Fire and Fuels __________________________________________

Aggressive fire suppression activity across the Forest over the last 80 years has resulted in fuel profiles 

that are outside the Historic Range of Variability resulting in more continuous fuels, both horizontally and 

vertically. Given an ignition source, natural or human, resulting wildfires are becoming larger and more 

destructive than in the past. Substantial mortality is occurring in certain vegetation types, creating large 

expanses of snag patches and dead fuels. 

Comparing the period’s pre-and post-1950, actual fire starts have increased dramatically both for 

lightning and human causes since 1950. This can be explained by several factors, including increased 

detection efforts, increased road access, and more efficient reporting. Recent fire records show human 

caused fires tend to cluster along major highways, county roads, ML 3, 4, and 5 roads, and near 

communities and developed campgrounds. Human causes have accounted for the largest number of 

ignitions of wildfire for the past 37 years of fire history on the Smith River NRA 

(http://fsweb.sixrivers.r5.fs.fed.us/dispatch/) ; however, lightning occurs frequently throughout the forest, 

often with multiple ignitions from the same storm, and is responsible by far for the greatest number of 

acres burned for the past 37 years.

Table 1. Fire history by acres and cause, period 1978-2015

lightning human

acres frequency acres frequency

total avg. per year total avg. per year total avg. per year total avg. per year

78,932.85 2,133 156 4 3,199.95 86 367 10

Analysis Framework: Statute, Regulation, Forest Plan and Other Direction 

Direction relevant to the proposed action as it affects Fire and Fuels include:

1995 Six Rivers Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan):

The Six Rivers identifies the following standards and guidelines applicable to fire and fuels management, 

which are applied to all alternatives and will be considered during the analysis process:

Table 2. Forest Plan standards and guidelines for fire and fuels

Management Area 17 - General

Forest

IV-63 Wildfires will be suppressed. Management related fuels will be treated so as to be consistent with wildlife 

habitat needs as described in Forest-wide Standards and Guidelines.

Fire and Fuels Management/Chapter 4

Standard and Guideline

IV-117

14-1

All wildfires will receive a suppression response that is appropriate to meet the management area 

objectives. The response will be safe, timely, and cost efficient. 

IV-117

14-2

When properly equipped Forest Service engines and trained personnel are available, they will take fire 

suppression action to protect structures within the Forest’s area of responsibility for all reported fires that 

involve a threat to life or pose a threat to National Forest resources.
Index

Fire and Fuels Management/Chapter 4

Standard and Guideline

IV-117

14-3

Concentrations of fuels created by management activities will be reduced to acceptable levels and 

arrangements based on the site specific wildfire risk and the needs of other resources. The selected 

treatment methods should consider resource values and environmental limitations (for example, 

topography, accessibility) as well as costs. 

IV-117

14-4

Prescribed fire will be used in natural fuels treatment for various benefits including: a) enhancement of 

diversity in the structure and composition of plant communities; b) reduction of fire hazard; c) area 

enhancement for the production and protection of commercial timber yields; d) enhancement of the 

production of plants and other materials for Native American gathering; and e) enhancement of other 

resource outputs such as wildlife habitat, forage, and browse. 

IV-117

14-5

When prescriptions for timber, wildlife, and other resource management projects call for burning as a 

method of accomplishment, the risk of fire damage to adjacent resource and property values will be 

evaluated and plans developed to minimize negative impacts. 

IV-117

14-6

Naturally ignited fires may be managed as prescribed fires, as determined on a case-by-case basis 

through an assessment of hazard and risk and the direction found in the area specific fire management 

plan.

IV-117

14-7

Structural components such as snags, duff, and coarse woody debris should be protected from wildfire 

and suppression damage to the extent possible. Trees and snags should be felled only if they pose a 

threat to firefighter safety or contribute to the risk of wildfire spread.

IV-117

14-8

Those suppression actions which are likely to cause more damage to critical resources (for example, 

threatened and endangered plant or animal species,and their habitats) than the fire itself will be carefully 

evaluated and alternative actions considered. Resource management experts will be involved to evaluate 

potential suppression damage compared to potential wildfire damage. 

IV-117

14-9

Appropriate resource management experts will be included in developing project level hazard reduction 

plans. These plans should identify levels of coarse woody debris and snags (of adequate size and in 

sufficient amounts) to meet the habitat requirements of species of concern. Additionally, these plans 

must provide for the safety of firefighting personnel and produce a fuel profile that supports land 

allocation objectives. 

IV-117

14-10

Resource management activities should be designed and implemented so that the wildfire hazard level of 

the surrounding area is not increased to an unacceptable level. 

IV-117

14-11

For areas in the matrix that are located in the rural interface, fire management activities should be 

coordinated with local governments, agencies, and landowners during watershed analysis to identify 

additional factors which may affect hazard reduction goals. Hazard reduction may become more 

important in the rural interface and areas adjacent to structures, dwellings or other amenities. *(FSEIS 

ROD page C-48)

Forest Plan Forest Wide Desired Conditions

The forest wide desired future condition (DFC) is described on pages IV-2 through IV-4 in the Six Rivers 

National Forest Plan. The project area is represented by Management Area 7 (page IV-34): 

Management Area 7 - Smith River National Recreation Area:

The Smith River NRA was established in November of 1990, by SB 2566/HB4309. The Smith River 

NRA is managed under direction provided by eight management areas. The primary goals are to 

emphasize, protect, and enhance the unique biological diversity; anadromous fisheries; and the wild, 

scenic, and recreational potential of the Smith River while providing sustained yields of forest products. 

See Smith River NRA Plan (see Forest Plan Appendix A for additional information).

Goal 

Provide well-planned and well-executed fire protection and fuel management programs (including fire use 

through prescribed burning) that are responsive to land and resource management objectives. 
Direction 

Fire is a fundamentally important ecological process in most grassland, shrubland, and forest types in 

California. In fire-adapted ecosystems fire regulates biotic productivity and stability in ways that cannot 

be fully emulated by mechanical or chemical means. In the prolonged absence of fire, and aggravated by 

other disturbance factors, these fire-adapted forests and grasslands have undergone significant changes in 

species composition and structure. Intermediate canopy layers and higher ground fuel loadings have 

developed which allow ground fires to reach the crown more easily, making fires more difficult to control. 

Often more apparent during prolonged periods of drought, these changes have predisposed extensive 

areas to epidemic insect infestations, disease outbreaks, and severe stand replacing wildfires. Also, the 

growing urban/wildland intermix requires adjustments in strategies to protect life and property.

A programmatic diversity will be maintained in fire management, but efforts in prevention, suppression, 

hazard reduction, and fire rehabilitation will be aligned to more fully complement one another in support 

of ecosystem management. 

Application of prescribed fire for ecosystem maintenance and restoration, and for hazard reduction should 

vary in extent and frequency of application, and intensity of burning. The differences in applications 

should be related to the role of natural fire in specific landscapes, current ecosystem needs, and wildfire 

hazard analysis included in fire management planning efforts.

Forest Service Manual 5100-Fire Management-(Chapter 5140 Hazadous Fuels Managnent and Prescribed 

Fire)

Table 3. Emergency response route closer exemption

Title 36: Forests, Chapter 11: Forest Service, Part 261 Prohibition-subpart A, CFR 261.13- Motor Vehicle Use

261.13 After National Forest System roads, National Forest System trails, and areas on National Forest 

System lands have been designated pursuant to 36 CFR 212.51 on an administrative unit or a 

Ranger District of the National Forest System, and these designations have been identified on a 

motor vehicle use map, it is prohibited to possess or operate a motor vehicle on National Forest 

System lands in that administrative unit or Ranger District other than in accordance with those 

designations, provided that the following vehicles and uses are exempted from this prohibition:

(e) Use of any fire, military, emergency, or law enforcement vehicle for emergency purposes

Other Documents:

In 2005, the Del Norte County Fire Safe Council completed the Community Wildfire Protection Plan 

(CWPP). The specific purpose of the CWPP was to identify and prioritize projects to reduce wildfire risk 

through the implementation of fuel hazard reduction, community education, and pre-fire suppression in 

Del Norte County. The CWPP was developed using a collaborative process involving all local, tribal, 

state, and federal government agencies, fire protection districts, land owners, and interested publics. The 

CWPP identified risks and mitigations to reduce risks from wildfire in Del Norte County. Nine 

community meetings were held throughout the County to determine what the local fire safety issues were 

and to prioritize projects for agency and community action.

Affected Environment

Wildfires have contributed dramatically to the vegetative makeup of the Smith River Basin. Historical 

records, fire evidence, and studies in adjacent areas show that fires regularly occurred in this area with a 
Index

variety of fire frequencies and intensities. A certain degree of stand replacing, high intensity fires were a 

natural part of the Smith River NRA fire regime. Pre-settlement wildfires that were often large, stand 

replacing events, whose smoke could be seen far out to sea. Both wildfires and their exclusion through 

aggressive suppression affect plant and animal habitat, including stand structure, number of standing 

snags, amount of large woody debris, soil organic matter content, nutrient availability, and erosion hazard. 

The dramatic reduction in wildfire burn acreages over the last 80 years appears to have resulted in nonhistoric range of variability fuel profiles that are more continuous, both horizontally and vertically. Given 

this increased conifer density, future wildfires could become larger and more destructive than in the past. 

In the prolonged absence of fire, and aggravated by other disturbance factors, these fire-adapted forests 

and grasslands have undergone significant changes in species composition and structure. Intermediate 

canopy layers and higher ground fuel loadings have developed which allow ground fires to reach the 

crown more easily, making fires more difficult to control.

This fire frequency suggests developmental pathways for stand structures which are in marked contrast to 

the development of old growth/late seral Douglas-fir forests farther north (Oregon Cascades or coast). 

These differences carry important implications for patterns of regeneration, coarse woody debris 

accumulations, stand structure, species composition, as well as historical levels of smoke. Frequent lowto-moderate severity fire was one of the more important ecological processes in the Klamath Province as 

well as in the eastside and southern Cascades. The structure, composition, productivity and overall health 

and vigor of today's forests are the consequence of various types of human intervention, and this includes 

long-term fire exclusion. 

The absence of fire has decreased the abundance of some old-growth forest types that are dependent on 

frequent, low intensity fires. Substantial mortality is occurring on the Smith River NRA in knobcone pine, 

sugar pine, lodgepole pine, and Douglas-fir, creating large expanses of snag patches. Weather variations, 

whether related to long-term droughts or possible global warming trends, may also be increasing the 

number of dead trees and the amount of dead fuels. Also, topographic components of the NRA, that is, 

steep slopes, south-facing slopes, and funneling canyon winds from the dry interior, also contributes 

dramatically to the potential for high intensity wildfires. The NRA overall has large areas in the high to 

extreme fire hazard category. The extremely steep topography is a major component of this 

characterization. 

A current shift is taking place towards larger area (several hundreds of acres) understory fuel treatments to 

counteract the unintended fuels buildup that have resulted from several decades of aggressive 

suppression. The first large area understory burn for hazard reduction was carried out on the Smith River 

NRA in May 1994. Its shaded fuel break and adjacent understory burn included approximately 550 acres 

and was designed to protect the community of Gasquet from wildfires burning westward through the 

Middle Fork Smith River canyon. Since then several other fuel breaks have been planned and constructed 

in strategic locations around communities within the District boundary (See project specifics in Appendix 

C). Approximately 3,100 acres of fuels reduction treatments around communities have been completed 

with an additional 1819 acres of the Big Flat Vegetation Management and Fuels Reduction Project 

currently being implemented. The Gordon Hill Vegetation Management and Fuels Reduction Project just

finished the planning stage and soon will start the implementation phase, it proposes fuels 

reduction/restoration on 2749 acres. Fuel treatments are being planned and implemented on the Smith 

River NRA to help restore the natural fire cycle by use of prescribed burning.
Effects Analysis Methodology

Assumptions Specific to the Fire and Fuels Analysis

The criteria used to identify roads that provide necessary access for fire suppression activities and fuel 

treatment areas is listed in Appendix H.

No major ridge top or main access roads (ML 3, 4, or 5) on the NFTS roads are proposed to be 

decommissioned from the NFTS, or downgraded to maintenance level 1in this project. 

Each road was given a high, medium, or low rating for one or more of the evaluation criteria. An overall 

rating was based upon the answers from Appendix H questions and staff knowledge of the District's 

current and future fire suppression and fuels treatment programs. 

Each alternative in the project was analyzed for its ability to provide access for fire suppression and fuels 

management using the identified high fire need road system under this analysis (ML 1, 2, and UARs). 

Approximately 207 miles have been identified as high fire need roads/routes.

The results of the analysis show the high priority fire roads and UARs proposed to be downgraded, 

decommissioned, or restored (UARs), and designated or upgraded on the NFTS.

ML2 roads are important roads for fire access and make up the majority of roads identified in the high 

priority fire needs. 

ML1 roads are closed to vehicle use year-round, and are generally roads that currently have limited 

feasible fire access due to road failures, vegetation encroachment, or other resource/access issues. 

Therefore, these roads would need improvements to meet accessibility needs for fire or fuels 

management. 

Miles of road downgraded to ML 1 are analyzed in this proposal as a loss in access. 

Motorized trails could need improvements to meet accessibility needs for fire or fuels management.

Roads do create access that could increase human caused fires, but roads also decrease initial attack 

response times.

Data Sources

Forest-level GIS /Spatial data sources used for this analysis are listed in Error! Reference source not 

found..

Table 4. Spatial data used for the analysis and a brief description of each data set

Spatial Data

Layer Name Description

SRF_Fire History2010-Layer Smith River NRA Fire History

WUI_Srf_hoopa_uk-Layer

Srf_Library_NRA.DBO.CommunitiesAtRisk

WUIs and Communities at high risk of 

wildland fire

RickNeed_join_PA_with_UAR_NewBoundary_732013-Table Layer Fire and Fuels Administrative Needs 

BasicOwnership Private Land Ownership

SRNRA_Fuels_Treatments Current and future fuels treatment areas

Watersources_SRF Watersources used for fire suppression 

efforts

Alternative_1_UAR_Final_062620154

Alternative_1, 4, 5, 6_NFTS_Final_06262015 Alternative 1 routes
Index

Spatial Data

Layer Name Description

Alternative_4_Final_06262015 Alternative 4 routes

Alternative_5_Final_06262015 Alternative 5 routes

Alternative_6_Final_06262015 Alternative 6 routes

Site-specific personal knowledge of agency fire and fuels specialist was used where Forest-level data 

were not current or not available.

Direct and Indirect Effects of Actions Analyzed in Each Alternative

Indicator

Total miles by Alternative to be designated or maintained on the NFTS as maintenance level 1, 2, or 

UARs that are identified as part of the High Priority Fire Road System.

Discussion: Roads provide access not only for accomplishing the suppression side of fire, allowing rapid 

response and safe deployment of firefighting resources, but also for fuels treatment to prevent 

catastrophic fire. Roads can be an impediment to fire spread at low fire intensity levels by acting as fuel 

breaks, which can aid in fuel treatments and suppression efforts; and act as anchor points and escape 

routes for fire personnel. Generally speaking, the more heavily traveled roads with wider un-vegetated 

prisms provide the greatest assistance as fire breaks for fire suppression efforts. Roads provide a means 

for efficiently and safely transporting firefighters, materials and equipment. 

Recent fire records show human caused fires tend to cluster along major highways, county roads, ML 3, 

4, and 5 roads, and near communities and developed campgrounds. Human causes have accounted for the 

largest number of ignitions of wildfire for the past 37 years of fire history on the Smith River NRA 

(http://fsweb.sixrivers.r5.fs.fed.us/dispatch/) ; however, lightning occurs frequently throughout the forest, 

often with multiple ignitions from the same storm, and is responsible by far for the greatest number of 

acres burned for the past 34 years. 

Roads do create access that could increase human caused fires, but roads also decrease initial attack 

response times. Roads represent escape routes for firefighters engaged in fire suppression and access for 

hazardous fuels reduction work. Communities and other private landowners depend on the Forest Service 

for wildland fire suppression services. The road network in support of these private parcels will assist 

efforts to protect private lands and structures. In the event of an emergency (i.e. fire suppression, search 

and rescue, or law enforcement action, etc.), access for emergency responders shall be exempted from 

prohibition which officially closes routes (whether it is designated on the transportation system or not). 

(See 36 CFR 261.13). 

Roads serve as escape routes for area residents in the case of emergency evacuations. The CWPP states 

that a first priority for defensibility of communities at high risk of wildland fire is to create strategically 

located shaded fuel breaks utilizing major road systems and ridge tops around the communities. No major 

ridge top (ML 3, 4, or 5) roads are proposed to be decommissioned from the NFTS or downgraded to 

maintenance level 1in this project.

In 2005, the Smith River NRA published its Roads Analysis and Off-Highway Vehicle Strategy (RAP). 

During this process roads/routes were analyzed and deemed either high, medium, or low based on fire 
management and fuels treatment needs. Routes were identified that provided necessary access for fire 

suppression activities and fuels treatment opportunities. 

The RAP identified key questions and issues affecting road-related management on the Forest. Each team 

member used resource-specific evaluation criteria that had been developed to determine risk and/or need 

of each ML 1, 2 and unauthorized road/route. Fire and Fuels was considered an administrative need in this 

process. 

Every ML1 and ML2 road and inventoried unauthorized route on the NRA was evaluated for current or 

future fuels management or fire suppression need. Each road was given a high, medium, or low rating 

using the evaluation criteria based on the following: primary purpose of the road, road accesses existing 

or proposed developments for suppression efforts, road provide access to or serve as a control line for 

residential areas, road provide access to areas requiring fuel treatments, and does the road serve or will it 

serve as an established fuelbreak. The evaluation included such factors as cost efficiency (quicker, easier 

access), fire-fighter safety, difficulty of the terrain, etc. Duplicate-access roads/routes were not identified 

as high fire need roads/routes.

Findings from the 2005 Smith River RAP, identified approximately 207 miles of ML 1, 2 roads and 

UARS as high need fire roads/routes to be designated on or kept on the NFTS. ML 3, 4 and 5 provide an 

additional 151 miles of access that will not be changed or modified under this action.

After reviewing the spring 2001 issue of Fire Management provided during the scoping comment period, 

we found that the issues raised in the article were similar to the criteria used by the NRA fire personnel to 

evaluate the road system, which led to the proposed action of removing routes/miles of road across on the 

District (See Appendix H for criteria used to select High Fire Need Routes/Roads.) All roads/routes were 

evaluated, while keeping in mind not all roads are needed to effectively suppress wildland fires and fire 

managers do not need all roads to complete hazardous fuels reduction work.

The routes identified as being needed will help firefighting efforts by having fuel breaks already in place, 

when suppression efforts are needed (fuel breaks have proven to be an effective tool on the NRA during 

the 1996 Panther Fire and on the Six Rivers National Forest during the 1999 Megram Fire (Jimerson and 

Jones 2000)). These breaks will provide a safer means for managing prescribed fire by reducing risk of an 

escape and permit the efficient re-introduction of fire into the ecosystem. 

Although some authors such as Inglesbee question the use of fuels breaks in the article Fuel breaks for 

Wildland Fire Management: A Moat or a Drawbridge for Ecosystem Fire Restoration, others have found 

that fuel breaks have been effective (Agee and Skinner 2005, Jimerson and Jones 2000) including fuel 

breaks constructed on Six Rivers. Agee (2000) concluded that “a well-designed fuel break will alter the 

behavior of wildland fire entering the fuel-altered zone. Both surface and crown fire behavior may be 

reduced. Shaded fuel breaks must be created in the context of the landscape within which they are placed. 

Landscape-level treatments such as prescribed fire can use shaded fuel breaks as anchor points, and 

extend the zone of altered fire behavior to larger proportions of the landscape. Therefore, reducing surface 

fuels, increasing the height to the live crown base, and opening canopies should result in (a) lower fire 

intensity, (b) less probability of torching, and (c) lower probability of independent crown fire.” Fuel 

treatments are being planned and implemented on the Smith River NRA to help restore the natural fire 

cycle by use of prescribed burning.
Index

Environmental Consequences

Direct and Indirect Effects

Indicators=Total miles of the High Priority Fire Road System by Alternative to be designated or 

maintained on the NFTS.

Alternative 1, No Action

This alternative would maintain existing NFTS roads identified as High Fire Priority Roads, but will not 

designate any high fire need UARs (approximately 12.42 miles) to the system or upgrade (improve 

accessibility) any existing system road. 

As stated above, roads provide access not only for accomplishing the suppression side of fire 

management, allowing rapid response and safe deployment of firefighting resources, but also for fuels 

treatment to prevent catastrophic fire. 

No major ridge top (ML 3, 4, or 5) roads are proposed to be decommissioned from the NFTS or 

downgraded to maintenance level 1.

Although CFR 261.13 allows any road/route to be opened in emergency situations, rapid response to a 

fire could be hampered by lower accessibility of the roads/routes (i.e. poor drivability). Fire size and costs 

may increase if access is delayed. 

Technically the No Action Alternative appears to be the best option for fire access; however, this 

alternative will not designate high fire need UARs or upgrade existing roads. NTFS roads under the No 

Action Alternative would continue to have limited access due to their current condition (i.e. failures, 

and/or veg. encroachment) without stormproofing.

Alternative 4

This alternative would reduce miles of High Fire Priority Road System by the decommissioning of 5.93 

miles of high fire priority roads, downgrading of 11.40 miles of road to level 1, and the restoration of 

drainage patterns on UARs on 1.02 miles. 

Lower Fire Priority roads/routes proposed to be added/upgraded will also provide access for fire and fuels 

management.

Approximately 188.65miles or 91 percent of the High Priority Fire Need System roads will be part of the 

NFTS under this alternative.

Alternative 5

This alternative would reduce miles of High Fire Priority Road System by the decommissioning 52.09 

miles of high fire priority roads, downgrading of 37.31 miles of roads to maintenance level 1, and 

restoring drainage patterns on UARs on 4.09 miles. 

Lower Fire Priority roads/routes proposed to be designated/upgraded could also provide access for fire 

and fuels management.

Approximately 113.51 miles or 55 percent of the High Priority Fire Need System roads will be on the 

NFTS under this alternative.
Alternative 6

This alternative would reduce miles of High Fire Priority Road System by the decommissioning 5.94 

miles of high priority fire system roads, downgrading of 13.51 miles of roads to level 1, and restoring 

drainage patterns on UARs on 1.02 miles.

Lower Fire Priority roads/routes proposed to be added/upgraded could also provide access for fire and 

fuels management. 

Approximately, 186.53 or 90 percent miles of the High Priority Fire Need System roads will be on the 

NFTS under this alternative.

Cumulative Effects for All Alternatives

Fire regime condition classes on the Smith River NRA have been altered by fire suppression, logging, 

mining, and wildfire occurrence. A fire regime is the temporal and spatial pattern of fire occurrence and 

effects, typically described by fire return interval, seasonality, frequency, and severity. The natural fire 

regime condition class of the area is generally comprised of frequent low intensity surface events ('ground 

cleaning' or litter burning events with little tree mortality) with infrequent high intensity events (which 

produced patches of overstory mortality).

Aggressive suppression activity over the last 80 years has resulted in unnatural fuel profiles that are more 

continuous, both horizontally and vertically. Given this increased fuel loading, future wildfires have 

become larger and more destructive than in the past. Weather variations, whether related to long-term 

droughts or possible climate change trends, have also increase the number of dead trees and the amount of 

available dead fuels.

Several fuels reduction projects (fuel breaks) are being planned and have been implemented in strategic 

locations around communities within the District boundary (See SRNRA cumulative effects project list). 

The goal of Smith River NRA vegetation and fuels management projects (See project specifics in 

Appendix C) are to create conditions for fire resilient/resistant forests and attempts to return fire to its 

natural place in the environment. Post-treatment, potential fire behavior would decrease and fire 

suppression effectiveness would increase. There would likely be less potential impacts to private property. 

Over time, associated cost of fighting fire (within the project areas) will decrease as the effectiveness of 

the fuels reduction aide in keeping unwanted fires small. 

Roads provide administrative access not only for accomplishing the suppression side of fire, allowing 

rapid response and safe deployment of firefighting resources, but also for fuels treatment to prevent 

catastrophic fire. Each alternative in the project was analyzed for its ability to provide access for fire 

suppression and fuels management using the identified high fire need road system under this analysis.

Summary of Effects Analysis for All Alternatives

The No Action Alternative appears to provide the greatest amount of high priority fire access when 

compared to the other alternatives; even though this alternative will not designate high fire need UARs or 

upgrade existing roads. NFTS roads under the No Action Alternative would continue to have limited 

access due to their current condition (i.e. potential for failures) without stormproofing.
Index

A comparison of high fire need roads by alternative show that there is no significant difference 

concerning access for fire suppression activities and fuel treatment areas in Alternatives 4 or 6. 

Implementing Alternatives 4 or 6 would provide sufficient access for fire suppression and fuels treatment 

activities. 

Alternative 5 reduces access for fire and fuels management the most; and has the greatest negative impact 

on rapid response and safe deployment of firefighting resources, and fuels treatment opportunities into the 

future. 

Table 5. High fire need roads on the NFTS by alternative

Alternative 

Comparison/

Indicator Table

Alternative1

No Action Alternative 4 Alternative 5 Alternative 6

Percent 

Total Miles of 

high fire need 

Roads by 

Alternativea

94%

194.6 milesNo additions or 

upgradesb

91%

188.65 miles

55%

113.51 miles

90%

186.53 miles

(Indicator Table=Total miles/percent of the High Priority Fire Road System by Alternative to be designated or maintained 

on the NFTS .)

 - 207 miles of roads were identified as high need for fire suppression access and fuels treatment projects and compared 

to proposal for each alternative.

 - Alternative 1, does not allow for additions or upgrades to the NFTS.

Ranking for fire and fuels access by alternatives are as follows:

1-5 (1 being low fire/fuels treatment access and 4 being most fire/fuels access by alternatives)

Table 6. Alternative ranking comparison

Alternative 

Ranking

Alternative 1

No Action Alternative 4 Alternative 5 Alternative 6

1-5

Miles of high 

fire need 

routes/roads 

to be added

4

a 3 1 2

 - The No Action Alternative 1 appears to be the best option for fire access, when actually this alternative will not add high 

fire need routes or upgrade existing roads/routes. NTFS roads under the No Action Alternative would continue to have 

limited access due to their current condition (i.e. failures, and/or veg. encroachment) without stormproofing.

Roads provide access not only for accomplishing the suppression side of fire management, allowing rapid 

response and safe deployment of firefighting resources, and also for fuels treatment to prevent 

catastrophic fire. No major ridge top or main access (3, 4, or 5 ML) NFTS roads are proposed to be 

decommissioned or downgraded to level 1 in this project. 
Alternative 1 (No Action)-appears to be the best option for fire access, when actually this alternative will 

not add high fire need routes or upgrade existing roads/routes. NTFS roads under the No Action 

Alternative would continue to have limited access due to their current condition (i.e. failures, and/or veg. 

encroachment) without stormproofing.

Alternatives 4 and 6 maintain at least 90 percent of the high fire priority roads, which will provide 

sufficient access for fire and fuels management needs into the future. These two alternatives best meet 

standards and guidelines applicable to fire and fuels management needs (See above Analysis Framework: 

Statute, Regulation, Forest Plan and Other Direction) for compliance.

Alternative 5 maintains 55 percent of the high fire priority roads which may result in longer response 

times, larger fires, and higher suppression costs. Roads can be an impediment to fire spread at low fire 

intensity levels by acting as fuel breaks, which can aide in fuel treatments and suppression efforts; and act 

as anchor points and escape routes for fire personnel.