In August 2024, a lightning strike started a fire within the Cedar City Ranger District Sagebrush Steppe and Woodland Restoration NEPA Decision project area. The fire quickly grew to over 500 acres, but rain the next day followed by fire suppression efforts kept the final area impacted by the fire to 544 acres. The fire occurred between mastication and seeding units and lop and scatter units funded by UWRI in the 6862 - Little Creek Watershed Restoration project - Phase 1. As established in project 6862, this area is important year-round habitat for mule deer. Approximately 98% of the Iron Peak Fire was in crucial winter mule deer habitat. The fire was 100% in summer substantial/calving habitat for elk. This area, and the adjacent treatments in project 6862 are in between migration areas to the north and south. Maintaining food resources in this area could offer alternative movement routes for deer, or expand habitat use into these areas. Planning for the CCRD's Sagebrush Steppe and Woodland Restoration project used remote sensing data from the Forest Service's Vegetation Classification Mapping and Quantitative Inventory (VCMQ, USDA 2016 -- see attachments) validated by Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) ground truthing and CCRD ground truthing efforts (see Monitoring section) to identify areas of sagebrush, mountain brush, and bitterbush that were being overtaken by pinyon and juniper succession. The area that burned in the Iron Peak Fire and immediately surrounding it on all sides was identified for treatment. Within the burn area itself the Decision authorized prescribed fire. The potential treatment in this area would having been using a helitorch to burn smaller holes into the overstory over the snow. This would have prevented complete ground cover removal and could have been targeted to avoid dense areas of cheat grass. The 544-acre fire removed all live overstory and all the understory throughout most of the fire perimeter (see photos). This included patchy areas dominated by cheat grass throughout the fire perimeter. Seeding withing the fire perimeter would help to prevent a type conversion to cheat grass. If successful this would help to maintain and improve hydrologic function, water quality, wildlife habitat, and livestock forage in the area. Additionally, it would help prevent changing the fire cycle to an annual grass, short recurrence interval cycle. A preliminary Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) assessment indicated that few BAER critical values were present and that treatments via the BAER program were not justified. There is a potential for funding through the Burned Area Rehabilitation (BAR) program; however, restrictions on when BAR funds can be applied for would put potential treatments off until Spring 2025, giving cheat grass the opportunity to gain the advantage. UWRI fire rehabilitation funding is ghe best option for efficient and effective seeding of the burned area.

1) Prevent to establishment of a cheat grass monoculture within the fire perimeter. 2) Establish at least codominance of native and or desired species.

This project expands on expansive work to the north completed by the partnering project proponents and also extends habitat restoration work south toward mule deer winter range work conducted on the Parowan Front (see UWRI projects 1468, 3070, 3435, 4544, 5758, 5948, 6721). The importance of this kind of habitat connectivity to ungulates, sage grouse, and other wildlife is well documented. As discussed in the Project Need ground truthed Forest Service remote sensing data (VCMQ -- USDA 2016, see Documents section and Environmental Assessment in Documents Section) was used in project planning on the this project. Treatments were identified and analyzed based on cover type, and successional stage identified in the VCMQ data and ground verified by Forest personnel. The Iron Peak Fire occurred in the middle of UWRI State FY 2025 funded mastication and seeding and lop and scatter treatments in project 6862 (see uploaded map). In addition to the crucial mule deer winter range that would be negatively impacted by a cheat grass type conversion, a type conversion or large expansion of cheat grass within the fire scar puts the success of treatments surrounding it at risk. In addition to the treatments identified in UWRI 6862, the Forest has plans to conduct prescribed helitorching throughout nearly 3,000 acres adjacent to the fire and north through the Mineral Canyon IRA. Increasing cheat gras adjacent to these treatments puts them at risk of invasive species expansion. Timing: There are several reasons why this project should be implemented sooner rather than later. Forst and foremost, getting seed on the ground before winter will give the seeded species a chance to establish alongside cheat grass in spring 2025, increasing the potential that desirable species could at least be codominant with cheat grass. If cheat grass establishes a monoculture, The fire cycle could be shortened and leading to an increase in the frequency of negative fire-related impacts across the proposed project area, including additional cheat grass expansion (Pierson, et al., 2011). Second, Statements of Work have been drafted for project 6862. These include a SoW to seed over 1,500 acres of BLM, private, and Forest Service acres, some of which are immediately adjacent to the Iron Peak Fire. Seeding the are impacted from the fire at the same time as the other acres of project 6862 would be more time and cost efficient, Finally if a cheat grass monoculture gets established it would take aerial application of herbicide , including the NEPA Decision required to authorize that, in order to try to reestablish native and more desirable forage species.

This project will work to address threats, work within focus areas and with focus species, help meet objectives and goals of the below listed plans. Under those plans are specific language from the plan describing threats, goals, strategies, and objectives this project will help meet. 1) Utah Mule Deer Statewide Plan (12/5/2019-12/5/2024) "Work with local, state and federal land management agencies via land management plans and with private landowners to identify and properly manage crucial mule deer habitats, especially fawning, wintering, and migration areas" "Minimize impacts and recommend mitigation for losses of crucial habitat due to human impacts." "Continue to support and provide leadership for the Utah Watershed Restoration Initiative, which emphasizes improving sagebrush-steppe, aspen, and riparian habitats throughout Utah." This project falls in the Crucial Mule Deer Habitat Priorities. 2) Panguitch Lake Deer Herd Unit #28 Management Plan Cooperate with federal land management agencies and private landowners in carrying out habitat improvement projects. Protect deer winter ranges from wildfire by reseeding burned areas, creating fuel breaks and reseed areas dominated by cheatgrass with desirable perennial vegetation. Reduce expansion of Pinion-Juniper woodlands into sagebrush habitats and improve habitats dominated by Pinion-Juniper woodlands by completing habitat restoration projects. Work with federal and state partners in fire rehabilitation and prevention on crucial deer habitat through the WRI process. The project would address protecting winter habitat issues north of Paragonah and would seek to limit cheat grass expansion within the project area and in adjacent areas slated to be treated in UWRI 6862 and other future projects. 3) Utah Wildlife Action Plan Mountain Sagebrush, Aquatic Forested, Aquatic-Scrub/Shrub, Mountain Shrub, and Riverine are all key habitats identified in the WAP that would be treated by the project. WAP identifies inappropriate fire frequency as a High or Very High threat to Mountain sagebrush and Mountain Shrub habitat. The goal of this project is to prevent a type conversion to cheat grass and reduce the spread of cheat grass in the fire perimeter, which would alter the fire cycle to the detriment of brush communities. 4) Utah Catastrophic Wildfire Reduction Strategy Reduce fire risk by managing and removing invasive species. Project should help to contain and prevent the spread of cheat grass through seedings. 5) Utah Partners in Flight Avian Conservation Strategy Version 2.0 Manage large blocks of land for contiguous Shrubsteppe habitat and avoid activities that cause fragmentation. This project seeks to prevent a type conversion of sagebrush and mountain brush habitat intp cheat grass. 5) Dixie National Forest LRMP Goal 15 -- Maintain or enhance the terrestrial habitat for all wildlife species presently on the Forest (page IV-5). All the vegetation treatments proposed should increase browse and or forage for Forest MIS species, such as mule deer, elk and wild turkey. As discussed under the Project Need this project would enhance habitat for Forest MIS and Regional Sensitive species. 7) 2023 Utah Wild Turkey Management Plan Enhance wild turkey habitat -- quality and quantity -- by 100,000 acres statewide by 2029 with the following strategies: Conduct habitat improvement projects in limiting habitat(s) and maximize the benefits to turkeys within all WRI projects that incorporate turkey habitat. Would protect and improve year-round habitat for turkeys in oak. 8) Elk Unit Management Plan -- Panguitch Lake Unit #28 (2016) Continue to be committed to the statewide goal of supporting habitat projects that increase forage for both big game and livestock. Maintain and/or enhance forage production through direct range improvements throughout the unit to achieve population management objectives. Work with private, state and federal agencies to maintain and protect crucial ranges. Continue projects with USFS, BLM, state and private entities to enhance habitat across the unit. Work with land management agencies to improve calving habitat and minimize disturbance in these areas. Seek opportunities to improve aspen communities, and some sagebrush ranges where calving and foraging are occurring. As identified in the Project Need this project works across landownership boundaries to improve Substantial summer/calving habitat for elk. 9) Iron County Resource Management Plan (2017) The Iron County Plan discusses objectives and expectations for Fire Management, Fisheries, Floodplains and River Terraces, Forest Management, Livestock and Grazing, Riparian & Wetland Areas. This document is attached and the project supports the Plan's objectives for these resource areas.

Prior to the fire most of the area was in Phase 3 pinyon/juniper succession or was dense pinyon juniper forest (see phot in attachments). These areas would be categorized as FRCC3. In addition to potential impacts to vegetation communities and species that have already been discussed, increased fie frequency from a cheat grass type conversion could impact multiple residential structures exist on the private lands to the east and southeast. Several areas at the private lands/public lands boundary adjacent to the project are considered Wildland Urban Interface Areas with a priority for treatment. Post-fire flooding and debris flows Could also have a major impact on the large diversion at the base of Little Creek Canyon, which provides water to multiple agricultural fields in the valley. Additionally, that flooding could damage Forest, BLM, and County roads that cross and are adjacent to Little Creek, which could affect ingress and egress to private property.

The biggest wet area potentially affected by post-fire runoff would be Mineral Canyon. The main use of water on this stream would be wildlife and livestock. There is some evidence to suggest that cheat grass dominated landscapes have altered hydrologic properties and could inherently have increased runoff and erosion when compared to native vegetation types (Boxell & Drohan, 2009; Wilcox, et al., 2012; Weltz, et al., 2014). Given this, increased frequency of flooding, sediment transport and deposition, and possible adjustments in stream channel morphology are possible cumulative effects from creating cheat grass dominated landscapes. The potential effects from cheat grass expansion and an altered fire cycle could expand over the hill into the Little Creek or Bear Creek drainage with an increased risk of wildfire once cheat grass dominates. These watersheds have high water quality and quantity values as described in UWRI 6862.

This is fire rehabilitation; however the fire occurred within the footprint of the Cedar City Ranger District Sage Steppe and Woodland Restoration project, which allowed for seeding. The Decision Notice was signed in February 2023 (see Documents section).

Aerial seeding with attached seed mix (up to 544 acres).

Upland vegetation -- Immediately west of the fire, the Forest has established ten upland vegetation trend study sites in the project 6862 mastication and seeding implementation area to monitor for cheat grass versus desirable native plant establishment. These studies will be repeated every 5 years and will be detailed in biennial monitoring reports by the Dixie National Forest and can be uploaded to the WRI web site (see Documents section). Another site will be set up in the burned area prior to seeding and monitoring every 5 years for 15 years to document success and compare with adjacent mechanical treatment and seeding plots. Wildlife monitoring -- UDWR flies the unit every 3 years for elk counts, they also use collars and look at post-season survival rates to determine mule deer population size and trends. UDWR uses harvest data to model turkey population size. Pinyon jay and pygmy rabbit monitoring has occurred surrounding the project area prior to treatments with no nesting colonies or pygmy rabbits being located. Pinyon jay surveys will be conducted after the treatment as well to see if pinyon jays are utilizing the area. Photo points -- Multiple photo points have been/will be established within the project area to document conditions before and after the treatments are implemented.

Project has been jointly planned with Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Land, and the NRCS. All these entities had an opportunity to adjust the seed mix. Permittees have been notified of the project and are supportive.

Almost all of the fire burned within the Aspen Pasture of the South Red Creek allotment. As part of UWRI project 6862 Forest permittees have met directly with agency personnel and verbally agreed to resting the Aspen pasture for two years.. During the two years following treatment, the Forest Annual Operating Instructions will be adjusted to reflect rest of the seeded area and that will constitute the signed agreement. As discussed under the Sustainable Uses section the declining forage, lack of water sources, and failing range infrastructure are impacting livestock operations and resources on the Aspen Pasture and this project addresses those issues. The Cedar City Sage Steppe and Woodland Restoration NEPA authorizes additional vegetation treatments on the remaining pastures of the South Red Creek Allotment, which will help to increase forage on those pastures. The Cedar City Ranger District is also developing a range infrastructure project for this and other allotments, which should help maintain and improve the number and quality of water sources across the allotment. The Brian Head Fire has already created forage increases on two of the pastures which is helping to allow a portion of the herd to remaining on those pastures for longer and defray use on other pastures. The goal of vegetation treatments and infrastructure improvements is to have an allotment where timing, duration, and intensity can be better controlled because of more widespread distribution of grazing pressure. On Forest Service lands this project falls withing an ~86,000-acre vegetation management project that authorizes treatments in adjacent allotment and watersheds. To date one pasture in each of the neighboring North and South Red Creek allotments have been funded for treated. Long-term vegetation trend monitoring and visual observations will inform the need for adaptive management and maintenance on treatments and management in the Aspen Pasture. Additionally, the Aspen Pasture has over 4,000 acres where prescribed fire has been authorized. Preventing a cheat grass monoculture with the seeding this proposal will allow for safer implementation of this helicopter burning discussed above. Once implementation is completed on these acres and the surrounding pastures/allotments and watersheds, the wildfire risk and habitat issues should be addressed enough to focus on maintenance of investments.

The Iron Peak Fire is almost 100% contained within the Aspen Pasture of the South Red Creek Allotment. This allotment is authorized to run 304 cow/calf pairs authorized over 1,219 head months. Currently this allotment is run on a 4-pasture deferred rotation. The Brian Head Fire negatively impacted the Blow Up and Williamson Pastures in the years immediately following the fire but has resulted in increased forage and opened access to greater distribution on these pastures in the long run. The Aspen Pasture which contains the project area, still has declining forage and a lack of water sources. Use in the pasture tends to be concentrated along Little Creek and in sagebrush meadows along the Bear Valley Road (FSR 30077). The lack of easily accessible forage areas on the western side of this pasture can result in overuse on Little Creek in some years. We have measured stubble height just below the 4-inch standard and bank alteration over the 20% standard along Little Creek. The failing boundary fence between the Forest Service and BLM also contributes to this condition by facilitating unauthorized use. The treatments and repair of this fence in project 6862 were designed to help with these problems. A successful seeding on the Iron Peak Fire could provide firther area to disperse livestock. As discussed under the Future Management section, implementation of this project along with planned vegetation treatments and range improvements in the remaining pastures of the South Red Creek Allotment should result in increased forage, better distribution, and improved resource conditions. It will also make the allotment more resilient to drought periods which are expected to be longer and more intense under some climate change scenarios. All of this should allow for livestock grazing to continue under a variety of annual weather conditions, while improving livestock weights and resource conditions. The other major use of the Iron peak Fire area is hunting, shed hunting, and wildlife viewing. As outlined in the purpose and need and relationship to plans sections the proposed seeding should improve maintain and improve forage for mule deer and elk winter and summer range. Hopefully this leads to higher use by big game which should translate into additional hunting pressure/success. The U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Economic Analysis data shows that in 2022 outdoor recreation created $8.1 billion in value-added for Utah, accounted for 3.2% of Utah's GDP, and provided 71,677 jobs. Hunting/shooting/trapping accounted for $245 million With the project area relatively close to Cedar City, Parowan, Paragonah, and Panguitch these communities are sure to benefit from recreation generated dollars.