Existing vegetation, consisting of grasses, shrubs, pinyon and juniper trees fueled a moderate to high intensity wildfire. The Wire Pass and Pine Hollow fires consumed both the pinyon and juniper canopy and understory vegetation. Soils within the burn are left exposed to wind and water erosion and are now susceptible to invasion by noxious weeds and to the spread of cheatgrass and other non-native annual species. The soils within the fire area have been mapped and described as part of an official soil survey, completed by the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). The burned areas have been classified as "moderately susceptible" to fire damage indicating that the soil within the burn has features that are moderately favorable for damage to occur. This rating is also directly related to burn severity, which in this case was moderate to high. Therefore, soils within the burn site could be classified as "moderately" to "highly" susceptible for damage to occur after the fire. Based on these findings, past fire history in similar areas, and visits to the burned area, protecting the watershed values and reducing the erosion potential within wildlife habitat would be a priority for the Wire Pass and Pine Hollow ESR projects. Additionally, containment and control of invasive, non-native species, such as cheatgrass, which may exacerbate erosion potential and fire frequency and severity that would further degrade habitat is also a very high priority.

1. Reintroduce perennial grasses, forbs and shrubs and increase frequency to at least 25%. 2. Reintroduce perennial grasses, forbs, and shrubs on mule deer, pronghorn antelope, and other wildlife habitat. 3. Reintroduce perennial grasses, forbs and shrubs to establish and compete with invasive annual grasses. 4. Reduce sedimentation and erosion. 5. Construct (Emergency Stabilization - Protection Fences (New)) and (Rehabilitation - Existing Burned Fences) to ensure that the wildfire perimeter can be rested from livestock grazing for a minimum of two growing seasons.

Cheatgrass has high probability of returning and re-establishing before other plant species due to the nature of this annual grass. As this happens, other plant species struggle to re-establish, which results in the landscape being dominated by cheatgrass. If the area is not rehabilitated through ES&R efforts it is expected that a pattern of more fires similar to the Wire Pass Fire will continue to occur within the area

Resource Management Plan for the Kanab-Escalante Planning Area and associated Record of Decision February, 2020 Secretarial Order 3362: Site Specific Management Activities to Conserve or Restore Big Game Habitat, November 2018 Utah Wildlife Migration Initiative, April 2017 Vegetation Treatments on Bureau of Land Management Lands in 17 Western States Programmatic Environmental Report, June 2007. Vegetation Treatment on BLM Lands in Thirteen Western States/FEIS May, 1991 and associated Record of Decision (ROD) July, 1991. The Proposed Action to stabilize public lands damaged by wildland fires through aerial re-seeding and associated actions (e.g.temporary closures to livestock grazing) was analyzed in the Environmental Impact Statement addressing Vegetation Treatment on BLM lands in Thirteen Western States (FEIS May 1991). The FEIS also adequately considered the effects to the human environment of the same class of actions. Utah's Standards for Rangeland Health address upland soils, riparian/wetlands, desired native species, and water quality. Vegetation PEIS ROD 2007 USDI BLM. Utah Land Use Plan Amendment for Fire and Fuels Management. UT-USO-04-01. September 2005 USDI BLM. Biological Assessment for the Proposed Utah Land Use Plan Amendment for Fire and Fuels Management. March 2005

The majority of the Wire Pass and Pine Hollow Fires burned at a moderate to high severity and the soil's protective vegetative cover was consumed and destroyed in most areas. According to the Custom Soil Resource Report for the burned area, the soils within the Wire Pass Fire are classified as moderately to highly susceptible to fire damage. This indicates that the soils within the burn have features that are moderately to highly favorable to occur. This rating is directly related to burn severity, which in this case was moderate. Therefore, soils within the majority of the burn site could be classified as "moderately susceptible" for damage to occur after the fire. The susceptibility to fire damage ratings represent the relative risk of creating vulnerability to water and wind erosion prior to reestablishing adequate vegetative cover on the burned site (see Fire Damage Susceptibility Description, Web Soil Survey, attached). Without stabilization measures this area would continue to be susceptible to erosion by wind and water. This erosion could potentially affect road infrastructure of Highway 89 to the north and the House Rock Valley road that is immediately adjacent to the burned area on the east. Erosion could potentially affect highly valued recreation sites, such as, the Wire Pass, Buckskin Gulch and the Wave trailheads, improved parking area and campgrounds. These areas see high use during the spring, summer and fall seasons and can attract hundreds of people per day from all over the world. All these areas that would be impacted are immediately adjacent or down slope from the burned area. In addition, the Paunsagaunt Mule Deer Management Unit is considered one of the longest migration routes in the state of Utah and is key winter mule deer habitat. The containment and control of invasive, non-native species, such as cheatgrass, which may exacerbate erosion potential and fire frequency and severity that would further degrade wildlife habitat is a very high priority. The fires burned a variety of soil types. According to the Web Soil Survey (NRCS), all of which are classified to have high to very high runoff potential. If these areas are not stabilized they would be susceptible to erosion by wind and water due to the lack of soil stabilizing perennial vegetation. Because the fire consumed soil organic matter and coarse debris in most parts of the burn, the potential for runoff generation from a given precipitation event is high. Decreases in vegetation/debris/litter, increases in runoff generation, and decreases in soil structure and cohesion (due to the loss of organic matter) have increased the susceptibility of soil to erosion from sheet flow. On steeper slopes, burn severity was higher. Therefore, an increased risk of rill erosion could occur in these areas. The stabilization actions that are proposed to stabilize soils and prevent the establishment and/or spread of noxious and invasive non-native species, especially cheatgrass. These non-native species provide carrying fuel, creating a repetitive "burn/re-burn" fire regime that can jeopardize the survival of many native plant and animal species, especially in arid environments. Re-vegetation of fire-damaged areas would also help to minimize excessive topsoil erosion. Adjacent burned areas that were not reseeded have become dominated by cheatgrass and soils continue to be susceptible to erosion during high precipitation events. The adjacent burned area of the Buckskin fire that was seeded and chained as proposed in this plan has been successful in establishing perennial grasses, forbs, and shrubs and reduced erosion on the burn site (see attached Treatments Selected from the Land Treatment Digital Library, USGS for reference).

The Project Area is located at 5,100 - 6500 feet above sea level; therefore, it is expected that the opportunity to restore herbaceous species to the composition and frequency appropriate to the area is high. The project is expected to stabilize and improve the herbaceous understory that was burned in the fire, which will reduce water runoff and decrease soil erosion while increasing infiltration. Improvements to the Standards and Guidelines for Healthy Rangelands (Standard 1 and Standard 3) are expected through project implementation. It is expected that Standard 1 (Soils) -- will improve by allowing soils to exhibit permeability and infiltration rates that will sustain/improve site productivity throughout the area. This will be accomplished by making improvements to the Biotic Integrity of the community by restoring areas to a diverse component of perennial grasses, forbs and shrubs that were present prior to the wildfire. Indicators will include sufficient cover and litter to protect the soil surface from excessive water and wind erosion, limiting surface flow and limiting soil moisture loss through evaporation, which will promote proper infiltration.

Required Class III cultural surveys will be contracted through the State of Utah and will be competed prior to chaining, drilling, and construction of burned/protection fences.

This project would be accomplished through seeding 1,503 acres of the Wire Pass and 3,917 acres of the Pine Hollow burned areas with a mixture of native and non-native grasses, forbs, and shrubs appropriate for the site. Aerial seeding of grasses and forbs would be conducted during the late fall/early winter months of 2020, when precipitation could be expected to ensure seed propagation and survival. Mechanical chaining (bulldozers dragging a heavy metal chain) is proposed to be used immediately following the aerial seeding to incorporate the seed into the soil for improved seedling establishment. Prior to any mechanical treatment, BLM and State would identify whether any cultural resources occur within the proposed stabilization area. This identification would be accomplished by a database review, consultations with affiliated American Indian Tribes and the Utah State Historic Preservation Officer, and by a Class III level intensity pedestrian field inventory of the project area. Appropriate mitigation measures would be developed, in consultation with the Utah State Historic Preservation Officer and affiliated American Indian Tribes, to avoid or lessen adverse effects to any eligible or listed historic properties within the project area.

The fires will be monitored each year for five years (2021-2025) and an annual monitoring summary report will be completed by early September each year. Four or five monitoring studies will be established. They will be established in both the drill seed and aerial seed and chaining treatments using the AIM method. Cover data will be collected at each study location. As the cover study is done, nested frequency data will also be collected by recording the presence or absence of each species at each quadrat location. Then, relative frequency values are calculated for each species present and also for the type of plants (ie. seeded, volunteer, perennial, annual). In addition, a photo is taken at the same location and direction each year.

The Color Country Fire Zone and BLM Kanab Field Office will be working with the Utah Watershed Restoration Initiative to complete this project. All acres will be seeded and areas will be chained where topography allows. Non-use agreements, if needed, will be identified with the livestock permittees to ensure adequate rest following project implementation.

In accordance with the Standards for Rangeland Health, rangelands that have been burned, reseeded, or otherwise treated to alter the vegetation composition would be closed to livestock grazing for a minimum of two complete growing seasons. To protect the stabilization effort from livestock use a allotment fence will be constructed..

The fire burned in the Mollies Nipple and Coyote grazing allotments. The pastures burned will need to be rested from grazing for a minimum of two years (growing seasons). In the long term, this project will likely have an overall positive impact on domestic livestock grazing because of added forage value following seeding.

06/16/2020

12/15/2020

2021

Final methods include aerially seeding and chaining 5,420 acres that was burned on the Wire Pass/Pine Hollow Fire in 2020. These areas were cleared, via contract for cultural impacts with a class III cultural survey. 5,420 acres were also seeded in a secondary flight with kochia. Photo monitoring and AIM monitoring was also completed following treatments (see photos). Aerial seeding (primary and secondary) was completed through WRI contract by Hammond Helicopters. Dozers and tractors were procured through the WRI process and operated by BLM personnel from the Cedar City and Fillmore Field Offices.

On July 29, 2020 the Wire Pass/Pine Hollow Fire burned 5,420 acres. Following the fire an ESR plan was developed by BLM personnel. During the summer of 2020 a record number of ESR and WRI plans were created to address the many fires that occurred throughout the state of Utah. Although 3917 acres were burned only 1235 acres were chained due to the ESR plan being litigated by southern Utah wilderness alliance and a judge granted them a Stay. However all acres of the fire were aerially seeded prior to this judgment decision. An archaeological class III pedestrian survey was conducted on 3015 acres of burned area that was to be chained. Seed was mixed and by GBRC. The seed mix was applied via fixed wing by Hammond Helicopter on 3917 acres in December 2020 and chained by BLM personnel immediately after the flight. Chaining was completed by March 1, 2021.. A secondary flight of Kochia was applied on3917 acres by Hammond Helicopters.

Photo plots were established to monitor the project and an Assessment, Inventory and Monitoring plot was established to gather quantitative data and measure the post-fire treatment efficacy in the burned area. Livestock was excluded for 2 growing seasons. Monitoring will continue to occur by range personnel in the Kanab Field Offices.