E – 1794 Post-Fire Erosion Control and BMP’s

This course introduces some of the methods used by the USDA Forest Service in the treatment of areas affected by severe fire damage in order to maintain the environment and prevent the further degradation of the area. Each method contains analysis of its effects, costs and methods to evaluate its success. Some of the analyses include case studies, which look at the results of the treatment during previous uses.

Failing to treat an area in the wake of a fire can result in negative environmental impacts such as flooding, widespread topsoil erosion, or the spread of invasive or harmful species due to the lack of natural environmental controls.

The content of this course is the U.S. Department of Agriculture document “Burned Area Emergency Response Treatments Catalog”. While the treatments introduced in this course are intended for use by USDA personnel and contractors, most of the principles and treatments can be used for burned areas other than USDA areas.