The primary objectives of the Forest Protection Division are the detection, suppression and prevention of wildfires in the forestlands of Louisiana. There are 18.9 million acres of land under fire protection by the agency. Our wildfire occurrence is high by regional and national standards. Without the effort and dedication of Office of Forestry personnel, the loss from wildfire would be catastrophic.
For the ten year period, 1996-2007, our records indicate an average of 2,522 wildfires that burned 29,107 acres of forestland each year. In addition to the destruction of valuable forestland and the impacts on the economy through the loss of this important resource, wildfires seriously threaten countless rural structures and equipment on a daily basis. Millions of dollars worth of property are severely threatened but damage is prevented by timely and effective wildfire suppression. The threat to loss of life and property is immeasurable.
The Louisiana Office of Forestry is the only state agency with statewide wild land fire-fighting capabilities. Fires are detected by aircraft or are reported by public citizens, and are then suppressed by trained forestry crews. Today, the state protection system involves approximately 80 two-man crews equipped with trucks, tractor-plows and two-way radios. These crews are employed year-round with additional seasonal crew personnel mobilized during fire season in high fire occurrence areas. Statistics show that the tractor-plow operator in the southern United States has the most hazardous wild land fire-fighting job in the nation.
Detection is handled by eighteen aircraft. Agency personnel inspect and maintain all aircraft within strict FAA standards. Agency personnel maintain a statewide radio system of mobile, base, and hand-held equipment which provides constant and instant communications, not only in forest fire detection but in civil defense communications as needed.
In the middle 1950s, a fire-weather forecasting program was begun with the cooperation of the U.S. Weather Bureau. Daily weather reports are relayed to the districts so that fire crews can be alert to current fire dangers. Smoke management guidelines and forecasts are issued by the Protection Branch to protect air quality and aid with forest prescribed burning programs throughout the state.
The Forest Protection Branch regularly conducts training programs for the agency's fire crews, stressing safe and effective firefighting techniques. The agency also has the cooperation of forest industries and the U.S. Forest Service whose crews support and back up the Office of Forestry's crews.
The specific objective of the branch is to keep the annual percent of burn at a level of no more than 0.25 of one percent (one-fourth acre for each 100 acres protected) in each parish in the intensively protected mixed pine areas of, primarily, north Louisiana parishes and to keep the annual burn at a level of no more than 0.50 of one percent (one half acre for each 100 acres protected) in flash fuel areas, primarily in southeast and southwest Louisiana. Overall, the aim is to hold the average size per fire to less than 12 acres. Records indicate that in 1998 the average size of Louisiana's forest fires was 11.2 acres.
The Forest Protection Branch administers the Federal Excess Personal Property Program which provides trucks and other machinery at no cost to rural Louisiana fire departments. The Volunteer Fire Assistance Program provides federal cost-share funding to aid in the training and equipping of rural volunteer departments.
The Office of Forestry administers the Certified Prescribed Burn Manager Program, which is designed to promote the safe and effective use of prescribed fire in the management of natural resources.
The Forest Protection Branch established the Louisiana Wildland Urban Interface Program to prevent the ignition of homes and structures during a wildland fire event.