Integrated Training Area Management EA and Final FNSI

APPENDIX C: SAMPLE RECORD OF ENVIRONMENTALCONSIDERATION (REC)RECORD OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONTITLE: Prescribed Fire at the Stuart Creek Impact Area, Yukon Training Area, Fort Wainwright, AlaskaDESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED ACTION: The Bureau of Land Management’s Alaska Fire Service(AFS) proposes to conduct a prescribed burn on lands within the Stuart Creek Impact Area on the FortWainwright Army Installation (FWA), Yukon Training Area (YTA). The prescribed burn is intended tominimize the risk of wildfire starts by reducing grass and fine fuel loading in the impact area. Theproposed burning activity also provides for firefighter and public safety and offers training on prescribedburning techniques for AFS personnel.The Stuart Creek Impact Area is located 15 miles east of the Eielson Air Force Base airfield, with itscenter of mass located at the approximate Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinates of WS522537, WS 7176153. The Stuart Creek Impact Area burn would cover approximately 2,900 acres. Theburn area is bounded to the south by the Brigadier Road, to the west by Skyline Road and to the north andeast by a number of access trails into the impact area. The area will be sectioned into 3 units. Improvedroads and two track trails intersect and bound the three units to the north, east and south. Vegetationwithin the burn units consist of areas dominated by grass, forbs, willow, aspen, spruce and birch. Smokeimpacts on off-site values are expected to be low due to the desired wind transport of a south, west ornorthwest-dominated wind. Risk of fire escaping the area will be low due to the prescribedenvironmental conditions of the burn (which are based on set weather parameters that allow for optimumburning), and pre-treating adjacent fuels with water prior to ignition. Since this burn will be conductedwithin a dedicated impact area, a helicopter will be used for ignition and will be available for suppression,if necessary.ANTICIPATED DATE AND/OR DURATION OF THE PROPOSED ACTION: Burning activitiesare anticipated to begin in early to mid-May of 2005, depending on green-up conditions. Vegetation mustnot have too much fuel moisture (green-up), as it does not allow for optimum burning. This project maybe postponed until the fall of 2005 or spring of 2006, due to unfavorable weather conditions and/or AFSscheduling conflicts. The duration of the prescribed burn is anticipated to be no longer than one week.This prescribed burn is scheduled for maintenance burning at two to five year intervals.MITIGATION AND/OR SPECIAL CONDITIONS: U.S. Army Alaska Range Control must becontacted at (907) 353-1265 prior to any burning activities. If poor air mixing heights or air qualityconditions exist, all burning activities must be postponed until conditions improve. All AFS personnelwill be briefed on the potential and hazards of unexploded ordnance within the immediate area. Existingroads and trails should be used for site access if needed. The AFS has prepared a Prescribed Fire BurnPlan for this action and should be consulted prior to burning activities. Public notification procedures areoutlined in the Prescribed Fire Burn Plan, which typically involves placing notices in local newspapers.This project will not create any sub-surface ground disturbance. In the event that sub-surface disturbanceis required, the Environmental Resources Department archeologist will be notified prior to any digging orearthwork. In the event that cultural resources are disturbed or discovered without digging or earthworkduring this project, the Environmental Resources Department archeologist shall be notified. Both the U.S.Air Force and U.S. Army Alaska Range Controls have been notified, and actions have been taken to avoidscheduling conflicts._____________________________________________________________________________________________Environmental AssessmentUnited States Army Alaska, Integrated Training Area Management ProgramManagement Plan C-1