USDA – Forest Services

Prescribed Fire specialists advisors

National programme
in fuel treatment and prescribed fire

Draft report

Lisboa
March 2006
 U.S. Forest Service Prescribed Fire Advisor Report
Executive Summary
Prescribed fire is fire applied in a knowledgeable manner to forest vegetation (fuels)
under select weather conditions in order to maintain control and in a specific manner
accomplish predetermined and well-defined management objectives.

In 2005 the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture (General Directorate of Forest Resources

and UTAD) requested, through the American Embassy and the Luso-American
Foundation for Development (FLAD), that five Prescribed Fire Specialists from the U.S.
Forest Service be sent to Portugal in March of 2006 for one month in order to:
a) Provide training and support to both prescription development and burning
operations in long-needled pine stands and Mediterranean-type shrublands.
b) Enhance the skills and knowledge of prescribed fire crews with hands on experience.
c) Provide analysis of prescribed fire plans.
d) Give support regarding prescribed fire planning for public and private lands with the
cooperation of various forest owner associations and municipality forest offices.

A five person team consisting of Art Torrez (Chief of Party), Robert J. Serrato, Mike
Crook, John Caffin, and Tom Fitzpatrick, were selected and sent to Portugal. The team
was distributed across North and Central Portugal, and were based in Manteigas,
Bragança, Amarante and Vieira do Minho. The main objective was to enhance the
capabilities of Portuguese Forestry Technicians in planning and conducting prescribed
fire operations. The Portuguese Forest Services had already developed a good
foundation for a National Program on Prescribe Fire.

Primary Recommendations
• Establish a National Fuels and Prescribed Fire Program to reduce fire hazard
and damage. Build the organization needed to support implementation.
• Increase the number of trained and full time “Sapadores Florestais” in order to
fully implement a National Fuels and Prescribed Fire Program.
• Define the training, experience, and qualifications for three key prescribed fire
positions: Burn Boss, Ignition Boss, and Holding Boss.
• Provide standard Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and training for all
personnel engaged in Prescribed Fire operations to reduce the risk of death,
injury, and cost.
• Provide additional equipment and support for the Prescribed Fire Operations. A
list is attached at the end of the document.
• Establish a process that provides current site specific fire weather predictions.
• Refine Prescribed Fire prescription parameters (regional limits).
• Require that all escaped Prescribed Fires be investigated.
• Create a permanent/long term national public education program about the
benefits of Prescribed Fire. Involve communities in all fire education programs.
• Provide incentives for private landowners to encourage the use of Prescribed
Fire and Fire Prevention.
• Ensure that land ownership data is shared with those requiring it for prescribe fire
project implementation
• Establish a resource sharing protocol (Interagency and interregional movement
for accomplishment of large scale objectives/ contingency resources needs).

2/14
MADRP – DGRF Initiative
Supports: U.S. Forest Services;
FLAD - Fundação Luso-Americana para o Desenvolvimento;
USA Embassy

Project team (Portugal):

Project leader: Paulo Mateus (DGRF/Circ. Florestal do Norte)
Institutional support: Tiago Oliveira (Gab. MADRP)
Research cooperation: Hermínio Botelho (UTAD – Dep. Florestal)
Paulo Fernandes (UTAD – Dep. Florestal)
DGRF Liaison unit: Miguel Galante (DGRF/Div. Def. Floresta Contra Incêndios)

Local Rx fire responsible: António Salgueiro (Minho)

(Burning fronts)
Robalo Simões
Paulo Dias
Silvério Carvalho
Paulo Mateus (Tâmega)
José Manuel Barbosa
Manuel Rainha (Nordeste)
Edgar Bragada
Paulo Albino (Serra da Estrela)
José Manuel Rocha da Silva
Carlos Sequeira

Project team (USA – Forest Services):

Chief of Party: Art Torrez (Riverside, California)
Robert J. Serrato (Gelndora, California)
Mike Crook (Duluth, Minnesota)
John Caffin (Atlanta, Georgia)
Tom Fitzpatrick (Baker City, Oregon)

3/14
1. Introduction
Prescribed fire (Rx fire) is fire applied in a knowledgeable manner to forest vegetation
(fuels) under select weather conditions in order to maintain control and accomplish
predetermined and well-defined management objectives. Prescribe fire is used in the
US as a tool for fuels management and treatment, which should be incorporated in
landscape fuels treatment planning together with other techniques such as grazing and
mechanical operations.
In 2005 the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture (General Directorate of Forest Resources
and UTAD) requested, through the American Embassy and the Luso-American
Foundation for Development (FLAD), that five Prescribed Fire Specialists from the U.S.
Forest Service be sent to Portugal between February 21st and March 22nd in order to
enhance the skills of the Portuguese technicians on this fuel treatment technique.
The mobilization of the Portuguese public and private entities in the use of prescribed
fire techniques was another major objective to be achieved with this mission.

2. Mission objectives
Action was developed in North and Central Portugal, based in four burning fronts (Serra
da Estrela, Nordeste, Tâmega and Minho).
The main objective was to enhance the capabilities of Portuguese forestry technicians
in planning and conducting prescribed burning operations.
The mission role was defined in four domains:
a) To provide training and support to both prescription development and burning
operations in long-needled pine stands and Mediterranean-type shrublands;
b) To enhance the skills and knowledge of fire crews through field experience;
c) To provide analysis on prescribed fire plans
d) To give support regarding prescribed fire planning for public and private lands with
the cooperation of various forest owners associations and municipality forest offices.

Calendar (main actions):

21st February: Arrival of the American Rx fire specialists in Portugal
22nd February: Reception with the Minister of Agriculture;
Reception at the American Embassy
rd
23 February: Start of the work in the field
2nd March: Mission follow-up meeting (Manteigas)
14th March: Conclusion of the work in the field
15th March: Media Rx fire action in Marão with the presence of the Minister of
Agriculture, State Secretary of Rural Development and Forests and
General Director of Forest Resources.
16th March: Mission balance meeting (Vila Real)
17th March: Workshop on Prescribed fire training at UTAD (Vila Real)
20th March: Press conference at American Embassy
21st March: Meeting with the Minister of Agriculture
22nd March: Departure from Portugal

4/14
3. Operational goal
The operational goal for this mission was the application of prescribed fire to 250 ha of
shrublands, in each burning front, for the purpose of creating fuel breaks (1st and 2nd
order) at the landscape scale. These operations were to be conducted on state
managed properties.
The operations in each burning front were leaded by a Portuguese and a American
prescribed fire specialist.
Burning fronts USFS DGRF
Serra da Estrela (Manteigas) John Caffin Paulo Albino
Nordeste (Bragança) Tom Fitzpatrick Manuel Rainha
Tâmega (Amarante) Mike Crook Paulo Mateus
Minho (Vieira do Minho) Robert Serrato António Salgueiro

Burning fronts

Due to weather conditions, prescribed burning operations only occurred on 8 days. A

total accomplishment for this period was 100 ha, with the following distribution:

Burning fronts Rx burned areas (ha)

Serra da Estrela (Manteigas) 25
Nordeste (Bragança) 15
Tâmega (Amarante) 16
Minho (Vieira do Minho) 44

5/14
4. Public-private activities
Our efforts in mobilizing the Portuguese public and private organizations in the use of
prescribed fire, resulted in public-private actions both in field operations and consulting
in Rx fire planning at 17 municipalities.

A total of 21 public-private meetings were held. The purpose of these meeting included
training, information sharing, issues and concerns about the Prescribe fire program. The
target audience consisted of technicians, “Sapadores Florestais” and Fire fighters. Also
in attendance were various other dignitaries like Civil Governors, Natural Park Services
(ICN), Mayors, land owners and shepards. The table below summarizes the meetings
held

Entities # meetings
ICN (Natural parks) 1
Municipal Services 12
Forest owners Associations 6
Tapada Nacional de Mafra 1
Reforestation Comission 1

5. Media involvement
This cooperative mission with the US Forest Services prescribed fire advisors
generated wide attention in the media (national, regional and local level). The
operations that took place on the March 15th in Amarante (Serra do Marão) and Seia
(Serra da Estrela) were covered by the national public television (RTP).
The results of the mission were presented at the Workshop on training in Prescribe fire
held in UTAD (Vila Real) and at the Press Conference held at the American Embassy.

6/14
Conclusions

The current conditions in Portugal present a large fire problem, facing fuels
management. The problem has been analysed through multiple reports in the recent
years. Prescribe burning is recommended as one possible alternative for effective fuel
reduction and management.
The majority of the fuel types found in Portugal are suited for prescribed fire use.
There was a good participation and enthusiasm from all the different public and private
entities regarding prescribed fire. A total of 51 public and private entities participated,
involving a total of 236 people at an operational level. This type of cooperation and
enthusiasm will be an important key to the success of a National Prescribe Fire
Program.
The Portuguese Forest Services already has a good foundation for a National
Prescribe Fire Program. This foundation needs to be built on slowly as it takes time to
develop an organisation with the necessary skills, training and equipment to meet
anticipated programmatic goals.
The implementation phase will require time to further develop the required capabilities in
these four main operational areas - Planning, Organizing, Training and Equipment -, as
identified at the mission balance meeting, in the attached document (“Moving towards a
National Prescribe Fire Program”).

7/14
 Attachment

Moving towards a National Prescribed Fire Program

8/14
 Moving towards a National Prescribed Fire Program

The following goals and recommendations were the output of a “brainstorm” session
held during the mission balance meeting.
Considerations from Portuguese and American participants in the mission made the
relevant contributions for this strategic document.

9/14
Organization
Goal
Develop the organization needed to implement a National Prescribed Fire and Fuels
Management Program.

Recommendation
• Create a dedicated Fuels and Prescribed Fire organization.
• Increase the number of Sapadores Florestais needed to implement the
program.
• Establish dedicated prescribe burning specialists such as Burn Boss, in each
region.
• Ensure Burn Bosses are trained, experienced, and qualified to suppress
wildfires as well as conduct prescribed fire operations.
• Create a task force to analyze and recommend the optimum configuration of
dedicated personnel and equipment needed to implement the program
nationally.
• Ensure all escaped Prescribed Fires are investigated. Define escaped
prescribed fires as those with:
1) Where there is a risk of liability/lawsuits
2) When private land is damaged
3) When people have been injured or a fatality has occurred
• Ensure managers/supervisors are involved in the Prescribed Fire Program.
Have them visit a specified percentage of Prescribed Fire Projects annually
while the projects are underway. Having proper oversight and management
support and involvement is very important.
• Provide insurance for personnel engaged in prescribed fire operations.

10/14
Planning
Goal
Identify ways to improve and support the National Prescribed Fire and Fuels Program.

Recommendation
• Require that escaped Prescribed Fires be reported and investigated. Ensure
that investigators are not from the local area and will provide an honest
evaluation.
• Standardize Burn Plans, including burning parameters, contingency plans,
medical plans, organizational plans, operational plan, and maps.
• Ensure that state agencies share land ownership/parcel data between state
agencies and other private entities that need the information to efficiently
implement prescribed fire operations.
• Strategically prioritize Prescribed Fire Projects nationally
• Identify and make known the process for burn plan approval
• Streamline the burn plan approval process
• Ensure Burn Bosses can obtain current and site specific fire weather
information prior to igniting a burn. Install automated weather stations in the
forest to improve forecasts and to better classify the fire danger rating.
• Provide financial incentives (such as grants or tax breaks) for private
landowners to encourage fuel management activities on their lands.
• Develop a web based single source Prescribed Fire information sharing point
of contact. One spot where everyone can access information.
• Create a National Prescribed Fire and Fuels Management public education
program that explains the benefits of prescribed fire.
• Establish a process where Prescribed Fire personnel and equipment can be
readily shared.
• Establish a process to monitor the effects and success of prescribed fire
projects to ensure the objectives are being met and to identify problems or
issues.
• Establish a process to ensure media and other visitors to prescribed fire
projects will be escorted in order to keep them safe from harm and to prevent
disruption of work.
• Involve community special interest groups (such as hunters) in Prescribed
Fire and Community Protection plans.
• Establish an After Action Review Process to be conducted every day on every
Prescribed Fire in order to continuously improve the operation.
• Integrate Prescribed Fire and Fuels Management Strategies and Plans with
Community Protection Plans. Ensure every community has a protection plan.
Prescribed fire placement strategies to consider include:
1. Fuel breaks on ridge tops to isolate drainages and prevent fires from
crossing from one creek or river drainage into another, keeping fires
smaller and protecting communities.

11/14
2. Fuel breaks (either mechanical or through the use of prescribed fire) along
high fire occurrence areas, including select roadsides and pastures.
3. Consider working with private landowners to burn their pastures for them
in order to have more control over how and when the burn would be
executed.
4. Fuel breaks around homes and structures immediately adjacent to the
forest.
5. Prescribed burn under trees in select areas in order to protect the trees
from being killed by a wildfire.
6. Consider physically closing high use areas/roads during the worst periods
of extreme fire danger (usually less than ten days per year).

12/14
Training
Goal
Improve Prescribed Fire and Fuels Management Training for all personnel involved in
Prescribed Fire Operations, including Forest Engineers, Technicians, Sapadores, and
Bombeiros.

Recommendation
• Ensure all Prescribed Fire Personnel receive training for:
1. Basic fire fighter (basic fire suppression, basic fire behaviour, basic
Incident Command).
2. Additional beneficial training; Firing Methods and Procedures, Wildland
Urban Interface (Mandatory for Burn Boss, Ignition Boss, Holding Boss).
3. Provide annual fire safety refresher training (LCES) and make attendance
mandatory
• Develop a fire/prescribed fire exchange program USA – Portugal.
• Build a training structure, based in standardize training curriculum. Full-time
teachers in training centers. (ex. Including live burning)
• Evaluate personnel prior to being certified (skills and performance) for the
following positions; Burn Boss (credential technician), Ignition Boss, Holding
Boss by qualified person/trainer (certification process; ex. National
Interagency Wildfire Coordination Group Task books).
• First aid/medical training provided for prescribed fire personnel.
• The Burn Boss needs to have the experience to transition from prescribed fire
to fire suppression.

13/14
4. Equipment
Goal
Provide the quantities and types of equipment necessary to implement an effective
prescribed fire program.

Recommendation
• Personal Protective Equipment:
1. Hard Hats
2. Shroud (for ears and neck protection)
3. Gloves
4. Safety Glasses
5. Appropriate Clothing (Nomex clothing)
6. Leather Boots
7. Ear Protection
8. Portable First Aid Kit

• Additional Operational Equipment:

1. Drip Torches
2. Fusee’s (road flares)
3. Programmable portable radios
4. Approved fuel containers
5. Portable Pumps
6. Gravity Socks
7. Collapsible water tanks
8. Light weight small diameter
9. Personal Portable Weather Observation Equipment (Kestrel 4000 or
better, Belt weather kit)
10. Remote Automated Weather Stations

• Apparatus:
1. Upgrade existing large water capacity engines.
2. Increase the number and distribution of tractors capable of creating fuel
breaks.

In order to implement a national prescribed fire and fuels management program

Portugal should increase the number and availability of personnel and establish
an organization which can effectively support and manage the program having
the sole responsibility of prescribed fire implementation.

The program is on the right track, has extremely dedicated, hard working, and
motivated employees who should be recognized and commended for their
efforts.

14/14