The State of Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation has received 78 fire reports totaling 178 acres for the 2007 fire season. Fire occurrence was minimal throughout the season following an active spring fire season.
Late season snow storms delayed the start of spring fire season with significant accumulations between 5 and 12 inches on April 4 and 5. On April 15 and 16 a nor’easter with hurricane-like winds brought down trees and powerlines. Damage was most severe in the Rutland area with wind gusts to 70 mph and in the Northeast Kingdom, specifically the Guildhall area. Fairbanks Museum in St. Johnsbury recorded wind speeds of 55 mph. Up to 17 inches of snow in parts of the state accompanied this storm while other areas received rain, sleet and lesser amounts of snow.
Just a week later, spring fires flared. Temperatures following the storm climbed into the 60’s and 70’s by the end of the week. Relative humidities dropped into the teens equaling Rh’s observed in the desert southwest. Snow disappeared rapidly and 1-hr and 10-hr fuels dried rapidly as well. The period from April 19 to the 25 saw the most fire activity all season. During this period the largest fires occurred, including a 30-acre and a 50-acre grass fire.
The Burlington and Albany NWS issued red flag warnings for the Champlain valley, the Connecticut River valley and southern Vermont. Rapid snow melt also prompted flood warnings.
Most fire wardens stopped issuing burning permits during this time, however, fire activity did pick up. Some of the fire causes were from downed power lines, electric fences and even a tractor bucket moving rocks sparked a fire. Several escaped unpermitted fires were also reported. Some of the largest woods fires reported this year occurred on April 23 including an 11-acre fire in Chelsea caused by a downed powerline that burned old pasture and forest. Also an unpermitted burn in Bennington charred 21-acres of field and forest.
Fuel conditions and fire activity moderated after April 25 and resumed again from May 4-9. Again red flag conditions existed across the state on May 4 and also on May 8 when NWS in Albany issued a red flag for Bennington and Windham counties. By this time, fire activity had transitioned from low elevations and grass fuels into higher elevations and forest timber litter fuels. Non-human causes ignited most of the fires during this period as well.
Full greenup by the end of May ended spring fire season and most of the fire activity for the year. July and August saw several severe storm events. On July 9-11, strong winds, damaging lightning, heavy rain and hail caused damage across the state. Central Vermont was hardest hit with extensive flooding.
On August 27, a fast moving storm with 40 mph straight line winds and lightning caused extensive damage to trees, roofs, and powerlines in the Northeast Kingdom especially the towns of Burke, Sutton, Sheffield, Wheelock, Danville, St. Johnsbury and Lyndonville.
The storm was the result of a cold front that collided with hot and humid air and was actually three thunderstorm cells that passed in quick succession because of high winds in all layers of the atmosphere.
Rainfall amounts through the summer (July, August, September) were below normal across most of the state with rain events occurring in the form of severe storms with heavy rain that tended to run off and not be absorbed in the ground. These short-lived events where mixed with extended dry periods with comfortable summer temperatures.
Ground fuels began to dry out by the beginning of September indicated by KBDI values well above normal. A lightning storm on August 30 sparked two forest fires, one in Townshend and one in Waterford. Neither was reported for several days. By the time crews responded, the fires had burned hot and deep. The Townshend fire was extinguished quickly and burned about an acre.
The Higgins Hill fire in Waterford burned 3 acres and took crews 3 days to extinguish. Fire departments from 15 surrounding towns responded the first day (September 4). The fire was located in rocky terrain with little to no soil. Roots burned off mature pines which became unstable posing a serious safety hazard to firefighters. Young softwood surrounded the fire and needed to be removed to stop forward progress. Once the initial flaming front went through, the fire went below ground. Lots of water and time was necessary to completely extinguish the smoldering fire.
Forests & Parks provided water to a holding tank near the fire at the top of Fairbanks Mountain. Water was pumped from a small pond on the Lee Farm side of the hill and a hoselay of 5,400 feet reached the tank. Also a sprinkler system was set up during the night of September 5 with our pumps supplying water for that as well. In all, our 30 year old Mark III’s ran for at least 36 straight hours at one point.
October was wetter than normal keeping fuels damp and fire danger low to moderate through the end of fire season.
Wildfire Equipment
In 2007, our Department processed $61,386 of wildland fire protective gear and equipment orders. Thirty three volunteer fire departments submitted requests for equipment though the Rural Fire Task Force’s 50/50 grant program (funded by VFA dollars) and an additional 14 fire departments submitted individual requests. Wildfire equipment was purchased through us from GSA. Our small volunteer fire departments continue to strengthen their wildland fire response capabilities with expanding inventories of hand tools, mop up kits, and PPE for their firefighters.
PPE and extra tents and sleeping bags for Western Fire personnel was also purchased and cached at the Essex District warehouse. Additional PPE and fire equipment was purchased for the Forestry Division to update our inventory.
Also purchased through our department was a fire training/emergency trailer unit. This is the second trailer District III staff have designed and outfitted with hand tools, pumps, hose and assorted fittings, etc., in removal bins and shelving. The first fire trailer is stored in the Essex district and the second is in the Rutland district.
The fire trailers have been used for several training sessions including the S-211 pumps course held in Lyndonville on April 4 & 5, 9-hour courses in Milton, Swanton, Williston, Middlebury, Manchester, Arlington, and Hyde Park and proved very effective as a ready source for hose, fittings and adaptors at the Higgins Hill fire in Waterford.
In 2007, we completed a radio inventory for wildland Fire / RX Fire / all risk assignments and a fire equipment inventory for NFFPC.
Vermont Rural Fire Protection Task Force
The Task Force engineer attended the 5 annual town forest fire warden meetings in 2007 to increase awareness of the dry hydrant program and progress to date. The dry hydrant program, in its 10th year in 2007, strives to integrate individual town structural fire planning with wildland fire planning needs. We continue to identify locations for additional dry hydrants and the program will continue for the next few years.
The Wildland Fire Gear Grant Program (see details above) was administered by the RFPTF. VFD’s continue to participate in this grant program and funding is expected to continue. A new project for the RFPTF in 2007 was a pilot Community Fire Protection Planning (CWPP) project, the first in the State. With funds from the USFS, a grant was awarded to two Vermont towns, Rochester and Newbury, under the umbrella of the Two-Rivers/Ottaquechee Regional Planning Commission to develop the CWPP. An initial introductory meeting has been held bringing together local fire chiefs and selectboard members from the two towns with representatives from the regional planning commission, the Green Mountain National Forest, and the Vermont State Forestry Division. Data gathering and beginning GIS work has already begun. The project is expected to be completed in 2008.
Vermont Town Forest Fire Warden System
In 2007, we held our 5 annual town forest fire warden training sessions throughout the State. This year’s topic was “Wildland Fire Investigation” and was presented by fire investigator, Robert Patterson of the Vermont Department of Public Safety. Topics covered included interviewing witnesses and juveniles, taking written and oral statements, techniques for getting people to answer questions, ways to tell if people are being truthful, dealing with hostile individuals, and who should collect evidence.
Displays provided information to fire wardens and their guests on:
Dry hydrants - Troy Dare, RFPTF
Fire weather products from the National Weather Service - Eric Evenson and Steve Hogan, Burlington NWS, and
Fire reporting, reminding wardens of the importance of prompt reporting - Tess Greaves, Forestry Division.
Location/Dates of 2007 Annual Warden Training Sessions:
Springfield March 27, 2007
Rutland March 28, 2007
Colchester April 3, 2007
Barre April 10, 2007
St. Johnsbury April 12, 2007
The Town Forest Fire Warden System continues to be the backbone of the fire service. Vermont forest fire specialists work effectively with these town officials to protect the forest resource. Over 80% of the wardens are a member of their town fire department and are dedicated firepeople.
Vermont Wildfire Training
Vermont Fire Service Training Council
We continue to work with the council on providing wildland fire training to Volunteer Fire Departments as part of the Vermont Fire Fighter I Certification program. At this time by agreement with the Training Council, the Forestry Division does all wildland fire training given to fire departments in Vermont. This training package, called Wildland Fire Control B (the 9-hr. course), was given 17 times in 2007 to 394 volunteer firefighters.
The number of courses is up this year because we have already completed 5 of the 2008 course schedule this fall. The additional workload of holding 9-hr courses in the spring has always been problematic with other pressing responsibilities like warden meeting prep, equipment testing and spring fire season so, the FSTC has encouraged Fire Fighter I course leads to schedule their wildland fire module in the fall. This year most wildland fire courses have been scheduled and completed to date for 2008.
Other Wildfire Related Training
We conducted an Annual Fire Refresher and Work Capacity Test at 3 locations this spring with 8 state non-forestry participants and 7 forestry staff. All were certified for Western fire assignments. Lars Lund taught an S-131 Firefighter 1 course with 9 students as well as a pump refresher and hose testing day for Forestry staff and campfire safety for local girl scouts.
Town Forest Fire Warden Training
In 2007, 65% of the wardens and deputy wardens attended the annual warden training sessions. The wardens are encouraged to bring guests such as firefighters and town officials to the training. Total attendance at all 5 sessions was 396. All 276 Town Fire Wardens and Deputy Wardens are required to attend at least 3 Forestry Division sponsored training sessions during each 5-year term of office that they serve.
Wildlfire Related Training Received by Forestry Staff
In addition to the pump refresher and hose testing day and the annual fire refresher and work capacity test that several staff participated in, Forestry staff also completed the following training: S-212 - Power Saw Refresher, S-211 - Portable Pumps, L-280 - Followership to Leadership, S-131 - Firefighter 1, S-133 - Look Up and Around.
Northeast Forest Fire Protection Compact Activities
Committees and Working Teams
We are active participants on all committees and working teams and attended most of the various functions and meetings this past year. Representation is as follows:
Committees: Operations –Scott Pfister
Working Teams: Training- Lars Lund
Fire Science – Tess Greaves Equipment – Dan Dillner
Prevention – Jim Esden
Being a small state with limited staff, we depend upon the Northeast Compact for training, developing technical expertise, an introduction to new science and technology in a constantly changing environment, and to keep abreast of the current wildfire situation in our region. Our involvement on the various working teams is proving to be very beneficial to the state and volunteer fire departments in Vermont.
We were able to send 5 people to the Compact Annual Winter Training Meeting, January 22-25, 2007 in Portland, Maine. As always, the training program was worthwhile and provided quality training topics and expert instructors.
Vermont’s participated at the annual New England Fire/Rescue/EMS Expo held at Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, Massachusetts, June 22-24, 2007. Compact’s booth distributed Smokey Bear and other prevention material to lots of kids and their parents as well as information on wildland urban interface, firewise, and other prevention topics.
Wildfire Prevention in Vermont
In addition to a number of school fire prevention programs given, Smokey Bear appeared at a number of parades, town safety fairs, fire prevention week celebrations, etc. Most of these gatherings included booth space where fire department personnel give out Smokey’s prevention literature.
Fire Weather/Fire Danger Program
The State of Vermont has an interagency cooperative fire weather/fire danger program with 5 RAWS (remote automatic weather station) acquiring hourly weather observations that are uploaded daily into the national system. Four of these stations are owned by the Green Mountain National Forest and the fifth by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The State is responsible for data collection and daily dissemination of fire danger indices to state and federal fire managers, fire wardens, dispatch centers, etc., through a extensive email distribution list. Each RAWS was maintained in 2007 according to NWCG standards.
Daily distribution of fire weather forecasts and the fire danger report continued this year. Reports were sent out from early April and will continue to the mid-November. In addition to fire weather and fire danger reports, situation reports to the Northeast Coordination Center continued again this year.
Federal Excess Property Program
The Forestry Division continues to maintain excess property on Vermont’s inventory and to complete disposal of property that are no longer needed or serviceable. Inventory reconciliation on the 30 items remaining on the inventory was completed on October 25, 2007.
We are not actively screening for new property.
Prescribed Fire Program
A prescribed fire was conducted on the South Unit of the Bullthroat Burn on Wednesday May 23, 2007 at the West Mountain WMA in the Town of Maidstone. The burn area was approximately 8 acres. There were 9 people on the burn crew plus Neil Monteith as the burn boss. The burn crew included staff from Forests and Parks and Fish & Wildlife from across the state: Jim Esden(D1), Dan Dillner(D3), and Tess Greaves(D4) of FPR; Jason Kelley, Park Ranger at Green River Reservoir S.P.; Nick Fortin, F&W temp.; Jeremy Goetz, Lou Bushey, and Dave Willard of District 5.
The burn was conducted to reduce fuels and maintain a wildlife opening with the hopes of maintaining and increasing the amount of blueberries. Another aspect to the burn was to provide training to FPR and other personnel interested in prescribed and wildland fire. The burn was successful in consuming the fuel. Future surveys and monitoring are needed to see if the blueberries are spreading and increasing within the burn area.
Interagency Fire Detail
ortheastern Forest Fire Protection Commission (Compact) Activities
In 2007, the Vermont Forestry Division sent staff on Western Fire assignments in Georgia, Idaho, and Michigan. Four of our staff went out as FFT2 with other crews including CTS#3. One of our staff went out as a Plans Chief.
![Vermont Division of Forestry [photo]](../img/banner_protection.jpg)
