Lecture Objectives:

1). Understand the history of fire management in the US from the 1900's to present

2).Know major policy's and key players of fire management in the US from the 1900's to present

1944 U.S. government's Wartime Council

Euro-american Settlers and Burning

1. Fire in Agriculture and to clear forest woodlands

Euro-american Settlers and Burning

2. Fire to heat dwellings and cook food.

Euro-american Settlers and Burning

3. Fire for slash and burn agriculture

Note historic decline

Progressive Era (conservation movement)--saw the welfare of forests at risk and started crusade to prevent forest fires

Gifford PinchotFirst Forester, 1905-1910

John Muir

U.S. Forest Service started in 1905

Sunset Brg. Co., Wallace, Idaho, Aug 1910 after forest fires burned the town

NEW policy emerged--complete FIRE SUPPRESSION="fire exclusion policy"

                                                                                        

1) Weeks Act of 1911 2) Clarke-McNary Act of 1924 3) 10AM Policy of 1935

Longleaf pine (Pinus

palustris)

late 1970's federal land agencies admitted they were losing battle to fire

Yellowstone 1988 Wildfire

-fire mitigation efforts now focusing in the urban-wildland interface zone