U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORBUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
 
Print Page

 

 

Murphy Complex and More
Large Wildland Fires - A Burning Issue

Close up of intense wildfire burning in sage steppe

 
BLM Twin Falls District 
in partnership with 
the Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission 
May 12 - 14, 2009
Twin Falls

During the past few years, large wildland fires have occurred across south-central Idaho, particularly on public lands in the BLM Twin Falls District. Within the Jarbidge Field Office (JFO) these fires have burned hundreds of thousands of Idaho rangelands.

The workshop explored how land managers and researchers are responding to the challenges these fires create and provided information on coping with their effects.

Tuesday, May 12

A small-size fire interval map shows the frequency of wildfire on lands in the Jarbidge Field Office since 1958. Areas burned by the Clover, Sailor Cap, and Murphy Complex Fires are outlined. SPEAKERS included:

Tom Dyer                             State Director, BLM Idaho State Office

Rick Vander Voet                 Field Manager, BLM Jarbidge Field Office
Danelle Nance                     Natural Resource Specialist, BLM Shoshone Field Office

Chris Simonson                   Fire Management Officer, BLM Twin Falls District

Jenifer Arnold                      District Manager (Acting), BLM Twin Falls District

Karen Launchbaugh            Associate Professor, University of Idaho 
                                           Dept. of Rangeland Ecology and Management

Mike Pellant                        Coordinator, BLM Great Basin Restoration Initiative

Bruce Wylie                         Research Physical Scientist, U.S. Geological Survey

Troy Wirth                           Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey

Celia Gould & Cal Groen      Idaho state government - Idaho Fire Coordination Committee

At right: A fire return interval map shows fire frequency in the JFO since 1958.  Lands within the green perimeter burned in the 2005 Clover Fire.  Those outlined in yellow were burned in the Sailor Cap Fire in 2006, and lands within the brown perimeters were part of the Murphy Complex Fires of 2007.  Click on the image for a larger view.

Wednesday, May 13

Field tour route mapConference participants toured portions of the three fires to see real-life applications of information shared on Tuesday and locations of ongoing fire-related research projects in the JFO. 

The tour stopped at a site that was drill-seeded as part of emergency stabilization and rehabilitation (ES&R) following the Clover Fire and which the BLM continues to monitor.  The site burned again in the Murphy Complex Fires and was aerially seeded in 2008 with Wyoming big sagebrush. (Stop #2 on map)

Stops at sites within the Sailor Cap and Murphy Complex perimeters illustrated the criteria the BLM uses to determine when livestock grazing may resume on burned lands.  (Stops #3 & #8)

Intact sagebrush communities at other stops showed native conditions in areas outside fire perimeters. (Stop #4)

The University of Idaho is monitoring erosion throughout the Murphy Complex.  Many areas burned in the Murphy fires experienced severe vegetation mortality rates, and with little or no vegetation cover, such areas can experience equally severe erosion. (Stop #6)

               Participants in the Murphy & More conference examine vegetation at one of the field tour stops on rangeland in the BLM Jarbidge Field Office.  Intact sagebrush on rangeland in the Jarbidge Field Office.  Field tour participants listen to Beth Newingham of the University of Idaho describe research on erosion in the Murphy Complex.

 
Last updated: 06-08-2009