Wildfires in the West
Exploring the Management of Wildfires: a U.S. National Park Case Study
"We are living the future right now. We are living with fire." (John Cataldo)
Project description
Introduction
Yellowstone, Glacier, Rocky Mountain, and Grand Teton National Parks are located in the western United States and are known for their iconic natural beauty and diverse wildlife. These parks are increasingly threatened by wildfires, which are expected to become more frequent and intense due to climate change. According to the National Park Conservation Association (NPCA), Yellowstone, Glacier, and Rocky Mountain National Parks will have the most significant increases in wildfires of all U.S. parks. Our goal for this Venture Grant was to explore how these four National Parks respond to the same shared challenge.
Background
Wildfires commonly occur in the Western United States, and although they are essential for maintaining a healthy forest, they can have devastating ecological, economic, and social impacts. When wildfires occur naturally, they play a crucial role in the ecosystem by removing dead vegetation and promoting new growth. With higher global average temperatures, there is an earlier onset of spring and a more rapid rate of snowmelt, which dries out soil and ultimately kindles wildfires. By 2050 in the western United States, it is predicted that there will be a 200-600% increase in annual acres burned by wildfires (NPCA). Due to these increasingly intense temperatures, millions of acres are torched in national parks annually, and in 2020 alone, eight million acres were destroyed. Wildfires cause a number of ecological and anthropological consequences; vegetation and wildlife face adverse impacts, and so do humans visiting the parks and working to put out the fires.
What did we do?
In August of 2023, we road-tripped to all four National Parks (Rocky Mountain, Glacier, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton) to study how wildfires impact each unique place. We spent three days in each park doing solo explorations and conducting interviews with rangers and fire experts. By the end of our road trip, we gained a better understanding of how these four parks respond to such a prevalent and ongoing challenge, and how they can prepare for the inevitable.
Methodology
- This project involved a qualitative research approach to gather data through interviews with park rangers and fire mitigation staff. Before the project started, we reached out to the different divisions of the National Parks Service (NPS) to better understand how they mitigate wildfires in each park. Inside each park, we conducted structured interviews with fire ecologists and fire staff, and spoke with rangers. We developed a specific set of questions for each interviewee that is as follows:
- Questions:
- What are your specific roles for this National Park? What does your day to day schedule look like and how does it differ from the off season?
- I assume there are similar roles in other parks, how do these positions differ from park to park?
- How do you and the NPS collaborate with local communities to help mitigate effects of fires and educate the public on fire safety?
- How do you assess the ecological benefits and drawbacks of each wildfire? Are there specific criteria used to determine if the fire should burn naturally or be actively suppressed?
- What are you expecting during this fire season? How does your team prepare?
- How do you think wildfire management could be improved within the park?
- What do you see as the future for these parks? How much will wildfires impact these iconic and historic ecosystems?
- The data we collected from the interviews was used to analyze and identify patterns or themes. We pinpointed common challenges and strategies between all four parks and highlighted their key differences. By gathering detailed information first-hand, we were able to gain valuable insights into the impacts of wildfires in these National Parks and the strategies for managing them.
Rocky Mountain National Park
At Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP), we spoke to three individuals part of the fire effects team, Todd Like (fuels planner), Nathan Williamson (fire ecologist), and Chris Kopek (Biological Science technician), along with three rangers, Darcy Lilla, Emma Sullivan, and Bob Thorn. RMNP adopts a more hands-on approach to wildfire management, with its primary focus on mitigating fires and slowing their spread. Strategies include the use of slash piles, burning piles, and broadcast burns.
Unlike the other parks we studied, RMNP does not have the ability to use fire as an ecological tool because of its proximity to the town of Estes Park, Colorado. Community collaboration is crucial in managing boundaries and addressing local sensitivities, especially after the devastating 2020 Cameron Peak and East Troublesome fires that resulted in mass evacuations and home destruction. RMNP works closely with Estes Park, and based on one ranger's opinion, the local community's attitudes towards fire are quite negative. The ranger expressed the need to educate and collaborate more with Estes Park to cultivate a healthier relationship with fire.
Glacier National Park
At Glacier National Park, we spoke to Mike McClellan and Scott Lang, who are both members of the fire ecology and effects team in the park. Their strategy primarily involves a hand-off approach, allowing fire to play its natural role, especially on the west side of the park where the conditions are more conducive. On the windier east side, efforts are made to suppress almost all fires due to heightened risks and sensitivity. The continental divide marks the stark differences between the park's east and west sides. The Blackfeet Reservation, bordering the east side of the park, doesn’t like fire getting into their resources, which complicates Glacier’s own relationship with fire suppression. Although Glacier’s ultimate goal is to let fire play its natural role in the ecosystem, the conditions on the east side of the park inhibit them from reaching that potential.
The roles of the fire ecology and effects team involve monitoring vegetation plots and prescribed fires and conducting 20-year revisits on 2003 fires. However, with just one permanent and three seasonal employees, the fire crew faces challenges in managing wildfires in the park. Collaboration with other parks, like Yellowstone, is common, highlighting the need for more resources. Glacier also receives help from the Blackfeet Reservation on the east side and Flathead National Forest on the west side. While in the park, we visited the 2018 Howe Ridge Fire and the 2016 Reynold Fire.
Yellowstone National Park
At Yellowstone National Park, we met and interviewed with Wildland Fire Officer, John Cataldo and spoke to him about the work he has done with the park. Yellowstone National Park takes on both a hands-on and hands-off approach depending on the fire; when the fire is human-caused, unsafe for visitors, or it nears one of the park’s two-thousand structures, it must be put out. Otherwise, they prefer to let the fires burn naturally. John and his team work on a number of projects during fire season such as fuel moisture sampling, fire monitoring, and mastication projects.
Mastication is a recent addition to Yellowstone’s wildfire management. The goal is to knock down acres of baby lodgepoles to repress regrowth and minimize fires in areas near park structures. It is an aggressive strategy that is unique to Yellowstone National Park and has made a difference in their ability to fight wildfires.
While exploring the park, we went and visited two historic fires, the most historic being the 1988 fire. The 1988 fire burned 793 thousand acres of forest. The second fire we looked at was the Maple Fire from 2016. This fire burned fifty-five thousand acres from early August until snowfall. John explained in our interview with him, that these two fires have been extremely influential to the park’s landscape and wildfire management. Each time there is a wildfire, the team learns more and adapts their strategy to fight it.
“This is wildfire we’re talking about. Regardless of what you want, or what I want, or what everyone else wants, we’re going to have what I call these 'humpty dumpty fires' where no one can put it back together again. And you’re going to get fire in the wrong place, at the wrong time. It’s going to burn the side off of the town if you haven’t done the work ahead of time.” (John Cataldo)
Grand Teton National Park
While visiting Grand Teton National Park, we met with Paul Hood, the park's lead fire ecologist. Paul works closely with researchers and scientists to understand the ecology of the park and develop wildfire management strategies. Wildfire management is led by Teton Interagency Fire, which is an all-risk dispatch management and resource mobilization unit that covers both Grand Teton National Park and Bridger-Teton National Forest. Grand Teton National Park is unique because it is split into three different management areas. There is the Backcountry, where fire is allowed to burn and play its natural role; then there’s the Valley Bottom, which is conditional and depends on the nature of the fire; lastly, there is Protection, where the team must try to put it out immediately.
While meeting with Paul, he told us about a potential new idea for wildfire management in the park called Fire Refugia. The goal would be to keep certain areas of the park completely unburned as seed sources, which would support post-fire ecosystem function, biodiversity, and resilience to disturbances. The park is situated near Jackson, Wyoming, which Paul described as a “pretty progressive” community when it comes to the benefits of fire. The community is involved in decision making and more and more residents are beginning to understand that we have to learn to live amongst fire.
Next Steps
It is clear that these parks are facing an uncertain future as climate change continues to alter the landscape and increases wildfires. However, there is a sense of optimism within the park wildfire officials, who recognize the necessary role fire plays and the resiliency of these ecosystems. Innovative strategies such as Fire Refugia in Grand Teton and the mastication projects in Yellowstone highlight the ongoing efforts to adapt to new fire regimes.
Personal Impact
Our journey through Rocky Mountain, Glacier, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton National Parks had a profound impact on us. Beyond the academic and research aspects, this Venture Grant experience left us with lasting impressions on these ecosystems and their natural landscape. We chose to research wildfires because we care about these ecosystems and their resiliency. Spending extended time in these landscapes allowed us to forge a deeper connection with the natural world and reminded us of the urgent need to protect and conserve these iconic places. This research made us more optimistic about the future of national parks and it became clear that the NPS is working incredibly hard to protect these beautiful landscapes. The importance of these parks extends much further than this research. The personal impact of this venture grant extends far beyond the boundaries of these four national parks. It has shaped and inspired a commitment to environmental protection and reinforced the belief that everyone has a role to play in safeguarding the beauty and diversity of our planet for future generations.
