Biscuit Fire
Encyclopedia
The Biscuit Fire was a wildfire
that took place in 2002 that burned nearly 500,000 acres (2,000 km²) in the Siskiyou National Forest in southern Oregon
and northern California
, in the Western United States
. The fire was named after Biscuit Creek in southern Oregon.
, Colorado
, and New Mexico
, pulling resources from the Pacific Northwest
. Between July 12 and July 15, a series of lightning storms
occurred in California and Oregon starting hundreds of small wildfires. During this period, five such fires were started within a 20 mi (32 km) radius of each other near the state border. Due to the fires already burning in other areas, insufficient numbers of fire crews and smokejumper
s were available to combat these fires and they began to burn out of control. The large Florence Fire, which had started approximately 30 mi (48 km) north of the border, eventually joined what was known as the Sour Biscuit Fire which was burning very close to the border. Once the massive Biscuit Fire was created, it could not be fully contained until December 31, 2002.
. Despite the level of destruction, there were no deaths attributed to the fire.
has been trying to log
most of the severely burnt area, despite ecologists' concerns about the Port Orford Cedar, which is threatened from a root fungus
that is most commonly spread on car tire
s and shoes. This will be the largest recorded timber
sale in U.S. history, and a landmark case setting the future for all fire
s in national forests. The cost of salvage logging far outweighed the proceeds from sales (-$1.9 million).
In 2006, a research paper on the effects of post-wildfire salvage logging caused a controversy
within the forest sciences community.
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
that took place in 2002 that burned nearly 500,000 acres (2,000 km²) in the Siskiyou National Forest in southern Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
and northern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, in the Western United States
Western United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
. The fire was named after Biscuit Creek in southern Oregon.
Siskiyou wildfires
The fire season in 2002 was an especially active one that started early with major fires in ArizonaArizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, and New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, pulling resources from the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
. Between July 12 and July 15, a series of lightning storms
Thunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm, a lightning storm, thundershower or simply a storm is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder. The meteorologically assigned cloud type associated with the...
occurred in California and Oregon starting hundreds of small wildfires. During this period, five such fires were started within a 20 mi (32 km) radius of each other near the state border. Due to the fires already burning in other areas, insufficient numbers of fire crews and smokejumper
Smokejumper
A smokejumper is a wildland firefighter who parachutes into a remote area to combat wildfires.Smokejumpers are most often deployed to fires that are extremely remote. The risks associated with this method of personnel deployment are mitigated by an extremely well developed training program that has...
s were available to combat these fires and they began to burn out of control. The large Florence Fire, which had started approximately 30 mi (48 km) north of the border, eventually joined what was known as the Sour Biscuit Fire which was burning very close to the border. Once the massive Biscuit Fire was created, it could not be fully contained until December 31, 2002.
Damages
The fire destroyed 4 primary residences and 10 other structures, put 15,000 residents on evacuation notice and burned most of the 180,000 acre (728 km²) Kalmiopsis WildernessKalmiopsis Wilderness
Kalmiopsis Wilderness is a wilderness area in the Klamath Mountains of southwestern Oregon, within the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. It was designated wilderness by the United States Congress in 1964 and now comprises a total of...
. Despite the level of destruction, there were no deaths attributed to the fire.
Post-wildfire
Since the fire, the United States Forest ServiceUnited States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
has been trying to log
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
most of the severely burnt area, despite ecologists' concerns about the Port Orford Cedar, which is threatened from a root fungus
Fungus
A fungus is a member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds , as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, Fungi, which is separate from plants, animals, and bacteria...
that is most commonly spread on car tire
Tire
A tire or tyre is a ring-shaped covering that fits around a wheel rim to protect it and enable better vehicle performance by providing a flexible cushion that absorbs shock while keeping the wheel in close contact with the ground...
s and shoes. This will be the largest recorded timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
sale in U.S. history, and a landmark case setting the future for all fire
Fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
s in national forests. The cost of salvage logging far outweighed the proceeds from sales (-$1.9 million).
In 2006, a research paper on the effects of post-wildfire salvage logging caused a controversy
Biscuit Fire publication controversy
The Biscuit Fire publication controversy refers to an academic and political controversy in the United States which occurred in January 2006. The U.S Forest Service and a group of professors wrote a letter to the prestigious scientific journal Science, requesting that publication of a short...
within the forest sciences community.