Forest Service BAER Team Begins Burro Post-Fire Assessment

Release Date: Jul 20, 2018

A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team was recently established by the San Juan National Forest to begin its burned area survey of the Burro Fire that recently burned on private, and federal land. BAER team surveys are rapid assessments of the burned area that evaluate the burned watersheds and determine the potential for increased post-fire flooding, sediment flows, and rock slides.

BAER teams consist of scientists and specialists including hydrologists, geologists, soil scientists, road engineers, botanists, biologists, and archeologists from federal and state agencies. BAER teams work together during the burned area surveys, field data analysis and modeling phase, to present their findings along with recommended BAER emergency stabilization treatments to the Forest Supervisor.

BAER teams analyze the data they collect during the surveys, to produce a “Soil Burn Severity” map. This is the first step in assessing potential watershed impacts from wildfires to any downstream values that may be at-risk from potential increased flooding, sedimentation, debris flows, and rock slides. BAER teams produce a report that includes a description of the assessment and findings for the burned area’s post-fire conditions along with recommended emergency stabilization measures and actions. BAER emergency stabilization efforts are focused on the protection of human life, safety and property, as well as critical cultural and natural resource values such as the water quality of lakes, and streams.

BAER reports are also shared with interagency cooperators who work with downstream private home and land owners to prepare for potential post-fire flooding and sediment flow impacts.
The Burro BAER assessment team anticipates that it will take approximately two weeks to complete their burn area assessment report that will be reviewed by the San Juan National Forest Supervisor and approved by the Regional Forester for the Rocky Mountain Region.

SPECIAL NOTE: Everyone near and downstream from the burned areas should remain alert and stay updated on weather conditions that may result in heavy rains over the burn scars. Flash flooding may occur quickly during heavy rain events. Current weather and emergency notifications can be found at the National Weather Service website: www.weather.gov/pub/.
Rocky Mountain Region 2018 Post-Fire BAER Assessment information is available at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5928/.