Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER)

While many wildfires cause little damage to the land and pose few threats to critical values, some fires create situations that require special efforts to prevent further problems after the fire. Loss of vegetation exposes soil to erosion; runoff may increase and cause flooding, sediments may move downstream and damage roads and infrastructure, and put endangered species and cultural resources at risk. The Forest Service Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) program addresses these situations on Forest Service lands with the goal of guarding the safety of Forest visitors and employees and protecting Federal property, and critical natural or cultural resources from further damage after the fire is out. Information collected by the Forest Service BAER teams is shared with other Federal, State and local emergency response agencies so they can provide assistance to communities and private land owners who may also be affected by potential post-fire damage.

Resources and Information

• National USFS BAER website
• Wildfire: A Resource Guide for Individuals
• ​Utah Interagency Post-Fire Team  

Utah’s Post‐Wildfire Team is comprised of State and Federal agency representatives working together to support communities impacted by wildfire. When a large event affects an entire community, Utah’s Post‐Wildfire Team will mobilize to meet with and advise community leaders and emergency managers and host public meetings to educate the community about post‐wildfire hazards and recovery strategies. Additional assistance from community volunteers and local organizations like churches, non‐profits, and business may also be available.