2/9/2010 2:34:00 PM Review of Twin Fire released
Report outlines causes of wildfire and suggests recommendations to Forest Service
Photo/Ann Wells
Smoke from the Twin Wildfire rises in front of Bill Williams Mountain. The wildfire burned just over 900 acres and forced the evacuation of some residents of Williams.
Photo/Sue Allen
A helicopter carries water to the Twin Wildfire collected from Santa Fe Dam.
WILLIAMS - An independent review team recently issued a report detailing the causes of the October 2009 Twin Wildfire that occurred three miles southwest of Williams.
The review specifies four factors that contributed to the escape of the initial prescribed fire and the fire's subsequent conversion to a wildfire.
Unforecasted shifting winds initially caused spot fires on the east side of the burn. Prescribed burning continued in spite of a drop in humidity levels below prescribed ranges. A heavier fuel density outside the burn area created a more difficult fire control situation than expected and contingency plans were based on fuel models inside the burn unit and not calculated to include terrain and fuels outside the prescribed burn area.
The seven-member review team comprised of National Forest personnel from outside the Kaibab National Forest began the review immediately following the Twin Fire incident. Recommendations to the Kaibab include improving clarity of burn plans, completing a more thorough reconnaissance and understanding of areas surrounding prescribed burns and verifying National Weather Service forecasts the day of ignition of any burns.
Williams District Ranger Martie Schramm said the report findings will be taken very seriously.
"The review outlines some recommendations on things we should do differently in the future of our prescribed burning program," she said. "As a forest, we plan to focus on those recommendations, learn from them, and incorporate them into our program."
Fire officials apologized for, and explained the events that led to, the Twin Wildfire at a community meeting held immediately following the fire.
The Twin Prescribed Fire Escaped Fire Review is available on the Kaibab National Forest Web site at http://fs.usda.gov/kaibab. To access the document, click on the right-hand link to "Twin Fire Overview" and then scroll down to the "Post-Fire" section.
The Twin Prescribed Burn was originally ignited Oct. 1. It was declared a wildfire Oct. 2 and burned until Oct. 10. The wildfire portion burned 908 acres on the Williams Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest and forced the evacuation of part of the Williams community.
The Kaibab National Forest estimates $3,000,000 was spent on the suppression effort.
