Forest Service cautions the public around burned areas
By Logan Bagett on Tuesday, April 5th, 2022 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News More Top Stories
JOHN DAY, PRAIRIE CITY & HINES, OR – (Press Release from the Malheur National Forest)
U.S. Forest Service employees encourage everyone planning to visit northwest forests this spring to learn more about hazards associated with recently burned areas.
Wildfires burned more than 1 million acres of national forest in Washington and Oregon last year. That’s more than in 2020, when multiple “megafires” of 100,000 acres or more burned more than 680,000 acres of national forest and 2 million total acres in the two states.
Fires are a natural occurrence on these landscapes, but residents and visitors may encounter burned areas with greater frequency during the next few years, Alex Rozin, Burned Area Emergency Response Coordinator for the Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest region, said.
“Most hazards aren’t unique to burned areas, but the hazards are exacerbated by wildfires. These conditions can persist for many years after a fire while the landscape recovers,” Rozin said.
The effects of fire can create hazards in a recently burned areas, as well as downhill and downstream.
These include:
Flash floods and debris flows: Burned landscapes have fewer plants to intercept rain, causing more water to reach the ground with high impact and the soil to become saturated faster than they did before a fire. This creates a risk of flash floods and debris flows. Be very aware of the weather and avoid travel in channels when rain is likely.
Falling rocks: Both the burning away of ground cover and erosion of newly exposed soil can loosen rocks and boulders on hillsides, causing them to roll. If trees are burned, there are fewer barriers to stop the falling rocks. Piles of newly fallen rocks may be a sign you’re in an especially at-risk area. Fallen logs may also shift and roll downhill.
Stump holes, root chambers, and infrastructure damage: Burned stumps can create large holes in the ground. When roots burn, they can create empty chambers below ground that could collapse with your body or vehicle weight. Be especially wary after rain as moisture may travel through the root chambers and make collapse easier. Damaged road infrastructure, such as bridges or culverts, may no longer support a vehicle’s weight.
Hazard trees: Both scorched and green trees that are surrounded by a burned area are very prone to breakage and uprooting. Assume that a dead or damaged tree may fall and impact an area up to two times its height as it strikes other trees, or rolls. Allow yourself extra room and consider the potential fall zone when choosing a travel route and especially where you choose to rest or camp. Be especially wary of hazard trees after rain events or during high winds.
Many burned areas from fires in 2020 and 2021 remain closed while the Forest Service assesses landscape and infrastructure damage and conducts repairs.
But as areas reopen, visitors shouldn’t assume that means they, or any public lands, are safe.
“Public lands are inherently ‘use at your own risk,’ but we want to make sure everyone has the information they need to make informed decisions about managing their risk,’ Rozin said.
For more information about safety in burned areas, visit: https://go.usa.gov/xzSmX.
