Image from the National Park Service's page.
With more fire-weather days ahead, the National Park Service has written a three-part series to help park concessioners manage their operations before, during and after a wildfire. This first part covers preparation. The same planning can help with other kinds of natural disaster.
A fire season that no longer ends
As wildfires grow more severe, fire danger is increasingly treated as a year-round concern, and parks in affected areas have to learn to live with wildfire as the risk rises. Lightning, lava and other natural causes start some fires, but 90 percent of wildfires are caused by people; in 2021, people caused 52,641 of them. Understanding the risk and taking care not to start a fire is everyone's responsibility.
Every park unit must have a fire management plan, with the necessary environmental compliance, as set out in the Park Service's Reference Manual 18. Concessioners should always follow the prevention guidance of park leadership and fire management staff. Daily fire danger levels are posted on a U.S. Forest Service website.
Defensible space
A wildfire burning close to buildings can set them alight. Defensible space is a buffer between a structure and the wildland: the less fuel, such as dry grass, shrubs or firewood, between a burning forest and a building, the better its chances. Work with the park and its fire staff to create it. Keeping lawns maintained and clearing brush, trees and other flammable material away from buildings protects the buildings, the people in them and firefighters. As weather warms and plants and forest floors dry out, be careful with maintenance equipment and vehicles that could throw sparks into dry vegetation.
A communication plan
Wildfires move fast. Be ready to evacuate, and remember that people's safety comes first. Ask park staff whether a communication plan already exists, and agree ahead of time with park and concession staff on a simple framework for staying in touch if networks fail or phones are lost.
A communication plan is not an evacuation or emergency-response plan. It simply keeps concession staff able to notify and update one another during an emergency; always follow the instructions of park and emergency personnel, and coordinate the plan with the park, starting with your concession specialist.
One simple, effective format is a PACE plan:
| Layer | What it is |
|---|---|
| Primary | The usual way staff communicate, the method everyone expects to use. |
| Alternate | The best way to reach people if the primary fails, and how you will find that information. Wi-Fi and cell service may be down. |
| Contingency | A third method that does not depend on a signal, such as a satellite phone or radio. |
| Emergency | If nothing else works, key contact information written down and kept at hand, so you can reach people once you are able to. |
The most important thing about any plan is that it exists and that people know about it. Make sure staff understand it and that it is coordinated with the park. Carry an external battery or charger for devices, and keep an up-to-date contact list handy, because staff may be scattered by the fire.
Documents and insurance
In an evacuation, insurance papers and contract documents are probably the last thing anyone thinks to grab, so back them up electronically in advance. Ask your concession specialist or park contact what materials you will need if there is a fire. Before fire-weather days increase, review your insurance to be sure it is enough, and work out the required insurance minimums with your park concession specialist, who can help make sure you have the right coverage.
More help
Ready.gov has more on building a PACE plan, with free templates and materials. Planning ahead is the best way to stay safe and calm and respond quickly in a wildfire. Concessioners should also understand the Park Service's Director's Order #18 on wildland fire management.
Sources
- National Park Service, "Part I – Before a Wildland Fire: Concessioner Preparation." https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/fire-part1.htm
- NPS Reference Manual 18: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fire/upload/nps-reference-manual-18.pdf; Director's Order #18: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fire/director-order-18-wildland-fire-management.htm; fire danger: https://www.wfas.net/; Ready.gov: https://www.ready.gov/be-informed
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from www.nps.gov
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