The burned area is located within mountain shrub (service berry, gambel oak), pinyon and juniper vegetation types. The North Fire area is within summer range for mule deer. The fire burned between and within the Pinto Creek and South Fork Pinto Creek drainages which contains non-native trout populations. The need is to establish and maintain a desired grass/forb vegetation component to the upland burned area to help increase the diversity of plants for wildlife to use. The wildfire burned at high intensity levels starting near South Fork Pinto Creek area and spread north east along the steeper west facing slopes. The fire torch the majority of the pinyon and juniper trees and mountain shrub species within this 300 acres drainage, causing immediate high sediment and ash loads into the adjacent creeks from the high winds and lack of ground cover. There is a need to re-establish and improve ground cover near the riparian areas to aid in stream function and fish habitat. This burned area is in between two other larger watershed restoration projects through this corridor, the Pinto Restoration project to the north-west (approximately 10,000 acres) and the Grass Valley Creek Watershed Restoration project to the south (approximately 14,000 acres). All three project areas have common objectives to improve forest health and watershed function. Improving the diversity of vegetation, bank stabilization and decreasing sedimentation will help move towards the desired condition of lowering the TMDL for the Pinto Creek tributaries. The District has been working with the NRCS in this area to help lower the TMDL.

The main objectives of this project is to; 1) restore ground cover within the burned area (approximately 300 acres). 2) to restore and improve the diversity of grass and forbs for wildlife and 3) reduce the negative impacts from erosion and sediment loading into the Pinto Creek tributaries. Seeding the burned area will help accomplish all three main objectives.

There is a high risk of encroachment of undesired plant species (cheat grass, thistle etc.) if the burned area is not seeded with competing species. This change in vegetation type would contribute to the a decrease in species diversity and continuous fuel loading, flammability, and potential for increased rate of fire spread in the future. Once annual cheatgrass is established the cost to re-treat increases and the chance of success decreases. There is a major threat of erosion and sediment run-off into Pinto Creek causing water quality issues both locally in the town of Pinto and down stream. A portion of Pinto Creek was directly impacted by the fire (approximately 3 miles) eliminating riparian vegetation that was critical in maintaining bank stability and filtration. Until ground cover is re-established, these sections of the stream will continue to receive high sediment loading (See photo's in the Image section).

1) Dixie National Forest Land Resource Management Plan as amended (USDA 1986)- Goal 14 -- Improve the quantity and quality of aquatic habitats through direct habitat improvement and increased coordination with other land use programs (page IV-5). Goal 15 -- Maintain or enhance the terrestrial habitat for all wildlife species presently on the Forest (page IV-5). Goal 32 -- Design and implement practices on the ground that will reestablish acceptable soil, hydrologic and vegetative conditions that are sufficient to secure and maintain favorable water flow (Page IV-9). 10B IV-156 Municipal Watershed: Forest Plan Management emphasis is to protect or improve the quality and quantity of municipal water supplies. 9A IV-135 Riparian Area Management: Forest Plan Goals of management are to provide healthy, self-perpetuating plant communities, meet water quality standards, provide habitats for viable populations of wildlife and fish, and provide stable stream channels. 2) Pine Valley Deer Herd Management Plan, Deer Herd Unit # 30 (April 2006) -Habitat management objectives: Maintain and/or enhance forage production through direct range improvements throughout the unit on winter and summer range to achieve population management objectives. Seeding burned area will help maintain forage production and quality in summer range to maintain population objectives. 3) North American Mule Deer Conservation Plan (Mule Deer Working Group 2004). A) Mule deer habitat Objectives and Strategies-Develop and implement habitat treatment protocols that reduce the impacts of cheatgrass or other invasive plants. B) Manage mule deer habitat in a fashion to control type conversions (i. e., conversion of rangeland to croplands, and shrublands to monotypic pinyon-juniper stands) (Pg. 7). Seeding burned area will help reduce and compete with the impacts of cheatgrass in this area by establishing desired grasses and forbs. 4) National Fire Plan (NFP) - Primary Goals: 1) Improve fire prevention and suppression; 2) Restore fire adapted ecosystem. 5) Accompanying (NFP) 10 year Comprehensive Strategy - Guiding Principles: 3) Prevent invasive species and restore watershed function and biological communities through short-term stabilization and long-term rehabilitation; 4) Restore healthy, diverse, and resilient ecological system to minimize uncharacteristically severe fires on a priority watershed basis through long-term restoration. Seeding the burned area will help mitigate encroaching invasive species. This burned area is within a the boundary of the current Pinto Watershed Improvement project that is designed to improve the Pinto Creek and Little Pinto Creek watersheds through protection of riparian resources and improving water quality and creating a more fire resilient landscape. 6) State of Utah-Catastrophic Wildfire Reduction Strategy-Protecting the health and welfare of Utahns and our lands. Priority Action Areas- Southwest Region 6, Washington County. 7) Utah Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy- A) Conservation actions-Protect and rehabilitate remaining low elevation habitat for Mule Deer (pg. 6-60). B) Key Actions- Control invasive vegetation and plant desirable plants (Pg. K-11). This project will rehabilitate habitat for mule deer by seeding burned area with desirable plants. 8) Strategic Management Plan for Wild Tukey-Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR 2000, Publication 00-25). Grasses provide food for adults and are especially important to poults as an environment where they can effectively forage for insects. Poults need an environment that produces insects and in which they can efficiently forage. Poults need an area that provides enough cover to hide them, but allows the adult hen unobstructed vision for protection from predators. Seeding will help establish desirable grass and forbs to provide insect foraging habitat for wild turkey's. 9) Dixie NF Noxious Weed Management Plan (EA 2000). Scotch Thistle and other invasive plants. Seeding the burned area will help reduce the impacts from invasive species. The goal is to seed with competing and desired plant species. 10) Utah Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Quality TMDL Section-Newcastle Reservoir TMDL-EPA Approval Date: 2008. Current Load-26.53 kg of total phosphorus per day. Loading capacity-12.01 kg of total phosphorus per day. Implementation plan includes 'Rangeland and forest land management throughout watershed'. Pollutants from natural processes (sediment) deposited in streams during low flow can be rapidly re-suspended and transported to the reservoir during high flow events (Megahan 1972 and 1979; Mahoney and Erman 1984; Whiting 1997). If not properly managed, these factors may result in increased sediment and TP loading within the watershed. Careful management and BMPs are likely able to minimize the impact and duration of weather-related complications, including increased sediment loading that occurs periodically due to high flow or fire events (p.125). Re-establishing ground cover in the burn area will help reduce the amount of sedimentation into Pinto Creek which is part of the Newcastle Reservoir TMDL.

The North fire burned within the Dairy area approximately 1 mile southeast of Pinto, Utah in pinyon/juniper vegetation type. This fire reduced some hazardous fuels and the continuity across the landscape, however; if cheatgrass encroaches into the area this would add to the flammability and change the fire spread potential. The fire also impacted riparian areas and fish bearing streams. Reseeding the burned area will create an opening within the landscape with a goal to established desired grasses and forbs that can be more resilient to future fire and create wildlife foraging habitat.

In the short term there will be significant impacts to water quality as erosion, ash flows, and debris flows enter the stream systems. Approximately 3 stream miles were within the burn perimeter and the impacts will reach beyond those stream miles directly within that footprint along Pinto Creek and South Fork Pinto Creek. Long term impacts may include losses of storage capacity in the near by ponds and irrigation systems associated in the town of Pinto by sediment runoff and debris flow. Water quality in the New Castle Reservoir is impaired and a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) has been assigned by the State of Utah for total phosphorus loadings and low dissolved oxygen. Little Pinto and Pinto Creeks are tributaries to the Newcastle reservoir. Re-establishing quality ground cover will help reduce the amount of harmful sedimentation into Pinto Creek which eventually flows to New Castle reservoir.

This project is in compliance with post-fire rehabilitation practices. The North fire did not qualify for BAER funding based on final acreage (less than 500 acres).

Seeding efforts to re-establish healthy perennial grass/forb plant communities on approximately 300 acres of the burned perimeter. Most of this work will be carried out with contracts that will implement the desired treatments. Contractors will aerially seed onto prescribed areas. The USFS will also carry out additional treatments such as bitterbrush planting, willow planting, and rapid weed response efforts in conjunction with this project. Mechanical methods such as masticators, chainsaws and small harrows may be used to prep the seed bed and create some down woody debris within the lower bowl on slopes less than 30 percent (approximately 50 acres) if needed. The upper benches and steep slopes that are greater than 30 percent are rocky and provide a natural seed bed with crevices and micro sites. Bitter brush can be hand planted where safe and practical to provide a pre-existing and desired shrub component. Oak brush will naturally rejuvenate.

The USFS will continue to monitor vegetation and riparian habitat. There are long-term vegetation trend study sites within and near the project area that is monitored every 3 to 5 years by Forest botanist. The Pinto Creek tributaries are monitored by the Forest Fisheries biologist. The fish biologist has performed post fire monitoring stations above and below the burned area. This project area is along the USGS New Castle Breeding Bird Survey Route. This area is part of New Castle/Pinto route for annual Bald Eagle Surveys that is monitored annually.

USFS-District staff have visited site and discussed potential rehab treatments (Botany, Range, Fire/fuels, Fish/Wildlife). UDWR- During and after the fire, rehabilitation efforts have been discussed. Washington County, Pinto Residences, livestock permitees.

Treatment area will continue to be monitored. Livestock in the area have generally used the lower portion of the project area near Pinto Creek on their way to larger open areas near the Dairy. The burned area will be monitored along with long term trend sites to carry forward the appropriate measures to allow the seeding to establish adequately. Currently there are three Forest long-term vegetation trend study sites near the burned area (one riparian and two upland sites). The riparian site is not meeting the desired conditions and the two upland sites are meeting desired conditions. Future management of this area will include utilizing these long term study sites as indicators which is used to adjust grazing management practices and determine the success of management actions such as seeding. The annual operating instructions (AOI) will reflect any changes to allow area to rehab. The Pine Valley Ranger District is currently finishing up the NEPA for the Pinto Watershed and Defensible Fire Space Improvement Project this fiscal year (roughly 10,000 acres). This project is aimed to; improve the water quality in accordance with the recommendation from the Newcastle TMDL Plan, reduce the risk of crown fire and projected flame lengths. The Pinto project is approximately 0.5 mile from the burned area and will greatly enhance the success of this project by eliminating encroaching P/J and improving riparian areas along Little Pinto Creek and Pinto Creek. Both projects tie into each other along the same riparian and migration corridors.

The burned perimeter includes small portions of two cattle livestock allotments (Pine Valley and East Pinto). Conversion from a late successional pinyon/juniper encroached community to a grass and forb community within the burned scar will benefit domestic livestock by increasing the forage availability. The "Dairy" area within the burned perimeter is used as a cattle gathering and releasing area for both allotments.

12/21/2018

12/21/2018

2019

Approximately 300 acres of the North Fire burn area was seeded using a fixed wing aircraft.

The North Wildfire started in June of 2017 and burned approximately 300 acres on the Pine Valley Ranger District, Dixie National Forest. Most of the burned area is located on steep sloped terrain. On December 21, 2018 approximately 300 acres of the North Fire burned area was seeded using a fixed wing aircraft. The Forest Service completed a participation agreement with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, the contracting was completed through the State and awarded to Chuck Hammond. A fixed wing aircraft was used to seed the burned area. The staging area was out of the Hurricane, UT. Airport. This particular airport was used based on the centralized area between the other contracts that this company was completing at the same time in the same vicinity (West Valley Fire Burned Area). The seed was delivered to the Hurricane airport by GBRC out of Ephraim UT, on a semi-trailer. A Forest Service representative was on site to tie in with the operator. The weather was optimal that morning, with little wind. The overall treatment went as planned as outlined in the project proposal and contracts. Shortly after the seeding was completed, we had a light snow cover within the next couple of weeks which we felt was good timing to help the seed to germinate and give it the best opportunity for success. The only changes from the original proposal was the cost of the seed mix. The seed mix was proposed at roughly $23,542 and came out at $21,417. As part of the seed mix we included approximately 15 pounds of bitterbrush. The Forest Service put together a few dedicated hunter proposed projects in the spring of 2019 to hand seed bitterbrush within the burned area and adjacent to South Fork Pinto Creek.

The Forest Service coordinated with the permittees on the East Pinto Allotment prior to the proposed seeding rehabilitation treatment. An agreement was made to rest the associated units by rotation of pastures to allow for optimal success of the seeding. The burned area is located within rocky, sloped terrain that generally keeps livestock from trailing through the area. The Forest Service will continue to monitor the success of the seeding by photo plots and long-term vegetation monitoring sites that are within and near the treatment areas.