SBCT Final EIS - Govsupport.us

Chapter 3 ⎯ Affected Environmentforest floor. Additionally, the deaths of the larger spruce trees have allowed areas to be taken over bybluejoint reedgrass, another potential fire risk (USARAK 2002b). The absence of wildfires may beinhibiting the potential for optimal ecosystem development. The current infestation of spruce barkbeetles in old-aged timber is one problem that may have been exacerbated by a lack of wildfires(USARAK 2002b). To reduce this threat, 60 acres of dead spruce were removed along the StuckagainHeights residential area, and 10 acres of dead spruce were removed near another housing area. Additionally,Grezelka Range was recently treated with a 15-acre prescribed burn to reduce fuel loads.3.2.3.3 Donnelly Training AreaFire Management AreasMost of DTA West is classified for Limited fire management because few resources are at risk fromfire, and USARAK recognizes that fire is a natural process in ecosystem function (Alaska WildlandFire Coordinating Group 1998). A private hunting lodge, located along the extreme western boundaryof DTA West, is given Full fire suppression status. The northern boundary of DTA West is classifiedfor Modified fire management to provide a buffer to adjacent state lands that are classified under Fullmanagement status. DTA West is bounded by private parcels and state lands (USARAK 2002a).DTA East is a Full fire management area due to the close proximity of the community of Delta Junction.This area is subject to high winds and extreme fire behavior, further supporting the Full fire suppressionstatus. The northern portion of the Fort Greely Main Post is a Critical fire management areadue to the life and property at risk (Alaska Wildland Fire Coordinating Group 1998. The Army doeshave structures at risk throughout DTA East. These resources have been identified and mapped. DTAEast and Fort Greely Main Post are bounded by allotments, private parcels, and state lands, includinga portion of private and state land known as the “Key Hole” (USARAK 2002a).Fire History and Firefighting ResourcesFires are common at DTA. Fifty-nine percent of DTA has burned since 1950, and a considerable portionhas burned more than once (Jorgenson et al. 2001). Approximately 16 percent of DTA hasburned within the past 30 years, and, based on fires recorded on the installation since 1950,1.2 percent of the area has burned annually. From 1980 to 2000, 89 fires were reported at DTA(USARAK 2002a). Of these, 78 were caused by humans and 11 were due to natural causes. Eightyeightpercent of all reported fires were caused by military training activities. Two large fires occurredbetween 1997 and 2000. The first was a 2,500-acre fire caused by lightning in 1997, and the secondwas a 53,720-acre fire in 1998. The average interval for recurrence of fire for any given area variesfrom 100 to 150 years (USARAK 2002a). In 1999, the Donnelly Flats Fire burned approximately18,000 acres of DTA East and Main Post.Recent fuels management projects on DTA include the removal of dead spruce, the creation of a fuelbreak on the northern portion of DTA East, and a 3,000-acre prescribed burn on Texas Range. Theseprojects reduce fuels by removing highly flammable spruce and promoting regeneration of less flammablehardwoods.3.2.4 CULTURAL RESOURCESThe ROI for Alaska includes the geographic extent of Fort Richardson and the DTA (Figure 3–2).The DTA began as the arctic training area attached to Fort Greely southeast of FWA. Impacts withinthe ROI would result from stationing of additional personnel, construction of new SBCT-related projects,and increased training activity including increased quantity and frequency of traffic and increasedmunitions use. The baseline information for this discussion is summarized from the U.S.February 2008 3–106 2/25th SBCT Final EIS