Experts assessing Sunrise Fire damage

A few green plants have already sprung up past the charred earth of the Sunrise Fire, which burned just 13 miles east of Superior. On a sunny autumn day, the black soil is littered with tiny rusty pine needles in areas where a few still cling to the half-burned trees. Other areas are just blackened sticks bearing a ghostly reminder of the wildfire that raged through the area last summer, consuming over 26,000 acres.

The area smells like an old campfire mingled with refreshing mountain air. Burnt logs and brush are piled in some areas by Forest Service crews where deep grooves in the dirt roads cast another reminder of the heavy equipment brought in to contain the blaze just a short while ago. Down Interstate 90 to the east, the Burdette Fire also burned and chewed up another 650 acres. Now cold weather has moved into the area and the fires are out.

Crews quickly moved into the Sunrise Fire burn area and did rehabilitation work — restoring roads, vegetation and other damage done by fire crews working on the summer wildfire. In a recent Mineral County Resource Council meeting, Ninemile ranger Erin Phelps was asked about the seed mix used for reseeding the dozer and hand line on the Sunrise Fire.

She said the desired distribution was 25 pounds per acre and the mix included Mountain Brome, Slender Wheatgrass, Annual Ryegrass, Bluebunch Wheatgrass and Idaho Fescue seeds. The seeds are from a Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, nursery which is part of the Forest Service.

The seed mix is weed-free and the Forest Service’s Region One, which includes Mineral County, has policies that have been in place for 10 years that require the use of native plant materials. The seed mixes are certified and are purchased at the lowest price available.

As rehabilitation crews finish up their work, the Burned Area Emergency Response teams move in to begin burned area surveys. They will evaluate post-fire conditions of the burned watersheds and determine the potential for increased post-fireflooding, sediment flows, and rock slides.

The federal and state teams consist of scientists and specialists including hydrologists, geologists, soil scientists, road engineers, botanists, wildlife and fisheries biologists, archeologists, and geographic information specialists. Working together they survey the burned areas, do field data analysis and present findings and make recommendations to the Forest Service supervisor.

Currently, the teams are creating a “Soil Burn Severity” map which can be found on the Incident Information System website. It’s the first step in assessing the impact to the watersheds and can lead to recommended emergency stabilization actions with the focus on the protection of human life, safety and property. They will work with private home and land owners on any potential post-fire flooding and sediment flow impacts.

“Everyone near and downstream from burned areas should remain alert and stay updated on weather conditions that may result in heavy rains over the burn scars,” their report states. “Flash flooding may occur quickly during heavy rain events.”

After the response teams complete their work, long-term recovery and restoration work begins which will improve the lands that are unlikely to recover naturally and to repair or replace damaged facilities. This included actions like reforestation, seeding, replacing burned fences, and treating weeds.

Though most of the Sunrise Fire area is open there are still a few road closures including Weaver Gulch Road, NFSR #5461 which is closed at the junction with St. Pats Road #7783 to the end of the road. Meadow Creek One Road, NFSR #17424 at the junction with Meadow Creek Road #7788 to the end of the road and Quartz Creek Tie Road, NFSR #18006 from the junction with St. Pats Road and ending at Quartz Creek Road #345.