2021 - 2022 Far West Skier's Guide - 45

Ski Resorts
Focus on
Healthy Forest
& Wildfire
Preparedness
Our National Forest officials, along with
many of our ski areas located on private lands,
are expressing concerns regarding the health
and safety of our forests in and around ski resorts.
Issues relating to climate change, including
the presence of dead and dying trees due
to drought and/or disease; and the density of
some forested areas, increasing the potential
for devastating some of the projects currently
underway.
Sun Valley, Idaho
Sun Valley Resort is undergoing a lengthy
ten-year project designed to improve forest
health in and around the resort. The Bald
Mountain Stewardship Project, supported by
the National Forest Service, Sun Valley Resort,
the National Forest Foundation, and the Bureau
of Land Management, is focusing on reducing
wildfire fuel, restoring forest health,
and enhancing the area's recreation opportunities.
Douglas
Fir, the dominant tree species in
the area, is susceptible to invasion by insects
and parasites during warm weather and
drought. Pine beetles, dwarf mistletoe, and
white pine blister rust are all affecting the
health of the forests in the Sun Valley area.
Diseased and dying trees, coupled with an
aging forest area that has been protected from
wildfires, are driving the need to clear a significant
amount of debris from the ski area.
Government Camp, Oregon
In June of this year the Pacific Northwest
was hit with a heat wave worse than anything
experienced in recent history. " We are not getting
our cool summer nights on the mountain, with
I PUBLIC AFFAIRS
2021
by Fran Long
Vice President - Public Affairs/Environment Program
Chair, FWSA
typical strong, wet coastal breeze, " explained
Logan Stewart, mountain manager at Timberline
Lodge. " What this all means is a very volatile
fire season, " said Stewart. Mt. Hood National
Forest was closed entirely for close to two
weeks in 2020 due to wild fires.
Mt. Hood Meadows is taking a proactive
approach in mitigating the threat of a wild fire.
Use of resort webcams and a nightly fire
watch have been implemented. A six-wheeldrive
water tanker truck and a water trailer
with firefighting tools have been purchased.
Additionally, four 275 gallon water totes have
been strategically placed and water pumps/
hoses that can be used in remote area streams
have been purchased.
Mt. Hood Meadows is attempting to be
as prepared as possible for any potential wild
fire within their permit area.
Bogus Basin, Idaho
Bogus Basin purchased a new water
truck this past season and used it only four
days after the purchase. Even though local
agencies are immediately notified, any action
the resort can take may make the difference
between a devastating wild fire, and a few
acres of burn.
In partnership with the Forest Service,
Bogus Basin did a walk through to identify
areas fire safety might need improvement.
Based on the walk-through findings, Bogus
Basin increased the defensible space around
all its buildings, installed sprinklers around its
building perimeters, and installed sprinklers on
its snowmaking hydrants.
Bogus Basin is also conducting more extensive
brush clearing, and now leaves its
snowmaking system charged so it will be
ready to fight a fire right away should the need
arise. They also purchased a second water
truck and outfitted all their transport vehicles
with fire extinguishers, water packs, and firefighting
tools.
As skier's, we love and appreciate the trees surrounding the slopes, trails, and lodges. They
add tremendously to the overall appeal of our skiing / boarding experience. Planning the trails
typically requires some tree sections to be cut to create the trails, but we all enjoy the scenic
environment resulting from the snow clinging to nearby branches. The forests have to be protected
throughout the year to maintain the picturesque environment. ss
Far West Skier's Guide 2O21 - 2O22
45
Big White, Canada
Big White, along with many other ski resorts
in Canada, is participating in the Wildfire
Risk Reduction (WRR) Program, which invests
significant funds annually to fund wildfire
risk mitigation projects that focus on fuel
reduction for ski areas operating on Crown
land.
The first stage of the program involves
thinning the forest through logging and pruning
trees and removing surface fuels and heavy
undergrowth either through burning or removal.
Remaining mature trees are trimmed up,
and many young, immature trees will be
cleared to widen the spacing between trees.
Some selected immature trees will remain to
provide adequate re-growth opportunities for
the forest. The goal of this program is to protect
the public, the property, and the infrastructure
in the ski areas.
The effects of climate change and the environmental,
personal, and economic devastation
caused by the increasing intensity and
number of wildfires we are experiencing,
weighs heavily on the minds of all those who
rely on our outdoor environment for recreation
and business. Purchasing fire preparedness
equipment is costly, but an increasingly
necessary business expense. None of us like
the idea of clearing out and trimming up our
beautiful trees, but keeping our forests clean,
clear of debris, and healthy are equally important
factors in controlling the threat of wildfires.
ss
I
photo / Big White Ski Resort

2021 - 2022 Far West Skier's Guide

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