A wildfire threatens more than trees. In a national park, it can reach archaeological sites, rare plants, endangered species, Tribal assets and wilderness — and so can the bulldozers, fire lines and crews sent to fight it. In 2024, a new generation of National Park Service wildland fire Resource Advisors (READs) was trained and ready to protect those things.
A resource advisor on the Pioneer Fire flags a tree for protection. NPS photo.
What a READ does
READs are operational personnel assigned to wildland fire incidents. Their job is to tell fire managers and firefighters how to keep sensitive resources and designated areas safe — both from the fire itself and from fire suppression operations. That includes measures to stop invasive species being brought in or spread.
The 2024 season
Fires reached several parks in the Park Service's Pacific West Region, including North Cascades National Park Complex, Crater Lake National Park and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.
READs document a cave entrance on the Coffee Pot Fire at Sequoia and Kings Canyon. NPS photo.
Resource advisors wrap a shelter at Flick Creek in North Cascades National Park. NPS photo.
A growing corps
| Spring 2024 | An online Park Service course certified an interagency class of 706 students |
| Recognition | The Pacific West Region Office of Fire and Aviation Management received the Federal Government Distance Learning Association (FGDLA) Innovation Award for it |
| Since 2020 | More than 2,600 students from federal, state, Tribal and local agencies have completed the READ training; many have since served as READs on wildfires and all-hazard incidents nationwide |
Interest in resource advising has surged across agencies in recent years. Park Service employees from many fields have been eager to use their professional skills to protect the values at the core of the agency's mission. The course, the NPS Wildland Fire READ Course (N-9042), was scheduled to run again through the Wildland Fire Learning Portal in spring 2025.
Sources
Based on "Fire resource advisors support western parks in 2024," National Park Service; a work of the United States government in the public domain.
이 페이지가 속한 매거진Crater Lake National ParkSequoia & Kings Canyon National ParksNorth Cascades National Park
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