Forest Service, BLM race to craft plans to protect firefighters, biologists against COVID-19

U.S. Forest Service rangers are usually preparing to burn overstocked forests in the spring to reduce fuels that will turn tinder dry and explode later in hot, dry summer conditions.

In 2019, the Forest Service planned 8,500 acres of burning in every ranger district. The Bureau of Land Management, which manages 12 million acres of rangeland, is trying to burn to reduce fuels, especially along highways.

But those prescribed fires are on pause or may face an uncertain future this year due to the threat of coronavirus, the virus that causes the COVID-19 disease, and the need for social distancing.

As the two agencies prepare for the summer season with most of their staff working from home amid a pandemic, they are trying to craft the procedures to protect the range conservationists, biologists and especially firefighters who must go out in the field. Right now, ranchers are putting their cattle out on the range, and seasonal workers are showing up from across the nation ready to fight fires, build trails, patrol and protect the public resources.

Managing this in the middle of a pandemic is new territory.

“Like everybody else, we’re trying to build this airplane while we’re flying it,” said Jennifer Jones, deputy state BLM director for communications.

On March 25, the Boise National Forest closed dozens of campgrounds, snowmobile parking lots, hot springs and other public areas to stop people from gathering in these popular spots. The Payette National Forest closed several snowmobile parking lots, and other forests are closing areas around the state. Sharkey Hot Springs also closed.

“Beyond that, everything else is open except for seasonal closures,” said BLM State Director John Ruhs in an interview. “We are continuing to monitor if people are not maintaining social distancing or if we can’t maintain facilities, like toilets.”

Both agencies are developing ways to check in seasonal employees who are coming to Idaho from other places that may have large numbers of people infected with the virus. This includes wildland fire personnel, recreation staff, timber sale administrators, range conservationists and others deemed necessary by forest supervisors, said Brian Harris, acting Forest Service regional communication manager.

“Employees reporting physically to the office or in-the-field will avoid face-to-face business and utilize social distancing practices to minimize the risk of exposure,” Harris said in an email.

But a larger problem looms as the fire season heats up. Forest managers have fire plans in place that dictate where they can allow fires to burn under careful management.

“The Forest Service is actively assessing potential risks and developing plans to mitigate those risks as progress in the response to COVID-19 continues,” Harris said.

Ruhs said the National Interagency Fire Center, based in Boise, is developing the protocols it will use for fighting fires to reduce the risk of spreading the virus. For instance, firefighters will have to be in fire engines together, and crews also will be fighting in close proximity.

The BLM and Forest Service offices are closed to the public for now. The Boise-area recreation closures will continue at least until May 15. As for prescribed fires of the national forests, “the pause on prescribed fire ignitions will be reevaluated in April,” Harris said.

Meanwhile, environmental reviews for mines and other activities are moving forward as the federal workers work from home. Inevitably contact between the agencies and the public will drop to avoid infection, said John Freemuth, Boise State University public policy professor.

That will require the public to stand up and help even more than usual.

Like ranchers, “I guess we’re all asking them to be the good stewards they always said they were,” Freemuth said in an interview.

This story was originally published April 3, 2020 at 4:30 AM.