Why did the National Park Service ignite the Big Meadow fire in August?
The Big Meadow prescribed fire was initiated based upon a written and predetermined “window” of very specific conditions (temperature, humidity, fuel type, wind speed, smoke dispersal, etc.). At the time of ignition all conditions were within this window. Prescribed fires may be done any month of the year depending upon the objectives of the burn. Why couldn’t the meadow be burned in much cooler conditions? The Park uses prescribed fire to accomplish specific objectives. In the case of the Big Meadow fire, those objectives were meadow restoration and the maintenance of fire resistant vegetation for the Foresta Community. For vegetation to burn it must be sufficiently dry and flammable to maintain a fire. The prescription for the Big Meadow burn was based upon these objectives. What went wrong then? The development of the prescription window and its review and sign-off are processes that agencies have carefully developed to minimize the risk of a fire escape. However, when dealing with
