Hazard Tree Safety

1. Hazard Tree Safety “Up The Ante”and “An Interactive Study”

2. Presented To:International Wildland Firefighter Safety Summit Toronto, Ontario November 18, 2003 Paul Chamberlin Interagency Fire Operations Safety Aerial Fire Depot Missoula, Montana

3. Recent Events • Bitterroot National Forest • Kentucky, Plumas Hotshot • Missionary Ridge Fire • Inyo National Forest • Helena Hot Shot- 30 Mile Fire • 2001 Northern Rockies, 3 trees hit 4 people in 6weeks • 2003 Broken ankle, broken neck, and one tree injured 3 people • Several other injuries and many close calls nationwide

4. In the Northern Rockies, these situations were well managed

5. In the Northern Rockies, these situations were well managed • Experienced and dedicated supervisors • Crews well briefed • Were looking for snags • The snags involved were just missed!

6. Even when properly managed, we are still having problems

7. Even when properly managed, we are still having problems -Forest health issues are not soon going away -We have hundreds of thousands of acres of burned forests

8. Even when properly managed, we are still having problems -Therefore what we are doing is inadequate -We must ‘Up The Ante’ for snag and hazard tree safety

9. Guiding Thoughts • Driving along parked cars • Drifting into the oncoming lane • We recognize indicators with ingrained knowledge • We need a tool chest full of mitigations

10. Guiding Thoughts • Query the Workforce • Consolidate Their Ideas • Get the Word Out

11. “Up the Ante” a Process • Each Unit to review existing rules and guidelines. • Each individual ‘Gut Check’ • Group ‘Brainstorm’ new ideas • E-mail findings to central address • At each unit, prepare a Tree Hazards briefing for incoming resources.

12. Getting There- a Process • Line officers to demonstrate strong, visible and active leadership • Achieve employee focus and buy-in • 2 hour sessions on each unit • Product of each session gathered centrally • Ideas and suggestions gleaned for common threads and new ideas

13. Program Goals • All functions • Trails • Fire • Timber • Researchers • Engineers • Contractors • Public

14. Program Goals • All functions • Raised Awareness, Mental Engagement, Ownership, Buy-in, Strong Leadership • Well known indicators of tree structural defects • Effective mitigations throughout • Reinvigorate 1993 National Snag Hazard Report

15. Current Status • NWCG FAST 2002 National Emphasis Topic • Northern Rockies OSHA Mitigation • R-1 Safety and Health Leadership Team annual emphasis topic • NRCG says go • USFS National Fire Safety Council support for all USFS fire folks

16. Success is achieved when: • Wise, concise, and achievable concepts become part of the culture

17. Success is achieved when: • Wise, concise, and achievable concepts become part of the culture • These concepts become regular briefing elements and are found in common language, in manuals and guidebooks

18. Success is achieved when: • Wise, concise, and achievable concepts become part of the culture • These concepts become regular briefing elements and are found in common language, in manuals and guidebooks • Conscious and deliberate procedures and behaviors end tragic hazard tree accidents

19. Find “Up the Ante” and “Interactive Study” on the Internet • www.fs.fed.us/r1/forest_range/hazard_trees/home.htm

20. Find “Up the Ante” and “Interactive Study” on the Internet • “Up the Ante” overview / instructions • Winter 2003 Progress Report • “Hazard Trees- An Interactive Study” • 1993 National Snag Hazard Report • A Growing Library for Tree Hazards

21. “An Interactive Study”Combines: + Findings from “Up the Ante” + Kim Johnson’s “Potential Green Tree Hazards” + Interdisciplinary Committee

22. Hazard Tree Awareness An Interactive Study of Hazard Tree Indicators

23. Hazard Tree Awareness Presented with a sincere concern for your safety, by Northern Rockies Federal Land Management Agencies.

24. Interactive Discussion Throughout this program, discuss each example as a risk to: • Someone walking or driving by. • A short term camp or work site. • A permanent camp site, or facility.

25. Interactive Discussion Throughout this program, discuss each example as a risk to: Someone walking or driving by. A short term camp or work site. A permanent camp site, or facility. • Where a significant risk exists: • Describe appropriate options. • Describe events that will change the risk level.

26. Tree Basics • Anything that causes stress on a tree will weaken it. • Tree Stresses are Cumulative and Inter-related. • The structural integrity of a tree is affected when these stresses result in damage and or decay. • Very elementary – the scientific names of insects and disease agents are not needed.

27. Objective:Looking for the Indicators Indicators of tree structural issues Changing conditions and changing risk levels. Assessment tools to help ascertain risk.

28. Objective:Looking for the Indicators in the Crown, on the Bole, at the Roots and Tree Base, and Changing Conditions.

29. Structural Characteristics observed in the Crown.Dead TopsBroken TopsFire DamageForksDefective and Hanging LimbsLeaning TreesCrown Indicators of Root DefectLoss of needles / leaves, thinning crowns Discolorationstress cone / seed crop Crown Indicators I N D I C A T O R S Bole Indicators • Indicators of Butt, Stem and Bole Defects: • Decay • Swelling • Cracks and Splits • Fire Scars • Burned out bole Root and Tree Base Indicators • Observed at the base of the tree • Basil Resin Flow • Mushrooms • Butt Rots • Wind Throw • Burned root • Water • Soil Erosion • Fire Damage • Compaction • Sprung Roots Changed Condition

30. Crown Indicators • Structural Characteristics observed in the Crown. • Dead Tops • Broken Tops • Fire Damage • Forks • Defective and Hanging Limbs • Leaning Trees • Crown Indicators of Root Defect • Loss of needles / leaves, thinning crowns • Discoloration • stress cone / seed crop

31. Structural Characteristics - Crown • Dead Trees and Broken Tops

32. Structural Characteristics - Crown Forks

33. Structural Characteristics - Crown • Fire Damage to Crown of Tree

34. Structural Characteristics - Crown • Witches Brooms are an example of defective limbs. • Heavy snow, wind, or other conditions can cause these limbs to break and fall

35. Structural Characteristics - Crown Dead branches

36. Structural Characteristics - Crown Long standing leaning trees have grown a vertical top • Developed re-enforced root systems to compensate • Are less of a hazard than….

37. Structural Characteristics - Crown …. recent leaning trees

38. Crown Indicators of Root Defect • Loss of needles/leaves, thinning crowns, dieback

39. Crown Indicators of Root Defect • Stress cone

40. Bole Indicators • Indicators of Butt, Stem and Bole Defects: • Decay • Swelling • Cracks and Splits • Fire Scars • Burned out bole

41. Indicators of Butt, Stem, Bole Defects • Decay - Rots

42. Indicators of Butt, Stem, Bole Defects • Decay - Conks

43. Indicators of Butt, Stem, Bole Defects • Bole swellings

44. Indicators of Butt, Stem, Bole Defects • Cracks and Splits - Lightning

45. Indicators of Butt, Stem, Bole Defects • Cracks and Splits - Windshake

46. Indicators of Butt, Stem, Bole Defects • Cracks and Splits – Frost Cracks

48. Indicators of Butt, Stem, Bole Defects • Burned bole of tree, adjacent to road

49. Root and Tree Base Indicators • Observed at the base of the tree • Basil Resin Flow • Mushrooms • Butt Rots • Wind Throw • Fire Damage • Burned root • Water • Soil Erosion • Compaction • Sprung Roots

50. Indicators of Root Defects • Basil Resin Flow