Good Fire and Active Forest Management Protects Watersheds and Communities: the 2020 Medio Fire скачать в хорошем качестве

Good Fire and Active Forest Management Protects Watersheds and Communities: the 2020 Medio Fire

The Medio Fire was a lightning-caused fire reported on August 17, 2020, on the Española Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest in New Mexico. During the first couple days, the Medio Fire made significant sustained runs as a high-intensity crown fire. These runs resulted in 16% high-severity burn within the total burned area. But thanks to pre-fire treatments that mitigated fire behavior, 49% of the fire burned at low severity. The 4,010-acre Medio Fire was managed with a suppression strategy, consistent with national USFS policy during the 2020 wildfire season. The 2019 Pacheco Rx (a prescribed fire) and fuel break thinning treatments played the biggest role in reducing fire intensities and preventing further fire progression to the south and east. Two large scale collaborative projects led to the treatments that mitigated fire behavior. These projects encompass all three of the priorities laid out by the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Strategy: 1) landscape resilience, 2) fire adapted communities, and 3) safe and effective fire response.