BSF NRRA Fire Management Plan
Environmental Assessment Open For Public Comment
Big South Fork NRRA proposes to update and improve the current Fire Management Plan to ensure compliance with recent changes to National Park Service (NPS) fire management guidance. Fire management policy has evolved since the last Fire Management Plan EA was prepared. The purpose of this planning effort is to effectively manage fire to accomplish the following goals:
§ Protect human life, communities, and resources from the adverse effects of wildfire without compromising safety;
§ Use fire in a manner that maintains a healthy and sustainable ecosystem;
§ Use prescribed fire as a tool to manage vegetation within Big South Fork NRRA boundaries, and where acceptable, across NPS boundaries to attain resource management objectives;
§ Integrate fire as a natural process into the park's ecosystem to the fullest extent possible;
§ Reduce the frequency of unplanned human-caused ignitions by implementing an aggressive fire prevention program;
§ Promote public understanding of fire management programs and objectives;
§ Manage prescribed and wildland fires in concert with federal, state, and local air quality regulations to protect the air quality of the local and adjacent air sheds.
The public scoping period for this EA will is open and will extend through September 15, 2011. Written comments should be postmarked no later than September 15, 2011. Comments may be submitted by mail, fax, email, or through the Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) commenting system. Comments may be submitted to:
Superintendent
Attn: Fire Management Plan Environmental Assessment
Big
Phone: 423.569.9778; Fax: 423.569.5505
Email: biso_superintendent@nps.gov
Visit us online at: PEPC (Planning, Environment, and Public Comment).
Access the site at www.parkplanning.nps.gov/biso.