Highway 385, which can be seen in the distance, was supposed to be the boundary of the prescribed fire. Only the land on the far side of the highway was planned to burn.
These photos were taken by Bill Gabbert in the area burned when the April 13 Cold Brook prescribed fire escaped in Wind Cave National Park. In each pair of pictures, the first was taken on April 19, 6 days after the fire, and the next was taken on May 22, 39 days after the fire.
Looking east from the planned burn area to Highway 385 which did not serve as an adequate fire line under the conditions that day.
After working full time in wildland fire for 33 years, he continues to learn, and strives to be a Student of Fire.
View all posts by Bill Gabbert
8 thoughts on “Comparison photos, 6 days and 39 days after escaped prescribed fire”
Well that series of pictures shows what can only be called an unqualified success. If only we had the collective will to increase the treated areas (by a factor of 100).
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Perhaps you could share these photos of the “wildfire damage” with Sen. Thune and Sec. Jewell before they overreact with silly legislation or policy changes. We have enough rules, just need to be more aware of weather forecasts. Not blaming, just saying, the rest of us have to live with the fallout too.
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The Wyoming issue is about citizens collecting data about the environment and sharing it with those evil federals….
Is there a new natural resources law in Wyoming that Joe Citizen doesn’t know about that has been enacted?
If that is, there’s alot of people running around, making new rules, with little else to do…….
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It’s a good thing the fire was in South Dakota. Those photos would be illegal in Wyoming now.
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Point taken… but the foresters in some of us might say… too frequent fire return intervals… keeping the trees out of areas that have been “type converted” to grasslands….. Climate is all eb and flow..
We have only been here a short time… how the heck do we know what “right” looks like?
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In many cases a management objective is not to recreate “right” or “natural” or pre-settlement conditions, even in National Parks. For example, at Wind Cave NP an important objective is to maintain a habitat conducive to raising the genetically pure bison that have been there 102 years, since they were reintroduced in 1913. If too many of the prairie areas are invaded by pines, there will not be enough grass for the bison. Prescribed fire has been used there for about five decades to help control pine encroachment.
However, it would be interesting to know what Wind Cave NP would look like now if fire had been allowed to play its natural role there for the last 120 years unencumbered by suppression.
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Before white man this was ops normal. We have to feed the critters that in turn feed us. Fire has a role in every eco-system. Don’t understand the whining involved, every prescribed fire has the potential to be lost. In this case like most all others that were lost it did more good than harm. Even though this was a mishap myself and the bison say good job! Thanks for the chow!
Well that series of pictures shows what can only be called an unqualified success. If only we had the collective will to increase the treated areas (by a factor of 100).
Perhaps you could share these photos of the “wildfire damage” with Sen. Thune and Sec. Jewell before they overreact with silly legislation or policy changes. We have enough rules, just need to be more aware of weather forecasts. Not blaming, just saying, the rest of us have to live with the fallout too.
The Wyoming issue is about citizens collecting data about the environment and sharing it with those evil federals….
http://abcnews.go.com/US/taking-photograph-faithful-summer-land-jail/story?id=31134562
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2015/05/wyoming_law_against_data_collection_protecting_ranchers_by_ignoring_the.html
http://www.wyofile.com/blog/critics-say-wyoming-data-trespassing-law-criminalizes-science/
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/05/15/legal-exposure-wyoming-law-could-mean-jail-for-sunset-picture-claims-critic/
Am I missing something?
Is there a new natural resources law in Wyoming that Joe Citizen doesn’t know about that has been enacted?
If that is, there’s alot of people running around, making new rules, with little else to do…….
It’s a good thing the fire was in South Dakota. Those photos would be illegal in Wyoming now.
Point taken… but the foresters in some of us might say… too frequent fire return intervals… keeping the trees out of areas that have been “type converted” to grasslands….. Climate is all eb and flow..
We have only been here a short time… how the heck do we know what “right” looks like?
In many cases a management objective is not to recreate “right” or “natural” or pre-settlement conditions, even in National Parks. For example, at Wind Cave NP an important objective is to maintain a habitat conducive to raising the genetically pure bison that have been there 102 years, since they were reintroduced in 1913. If too many of the prairie areas are invaded by pines, there will not be enough grass for the bison. Prescribed fire has been used there for about five decades to help control pine encroachment.
However, it would be interesting to know what Wind Cave NP would look like now if fire had been allowed to play its natural role there for the last 120 years unencumbered by suppression.
Before white man this was ops normal. We have to feed the critters that in turn feed us. Fire has a role in every eco-system. Don’t understand the whining involved, every prescribed fire has the potential to be lost. In this case like most all others that were lost it did more good than harm. Even though this was a mishap myself and the bison say good job! Thanks for the chow!