Individual tree fall and burn on-site

· Prescribed burning

· Skid, pile and burn on site with low impact tools

The degree to which this situation has evolved poses a dilemma to Park Managers. Should the beetle be left to run it’s course throughout the Park and accept the risk of a larger infestation that could dramatically alter both stands within the Park and adjacent commercial forests? Any actions within the Park should be defined by the need to conserve the old growth spruce stands. Natural disturbances such as wildfire and bark beetle attacks are essential components of biodiversity. The distribution of seral stages present in the park are a function of disturbance patterns and therefore understanding disturbance and its influence on biodiversity should be of primary importance to park managers.

In the fall of 1999 B.A. Blackwell and Associates Ltd. was contracted by B.C. Parks to evaluate the current status of spruce beetle attack and application of prescribed fire within the context of the conservation goals for the Park. From the onset of this project it was evident that prescribed fire should not be considered as a method for the beetle control, but instead should be used to meet higher level ecosystem management goals.

OBJECTIVES OF CURRENT WORK:

· The first objective of the project was to review the levels of current beetle attack in conjunction with Bugbusters and establish the potential impact on park resources. In addition to detailed survey work carried out by Bugbusters, an overflight of areas attacked by the beetle combined with ground sampling of identified to confirm the nature and extent of attack was conducted as part of this project. Many of these same areas had experienced a significant amount of blowdown and in some cases whole stands had been blown down.

· The second objective was focused on identification of areas where application of prescribed burning had the potential to alter the current distribution of seral stages within the park. Change in the distribution of seral stages provides several benefits including; a reduction in the landscape level beetle and fire hazard, establishment of a significant firebreaks, and improved conditions for regeneration of new spruce stands. This second objective was accomplished through air photo identification of prescribed fire opportunities and discussions with management agencies including; B.C. Parks District staff, MOF District and Regional Protection staff, and staff from Canadian Forest Products.

OVERVIEW OF CARP LAKE ECOSYSTEMS AND CONSERVATION GOALS

Biogeoclimatic subzones of the park are shown in Figure 1. The park is dominated by the Sub-boreal spruce

Figure 1. Carp Lake Provincial Park biogeoclimatic subzone map.

SERAL STAGE DISTRIBUTION

This section provides a summary of seral stage distribution in the Park. The different seral stages typically recognized in B.C. are described in Table 1. The distribution of seral stages is important for two reasons. Firstly, it is an excellent indicator of historic disturbance in the park. Secondly, in combination with forest cover it highlights the distribution of old growth spruce forests in the park.

Table ?. Description of the Seral Stages used in the Biophysical Vegetation Inventory (adapted from Ecosystems Working Group, 1993)

Seral Stage	Approximate Age Range (yrs)	Age Class¹	Description
1. Shrub Herb (SH)	1-20	1	early successional stage dominated by herbs and shrubs; some invading or residual trees may be present
2. Pole Sapling (PS)	20-40	2	trees >10 m tall have overtopped shrub-herb vegetation; stands are typically dense and understory vegetation of low cover in conifer-dominated stands; forest canopy in one continuous layer
3. Young Forest (YF)	40-80	3, 4	self-thinning has occurred and forest canopy has begun differentiation into dominant, codominant and suppressed trees; understory vegetation often poorly expressed
4. Mature Forest (MF)	80-150	5-7	trees established after the original disturbance have matured and a second cycle of shade-tolerant trees have become established; main canopy less continuous and understory vegetation may be well developed in places
5. Old Forest (OF)	> 150	8, 9	old, structurally complex stands comprised mainly of climax tree species, although seral remnants may be found in the upper canopy; standing and downed snags are common; death of some canopy dominants has created gaps where understory vegetation and coniferous regeneration is well established

¹ age class as per B.C. Ministry of Forests forest inventory age classes

Table ? shows the relative percentage of seral stages of forested ecosystems within the two subzones of the Park. Within both subzones, a majority of the stands are in the old forest seral stage (Figure 2). The current distribution of younger seral stages is primarily a result of forest harvesting the area that was recently added to the Park (Figure 2). The current distribution suggests that, in the Park, there has been very little recent large-scale, stand replacing disturbance within either of the two subzones present in the park.

Table ? Forested seral stages expressed as a percentage of the total area of each of the 3 subzones in Carp Lake Provincial Park: Seral stage abbreviations are described in Table ?.

Subzone	SHR	PS	YF	MF	OF	Total Area
SBSmk	2.7 (722)	3.6 (975)	15.2 (4074)	77.2 (20,659)	1.3 (351)	26,781 ha
SBSwk	6.3 (164)	30.0 (783)	4.3 (111)	59.4 (1,550)	0	2,608 ha

Note: Numbers in parenthesis ( ) are total area in hectares.

In both of the lower elevation subzones, the Mature Forest seral stage has the highest areal coverage (Table ). This analysis suggests that few stand-replacing fires have occurred in the last 80 years.

Figure 2. Distribution of seral stages in the park.

Figure 3. Distribution of old growth (>150 years) spruce forests in the park.

The distribution of seral stages and age classes shown in Figure 3 has been observed in other parks in the Rocky Mountains. The age class distributions for Banff (White 1985), Jasper (Tande 1979), Waterton Lakes (MacKenzie 1973) and Kootenay (Masters 1989) have all shown a reduction in the percent area occupied by the most recent age classes, indicating a lack of stand-replacing fire in recent decades in the whole area. The consistent age class pattern among parks may be the result of successful suppression activities, or may be due to normal climate fluctuations and fire incidence (Kootenay National Park Fire Management Plan). The consistency of the pattern in the four mountain parks and in other regions of Canada, where climates have fluctuated considerably, suggest that fire suppression is the likely cause of the reduction in disturbance. This conclusion is supported by the fact that the six driest years on record occurred in the 1980’s (Kootenay National Park Fire Management Plan), yet there are not a large number of stands dating from that period in that area. This is not consistent with a pattern of reduced fire occurrence, unless there has been a reduction in ignition. White (1985) has indicated that the most probable explanation is that the policy of fire exclusion and the resultant fire prevention and initial attack programs have reduced the disturbance regime.

RECENT FIRE HISTORY - Mike to complete by following the format for Robson below.

The Ministry of Forests fire reporting system was used to compile a database of fires back to 1950. Numbers of fires have ranged from 0-11 per year. The average number of fires per year by decade are as follows: 1950-59 - 2.7; 1960-69 - 1.3; 1970-79 - 1.5; 1980-89 - 1.4. The most significant fire year in recent history was 1958 when a total of 11 fires were reported for the Park. The number of fires is significant and demonstrates the need for fire management.

Table 10 summarizes fires which have occurred between 1950 and 1994 in the Park by size class and cause (lightning and human caused). The total number of fires during this period was 74, of which 68% were the result of human causes. The remaining 32% of fire ignitions were lightning caused. Ninety three percent of all fires that burned between 1950-1994 were smaller than 4 ha, while only 3% were greater than 40 ha. The largest fire within the Park since 1950 occurred in July of 1955, and was 202 ha in size.

Table 11 summarizes fire cause by decade and provides some interesting insight into the nature of fire within the Park. Through the 1950s the majority of the fires within the Park were railroad related (48%). Human caused fires during this decade accounted for over 90% of the ignitions. Lightning fires accounted for only 7% during this time period. From the beginning of the sixties to present human caused fires have decreased substantially. Through the 1980s human related ignitions accounted for 42% of the fires compared with 58% for lightning. In the nineties human caused ignitions have been reduced to 20% while lightning fires have accounted for 80% of all fires. Overall, the total number of fires by decade has remained relatively constant (13-15 fires per 10 years). The only exception to this occurred in the fifties when 27 fires were reported for the ten year period. The higher average number of fires were attributed to the 1958 season when 11 fires occurred within the Park in a single season. Provincially, 1958 is considered the worst fire season (number of fires) since fire suppression records have been collected.

Table ?. Fire history summary for Carp Lake Provincial Park from 1950 - 1994.

Size Class (Hectares)	Total Number of Fires	% of Total	Lightning Caused	Human Caused
0.1 - 4.0	29	94	11	18
4 – 40	2	6	-	2
>40	-	-	-	-
	31	100 %	11	20

Table ?. Summary of fire cause in Carp Provincial Park.

Decade	Lightning	Recreation	Railroad	Total
1950-59	-	-	-	-
1960-69	1 (33)	1 (33)	1 (33)	3
1970-79	-	14 (93)	1 (7)	15
1980-89	9 (82)	1 (9)	1 (9)	11
1990-94	1 (50)	1 (50)	-	2
Total All Years	11 (35)	17 (56)	3 (9)	31

Note: Numbers in parenthesis ( ) indicate percentage of total fires for a given decade.

Table ?. Fire history summary for Carp Lake Provincial Park from 1950 - 1994.

Size Class (Hectares)	Total Number of Fires	% of Total	Lightning Caused	Human Caused
0.1 - 4.0	69	93	23	46
4 – 40	3	4	-	3
>40	2	3	1	1
	74	100 %	24	50

Table ?. Summary of fire cause in Carp Provincial Park.

Decade	Lightning	Recreation	Railroad	Other	Total
1950-59	2 (7)	4 (15)	13 (48)	8 (30)	27
1960-69	5 (38)	1 (8)	2 (16)	5 (38)	13
1970-79	5 (33)	0	8 (53)	2 (14)	15
1980-89	8 (58)	3 (21)	3 (21)	0	14
1990-94	4 (80)	1 (20)	0	0	5
Total All Years	24 (33)	9 (12)	26 (35)	15 (20)	74

Note: Numbers in parenthesis ( ) indicate percentage of total fires for a given decade.

DEVELOPMENT OF FOREST FIRE HAZARD RATINGS – Mike to fill in the tables below

Topographical and biological data generated from the TRIM and forest cover databases were used to develop the fire hazard ratings (Table ? ). This forest fire hazard rating system was designed to provide a framework from which to begin understanding the nature and relationships of the forest fuel complex, and provides a basis for developing forest fire management strategies.

Table ?. Terrain/Biological Variables used for Fire Hazard Assessment and Modeling for Carp Lake Provincial Park

Table 1. Terrain/Biological Variables used for Fire Hazard Assessment and Modeling for Carp Lake Provincial Park

	Variable	Scale	Weight
Topography	Slope	< 10	2
	(average percent)	10 - 20	3
		20 - 40	4
		.> 40	5
	Aspect	301⁰ - 65⁰ (N)	2
		66⁰ - 110⁰ (E)	2
		111⁰ - 150⁰(SE)	4
		151⁰ - 240⁰ (S)	5
		241⁰ - 300⁰(W)	4
		Levels - flat	3
Biological	Biogeoclimatic subzone	SBSmk	5
		SBSwk	3
	Successional Stage	Pioneer stage (1) 0-20 years old	2
		Pole sapling forest (2) 20 - 40 years old	8
		Young seral forest (3,4) 40 - 80 years old	5
		Mature seral forest(5-7) 80 – 150 years old	4
		Old growth (8.9) > 150 years old	3
	Species Composition	Pinus contorta(PL) > 60%	6
		Abies lasiocarpa(BL and B), Picea engelmannii(S), Picea glauca(SW)> 60%	4
		40 - 60 % Deciduous(AC, AT, EP) and Picea mariana(SB)	3
		> 60% Deciduous(AC, AT, EP) and Picea mariana(SB)	1
	Crown Closure	0	0
		1 - 35	1
		36 - 45%	2
		46 - 55%	3
		56 - 65%	4
		> 66%	5

Table 2: Fire Hazard Rating Score Ranges for Stands in Carp Lake Provincial Park

Hazard Class	Score Range
Low	0-10
Moderate	11-17
High	18-24
Extreme	> 24

	Variable	Scale	Weight
Topography	Slope	< 10	2
	(average percent)	10 – 20	3
		20 – 40	4
		.> 40	5
	Aspect	301⁰ – 65⁰ (N)	2
		66⁰ – 110⁰ (E)	2
		111⁰ – 150⁰(SE)	4
		151⁰ – 240⁰ (S)	5
		241⁰ – 300⁰(W)	4
		All aspects	3
		Levels	3
Biological	Biogeoclimatic subzone	SBSdh	5
		ESSFmm1	2
		AT	0
	Successional Stage	Pioneer stage 0-20 years old	2
		Pole sapling forest 20 - 40 years old	8
		Young seral forest 40 - 80 years old	5
		Mature seral forest 80 - 140 years old	4
		Old growth > 140 years old	3
	Species Composition	Pseudotsuga menziesii, Pinus contorta, Pinus albicaulis > 60%	6
		Abies lasiocarpa, Picea engelmannii, > 60%	4
		40 - 60 % Deciduous	3
		> 60% Deciduous	1
	Crown Closure Class	0	0
		1 – 35	1
		36 - 45%	2
		46 - 55%	3
		56 - 65%	4
		> 66%	5

Table 2: Fire Hazard Rating Score Ranges for Stands in Mount Robson Provincial Park

*Hazard Class*	*Score Range*
Low	0-6
Moderate	7-13
High	14-20
Extreme	> 20

Rankings for topographical variables are based on the effects of fire spread for slope and the climatic influence of aspect. Rankings for biogeoclimatic subzones are related to historical fire evidence found in the literature and other studies. Successional stage, species composition, and crown closure class are all stand level variables which describe the fuel complex. The divisions for biogeoclimatic subzones were arbitrary as no other information was available.

The fire hazard rating class for a given polygon was based on the sum total of individual variable rankings, and are summarized for the Park in the Fire Hazard Map (Figure 4). The hazard code represents individual stand susceptibility to fire on a landscape level, relative to other polygons. Some polygons had no forest cover data (e.g. bogs and fens) and some forested polygons are missing key variables necessary for the hazard evaluation. For these polygons no hazard was calculated, and these areas are represented in white on the forest fire hazard map. The algorithm used to generate hazard was modified from the Mount Robson Ecosystem Management Plan (Blackwell et al., 1996).

PRESENT FOREST FIRE HAZARD

The forest fire hazard map (Figure 4) is a graphical representation of landscape-level fire hazard within the Park. The purpose of this hazard map is provide a basis for presuppression planning, fire control, and as a decision-making aid for prescribe fire planning. The hazard map is a spatial representation of the relative variation of fire hazard in the Park and attempts to provide a framework for assessment of forest fire hazard. It is provided strictly for managers for risk assessment of prescribed fires, natural wildfires, and fire suppression resource requirements. The hazard assessment is not directly related to diversity and wildlife objectives although inferences about fire effects can be determined from this map. The rating scheme makes relative comparisons between stand types.

A large portion of the mappable area was classified as having a high fire hazard. In most cases these ratings correspond stands with high stand densities and crown closure. A smaller portion of the mappable area was classified as having a low fire hazard. In most cases these low ratings correspond with wetlands adjacent to streams, rivers, lakes, and forest stands dominated by deciduous tree species.

Past studies have shown high hazard areas correspond well with similar stand types that have been affected by similar disturbance events (eg. blow down or root rot). Field visits carried out in 1999 verified similarities in stand attributes between high hazard polygons. High hazard polygons were uniformly distributed throughout the park and were typically associated with the older forest cover pine and spruce types.

The analysis suggests a need for concern about fires ignited throughout the park. The significance of these high hazard areas results from their proximity both campground areas and the road that bisects the park. Fires in this park pose a significant risk to the public safety and would be considered difficult to control given current stand type characteristics and associated fuel accumulations in some stands. Additionally, evacuation and access for suppression are considered difficult. The susceptibility of the area to human caused fires is considered very high. An excellent public awareness program for Park visitors combined with a good fire prevention, detection and initial attack strategy is required. This hazard rating system has the potential to be used as a tool which can relate future changes in fire hazard, fuel dynamics, presuppression planning, and fire control to the "naturalness" of the Park.

Figure 4. Fire Hazard Map of Carp Lake Provincial Park.

THE ESTIMATED FIRE CYCLE

Given the size of the park and adjacency concerns the reintroduction of fire should be based on only prescribed fire which attempts to mimic natural fire cycles of the past. Prescribed fires, which meet specific prescription criteria, should be used to remove fuel loadings (eg. blowdown) and improve regeneration conditions for spruce. The fire cycle is an estimate of the amount of time required to burn over an area equal to the entire forested area being managed. This may not mean all stands burn as some stands may burn more than once during the fire cycle. Fire cycle estimates provide an indication of the timing and probability of fire related disturbance occurring within a certain ecosystem based on historical fire evidence, fire behavior, and successional pathways.

An approximation of the fire cycle operating within this region can only be determined by a review of the species compositions, age and distributions, and inferred from the biogeoclimatic zones and other studies. Andison (1996) studying the Sub-Boreal Zone suggested that wildfire in the past was probably the single most significant force driving stand dynamics in this ecosystem. He suggested that the majority of wildfires would on average be small (50 to 500 ha), however occasional fires could be as large as 15,000 ha. From this work Andison (1996) concluded that under natural conditions (eg. no suppression) the age class distribution would fit a negative exponential curve. What this means is that a large number of young stands would be expected, with fewer mid-age stands, and very few old growth stands. A review of the age-class distribution in Carp Lake park indicates that more than 50% of the stands in the park are older than 100 years and that over 40% are greater than 120 years old.

To aid in the selection and planning of species and ecosystem fire regimes, Heinselman (1978) has described six fire regimes based on an analysis of the literature on fire history of northern ecosystems. These are:

0 = No natural fire (or very little)

1 = Infrequent light surface fires (more than 25-year return intervals).

2 = Frequent light surface fires (1- to 25 year return intervals).

3 = Infrequent, severe surface fires (more than 25-year return intervals).

4 = Short return interval crown fires and severe surface fires in combination (25-100 year return intervals).

5 = Long return interval crown fires and severe surface fires in combination (100- year to 300-year return intervals).

6 = Very long return interval crown fires and severe surface fires in combination (over 300-year fire return intervals).

A fire cycle of 50-150 years (Heinselman Regime 4) is appropriate for the lodgepole pine and spruce forests of SBS zone. This is a conservative estimate based on studies reviewed in the literature and the work of Andison (1996), Parminter (1993), and Parminter (1992a).

Figure ? Fire History Carp Lake 195-???

FIRE WEATHER

Fire weather data was obtained from the Mcleod Lake climate station (1215) located in the vicinity of the Park. The weather record for the station is short, <10 years. The daily historical record of 13:00 temperature, precipitation, relative humidity, wind speed and all Canadian Fire Weather Codes and Indices were obtained. The digital file for each station was imported into an Excel spreadsheet where variables could be summarized by month and year. The total number of days in which recorded fire weather conditions would promote ignition and spread of fires in the spruce/abies fuel type were compiled by month (June, July, August and September). The fire weather conditions for this analysis were defined as:

1. Fine fuel moisture code (FFMC) > 88

2. Duff moisture code (DMC) > 40

3. Drought code (DC) > 250

4. Initial Spread index (ISI) = 8

Summary graphs were also produced for the number of days, by year that the DC was > 500 and for the average August maximum and mean DC by year.

Some general observations from the summary include:

· Few periods were the mean and maximum drought code exceed 500

· Burning windows are generally short with few good opportunities between May and October

· Not every year provides a burning window within the prescription criteria outlined above

Figure ?-? Fire Weather Graphics

THE USE OF PRESCRIBED FIRE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF MOUNTAIN PINE BEETLE

Historically attempts to stop insect outbreaks have been unsuccessful and expensive. An epidemic of MPB in Crater Lake National Park, Oregon in the early 1900’s led to the first large-scale project to control the outbreak. Efforts including burning felled trees and exposing infested logs to solar radiation, which started in 1925 and continued until 1934. The decline of the outbreak was attributed not so much to control efforts but to the cold winter in 1932 and 1933 and the depletion of susceptible host trees (Wickman 1990). In B.C., significant efforts were made to control Mountain Pine Beetle in E.C. Manning Provincial Park. Since 1978, more than $270,000 has been spent by the B.C. Ministry of Forests and B.C. Parks in efforts to reduce MPB losses in the park and to prevent the spread to adjacent areas (Millar and Heppner 1993). The latest control efforts were conducted in 1995, and mountain pine beetle populations have continued to increase, leading to severe mortality along the eastern highway corridor. The management efforts and expenditures in Manning highlight the fact that small-scale control through bait and burn or fall and burn programs are only considered as stopgap measures. These types of treatments really only work if they are combined with more aggressive intervention.

The risk of wildfires and insect outbreaks are more easily reduced in commercial forests through intensive silviculture such as precommercial and commercial thinning, and clear cut harvesting before the stand becomes over mature (Koch 1996). As well, salvage harvesting of infested stands and felling and burning techniques allows managers to control MPB populations (Schmid and Parker 1990). These types of measures are neither feasible nor appropriate in parks and reserves.

Prescribed Burning

Where historical emphasis on fire suppression has resulted in a shift in the age-class distribution, prescribed burning can be considered as an alternative form of management to reduce the severity of insect outbreaks, increase diversity and to decrease fuel loading. The shift in the age class distribution away from younger seral stages has been discussed above. This reduction in young seral stages has the potential to effect many species and communities, which are dependent on wildfire for nutrient cycling, removal of competition, reproduction and enhancement of habitat. The long-term implications of a shift from young to old seral stages include decreasing forest health, increasing fuel accumulations, and a reduction in wildlife habitat. The continued accumulation of fuel increases the probability that future fires will exhibit more extreme behaviour, will be more difficult and expensive to control, and may reduce the long-term ecosystem productivity.

It has been shown that the spread of infestations by forest pests leads to a buildup of fuels (Amman 1990; Fellin 1979; Price 1991). In high risk stands, prescribed burns can also be used as a tool to reduce this fuel buildup. Using prescribed burning to decrease fuel loads has been used with considerable success in parts of the United States (Lotan et al. 1983; Pyne 1982). As a result of this treatment, management has been successful in reducing fire intensity and rate of spread as well as the resistance to control of wildfires.

The uncertainty that exists concerning the effects of fire on the forest pests is one reason that prescribed burning is not widely used as a management tool. As well many managers are reluctant to use this tool as they have been trained to view it as a waste of a resource. Also a lack of education causes skepticism from the public. Finally, there is the risk of the fire escaping and damaging surrounding structures and healthy stands. Based on our current state of knowledge, prescribed fire should be viewed more holistically in its use as a park management tool. Given that a large amount of uncertainty exists around controlling insect outbreaks, prescribed fire should be considered more for it’s long-term benefits of ecosystem health, fuel reduction, maintenance of seral stage distribution, and enhancement or creation of wildlife habitat.

Fuel Reduction or Manipulation Options

In site specific situations where any form of burning is undesirable, it may be necessary to treat an area through mechanical methods or by manipulation of stand structure and tree species composition. This approach may be applied where a stand type poses a significant fire hazard, rare or endangered fauna or flora are threatened by competing vegetation, and/or when stand attributes do not meet current management objectives. Stand manipulation treatments can include chipping of downed surface fuels, removal of standing dead fuels (snags) and spacing and pruning in areas where high stand density is undesirable.

The reduction of fuel accumulations in and around campgrounds is required to safeguard the public. Reducing fuels in and around Park structures and facilities provides improved conditions for fire control. Fuel reduction or manipulation options available to park management within areas not suitable for prescribed burning include the following:

Reduction of fuel loadings by mechanical removal of surface and standing aerial fuels. This would include chipping of downed coarse woody debris, removal of standing dead fuels (snags), and spacing and pruning in areas where high stand density are considered a hazard

Manipulations of stand structure and tree species composition to improve stand stability and reduce long-term fuel accumulations.

Reduction in the mass of fuel reduces the potential energy release per unit of biomass thereby reducing fire intensity. Mechanical fuel manipulation also has the potential to alter fire behavior by changing the fuel complex from one that is susceptible to crown fires to one that maybe more susceptible to surface fires, thus improving conditions for fire control efforts.

Mechanical treatments have several limitations that restrict their application to small-scale areas. Firstly, treatment costs are expensive ranging from $1500 to $8,000 per hectare depending on the nature of the area being treated. Secondly, there is little to no ecological benefit since removal of vegetation biomass has the potential to reduce the nutrient capital of the site and may remove trees that could become important wildlife habitat or coarse woody debris.

No Treatment

A final option available to park managers is to allow the MPB attack to proceed unabated. Although this may increase fire hazard it will enhance stand level diversity and potentially improve wildlife habitat. Schowalter (1981) suggests that the natural fire insect relationship with southern pine forests maintain high productivity and diversity. Romme (1982) found that in Yellowstone National Park the fires and MPB outbreaks over the past 50 years have increased the landscape diversity. A simulation model showed that fire exclusion or selective fire control would reduce the richness and patchiness of vegetation. It has also been shown that fire suppression leads to either a change in forest cover or leads to dangerous biological and physical stresses.

EVALUATION OF PRESCRIBED FIRE OPTIONS

The key to any evaluation of the use of prescribed fire in the park is the management objectives used to make a decision on where and when to burn. The overall objectives that have been identified for the evaluation of prescribe burning within Carp Lake Provincial Park include:

· Conservation or enhancement of biodiversity

· Protection of recreation and aesthetics

· Protection of public safety

· Reduce potential liabilities

· Minimize costs

· Improve knowledge

Three candidate areas were identified for prescribed burning. Each proposed area was evaluated by B.C. Parks staff, Ministry of Forest District and Protection staff, and Canadian Forest Products staff based on the following criteria;

· Fires were consistent with Park Management Plan objectives

· Fires had the potential to reduce the area susceptible to spruce beetle attack.

· Fires would increase the area of younger age-class forests.

· Fires had the potential to reduce landscape level fire hazard by reducing fuel loads.

· Fires had the potential to create forage areas for ungulates.

· Fires would not impact older forests (age-class 6-9).

The three candidate burn areas identified were as follows;

A eighteen hectare area in the Carp Lake (Figure )

A one hundred eighty hectare area at Whisper Lake (Figure )

A seventy hectare area at War Lake (Figure )

An additional benefit from any prescribed burns in the Park is that once burned, these areas act as strategic firebreaks in the event of a large fire.

KEY CONSIDERATIONS

Biodiversity

Wood (1999) described protected areas as the cornerstone of conservation biology, indicating that conservation of biodiversity is one of the primary management goals for Carp Lake Park. He described biodiversity as an environmental condition. Prescribed burning has the potential to change that environmental condition by altering the landscape level age-class distribution. The extent of this alteration is dependent on the size of the burned area and the present age-class distribution. Age-class 5 lodgepole pine forests dominate all the proposed areas identified above. Recent studies in the Mountain Parks indicate that montane forests in these parks are significantly older than their historic distributions and burning any of this area will result in a greater distribution of younger forests.

Recreation and Aesthetics

The impacts of prescribed fire on park use must be considered to alleviate conflicts. Burning may result in the temporary closure of some areas or activities for short periods of time. Burn areas may affect park visitors wishing to view wildlife or park scenery. Additionally, fires may create smoke management concerns that impair the visual quality of the park. In general the impacts of prescribed fire on recreation and aesthetics are temporary and short-lived.

Public Safety

A key aspect of any burn should address safety issues related to park staff and the public. Public safety considerations include residents living in adjacent communities, park visitors, and those using the forests adjacent to the park. Fire fighter safety is also a key consideration in the implementation of any prescribed burn program.

Liability

Liability associated with prescribed fire can be described as both the legal liability and the potential damage to public relations associated with fire management activities. Liability associated with fire management activities can be related to escaped fires that cause damage to adjacent landowners, negligence, or both. Negligence may results from starting the fire or from a lack of ability to control it. Damage costs can extend from simple rehabilitation to costly repairs of facilities and structures. Other areas of liability concern can be related to health concerns or loss of business opportu nities associated with smoke.

Costs

Efficient planning, implementation, and mop-up activities must be the goal of any prescribed burning operation. As an agency of the crown, B.C. Parks is entrusted with the wise use of public funds and the maximization of benefits associated with those funds. Any strategy should look at the long and short-term economic impacts. Other economic impacts of prescribed burning may be a reduction in future suppression costs and a reduction in program costs including training, prevention, and detection.

Knowledge

Our experience with the application of prescribed fire is limited in Carp Lake Park. Therefore it is critical that the impacts of fire on different ecosystems of the park are studied and documented to improve our knowledge and understanding of ecosystem change. A successful prescribed fire strategy will be measured as one that has the ability to adapt and change based on a solid understanding of previous fire effects. It is important that pre and postburn conditions are monitored and the resulting effects on vegetation and wildlife are studied.

Technical

The implementation of any prescribed burning strategy is predicated on the likelihood of success. Weather conditions prior to and at the time of the burn must provide suitable fire ignition and behavior conditions that minimize the probability of escape, but are satisfactory to achieve burn objectives. A sound burning prescription is critical to achieving objectives while at the same time ensuring public safety and environmental protection.

Social

Consideration must be given to implications of smoke management and its impact on park visitors. Any burn has short-term potential to impair visual quality in portions of the park and thus must be taken into account. Additionally, it is important to project probable risk and impacts of fire escapes for suppression planning and preparedness. Other significant social concerns include impacts on wildlife populations, disruption of the travel corridor, and effects on resources outside of the park.

Area I – Carp Lake

The area identified in adjacent to Carp Lake was proposed for burning because of heavy slash accumulations resulting from blowdown and because of the possible spread of beetle out of the blowdown areas. Of the three proposed areas this is the smallest at approximately 18 ha. In discussion with agency representatives a number of concerns were identified including;

· Small areas will be more difficult to burn and control

· The protection elements of this area are considered acceptable

· The area is wet and may be difficult to burn

· The fuel is discontinuous and patchy in some places

The blowdown poses a significant regeneration problem for spruce and a hazard area where beetles will concentrate and fly from. However, the area will likely regenerate to birch over the next 20 years and will eventually spruce will establish in the understory and succeed to the dominate species at climax.

Figure ?. Carp Lake burn option

Figure ? Blowdown areas proposed for burning at Carp Lake

Area II – Whisper Lake

The War Lake area is considered the most attractive and offers the greatest potential benefits within the objectives and criteria described above. The majority of the area has been blown down and was previously an old growth spruce stand. The area provides good protection elements including the ridge to the west, the Moose River to the east and the highway to the south. Agency representatives identified no specific concerns. The area meets the criteria outlined above as follows;

Area had high potential for fire escape.

Opposite side of the lake was considered more favorable based on current aspen cover.

Concerns that the townsite of Jasper is not well protected/prepared in the event of an escape.

Jasper is planning an interface program over the next five years to prepare for this type of burn.

Consistent with Ecosystem Management Plan objectives

Potential to increase the area of younger age-class forests

Reduce landscape level fire hazard by reducing fuel loads.

Create forage areas for important park ungulates.

Would not impact inventory of old forest (age-class 6-9).

This area provided no short-term benefits influencing the current MPB attack Long-term however it may provide some benefit through the creation of a sizeable break in the mature lodgepole pine forests that dominate the slopes of the highway corridor.

Figure ?. Whisper Lake burn option

Figure ? Overview of the Whisper Lake proposed burn area

Area III – War Lake

The Yellowhead Lake area was identified as a candidate based on its proximity to the eastern entrance of the park and potential for creation of a significant firebreak between Jasper National Park and Robson Provincial Park which is supported by both agencies. However a number of concerns were identified that include;

Consistent with management objectives

Potential to increase the area of younger age-class forests

Reduce landscape level fire hazard by reducing fuel loads created by blowdown.

Create forage areas for important park ungulates (Moose).

No impact on inventory of old spruce forests (age-class 6-9).

Based on these concerns, the Yellowhead Lake area was considered the least favorable of the three proposed. It may be considered appropriate following interface management in the Jasper townsite. Until such time burning in this portion of the park should be approached cautiously.

Figure ?. War Lake burn option

Figure ? Overview of the blowdown in the proposed War Lake burn area

Under the current situation B.C. parks can adopt one of two approaches;

1. Do nothing and allow succession to proceed naturally (Figure ?). The underlying premise of this strategy is that management accepts risk and associated liability of large-scale disturbance events such as spruce beetle attack in a significant area of the old growth spruce or a large fire in the park. With catastrophic fire, managers may expect widespread uncontrolled vegetation destruction, potential loss of park facilities and structures, increased suppression costs, and significant exposure to liability.

Figure 1.

Figure ?. Management Option 1

2. Reintroduce fire to park ecosystems with the goal of restoring a distribution of seral stages more similar to those present prior to European settlement (Figure ?). Similar to option 1 there are also inherent risks such as escaped prescribed burns, smoke management, and visual quality concerns. Additionally, this option requires a significant commitment to public and media education.

Figure 2.

Figure ?. Management Option 1

THEREFORE, WHILE THE SHORT TERM GOAL SHOULD BE TO MAINTAIN AS MUCH OLD GROWTH AS POSSIBLE, THE LONGER TERM GOAL SHOULD BE TO IMPLEMENT A STAND-CONVERSION PROGRAM IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE A MIXTURE OF SERAL STAGES. GIVEN OUR CURRENT UNDERSTANDING OF PARK ECOLOGY, AND BASED ON THE DISCUSSION AND REVIEW ABOVE, THE MOST APPROPRIATE AREA FOR A PRESCRIBED BURN AT THIS TIME IS IN THE VINCINITY OF WAR LAKE.

ADDITIONAL WORK REQUIRED

1. A detailed fire history study is required to improve our understanding of the role of fire in the ecosystems of Carp Lake Park. Because the park area is quite small this study should extend beyond park boundaries as required to capture a representative distribution of regional disturbance. This study should focus on determining the distribution of seral stages and fire regimes that pre dated European settlement. This study should be modeled after other fire history work that has been completed in other areas of the Sub-Boreal. It is imperative that future burning in the park be based on a sound scientific strategy that incorporates improved historical fire information.

2. Based on the detailed fire history and understanding of vegetation dynamics, a scientifically sound approach to the identification and prioritization of future burn areas should be developed. We should undertake a comprehensive inventory of all potentially suitable areas within the corridor and base or rank them on similar criteria used above. Inclusive in this process would be updated information on wildlife habitat suitability and capability, identification of rare and endangered plant species, and the recognition of blue and red listed ecosystems.

3. Improve our understanding of forest succession in the age classes 6 to 9. What are the dynamics of forest succession in these old spruce forests? When and how are these ecosystems disturbed? Will they immediately regenerate to spruce or do they go through a deciduous phase of succession? These are all-important questions that need to be addressed, if future management of the park is to succeed.

4. Develop a comprehensive suppression strategy for the park including the identification of fuel breaks, water sources, ground and aerial access. Careful consideration should be given to appropriate equipment and retardant use.

5. Develop a comprehensive evacuation plan for the Park. This should consider the extensive trail network of the park, wilderness areas, and the travel corridor.