System. The Kenai NWR encompasses approximately 1.98 million acres of diverse landscapes and habitats: from the Harding Icefield and the 6000’ Kenai Mountains west to the glacial moraines, pothole lakes, forests and wetlands of the Kenai Lowlands, and south from the Turnagain Arm of Cook Inlet to Kachemak Bay. About two-thirds of the Refuge (1.3 million acres) is designated as wilderness in three distinct units: the Dave Spencer Wilderness (187,279 acres), the Mystery Creek Wilderness (46,086 acres), and the Andrew Simons Wilderness (1,087,434 acres). Figure 1 - Kenai NWR Location Lands adjacent to the Kenai NWR are managed or owned by the Chugach National Forest, Kenai Fjords National Park, the State of Alaska, the Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska Native corporations, and private individuals. Most of the eastern boundary of the Refuge borders Forest
will be applied in Alaska, where numerous species depend on fire and where many naturally occurring, landscape-scale fires are allowed to burn if they do not threaten life or property. In the absence of specific guidelines regarding fire management and climate change, fire management planning will continue to be based on guidance provided in refuge CCPs and associated step-down plans, ANILCA, and evolving scientific data. Activities will be coordinated with Landscape Conservation Cooperatives and the regional Inventory and Monitoring Program when appropriate. Monitoring of fire effects and participation in research efforts will better inform management decisions in the face of climate change. 2.0 POLICY, LAND MANAGEMENT PLANNING AND PARTNERSHIPS 2.1 Federal Interagency Wildland Fire Policy This FMP meets the Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy by implementing and following these guiding principles: Firefighter and public safety is the first priority in every fire management activity. The role of wildland fire as an essential ecological process and natural change agent has been incorporated into the planning process. Federal agency land and resource management plans set the objectives for the use and desired future condition of the various public lands. Fire management plans, programs, and activities support land and resource management plans and their implementation. Sound risk management is a foundation for all fire management activities. Risks and uncertainties relating to fire management activities must be understood, analyzed, communicated, and managed as they relate to the cost of either doing or not doing an activity. Fire management programs and activities are economically viable, based upon values to be protected, costs, and land and resource management objectives. Fire management plans and activities are based upon the best available science. Fire management plans and activities incorporate public health and environmental quality considerations. Federal, State, tribal, local, interagency, and international coordination and cooperation are essential. Standardization of policies and procedures among federal agencies is an ongoing objective. In addition, the following guidelines from Guidance for Implementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy (February 2009) are considered in order to provide consistent implementation of federal wildland fire policy: Wildland fire management agencies will use common standards for all aspects of their fire management programs to facilitate effective collaboration among cooperating agencies.
E – CWPP Base Maps F – Refuge Fire History G – Fuel Model Crosswalk AWFCG (condensed) H – Refuge Fire Management Organization Chart I – Refuge Dispatch Plan J – Refuge Fire Management Preparedness Plan K – Delegation of Authority for Refuge Fire Management Officer L – Kenai NWR Staffing and Availability Report M – MIST Guidelines for the Kenai NWR N – Sample Delegation of Authority to Incident Commander O – Burned Area Rehabilitation (BAR) Contacts P – Kenai NWR Five-Year Hazardous Fuels Treatment Plan Q – Kenai Refuge Wildfire Prevention and Outreach Plan R – Refuge Wildfire and Hazard Fuels Mitigation Monitoring Plan S – Fire Ecology and Fire Regime Shift due to Climate Change