Vermont officials outline expanded wildland fire work after active season, cite need for more capacity

Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation officials on Thursday reviewed an above-average wildland fire season, described the chief causes — escaped debris burns and improperly disposed woodstove ashes — and said the department is working with federal and local partners to build capacity though it has no formal funding request to the Agriculture, Food Resiliency, & Forestry committee at this time.

For the record, Danielle Pitsko, Commissioner of Forests, Parks and Recreation, opened the presentation and said, “we're here today to talk about wildland fires, an area that the department has been invested in for many, many decades. And, certainly, it is a hot topic.”

The presentation, delivered chiefly by Dan Schoeler, State Forest Fire Supervisor, summarized staffing, training, response and a notable October fire in Barnard. Schoeler said the department now maintains three full-time wildland fire specialists, about 15 state employees trained as basic wildland firefighters and additional personnel with national qualifications; it also runs training and prevention programs that reached more than 460 students last year.

Why it matters: Vermont’s wildland fires are driven mainly by human actions rather than lightning, and recent late-season dry conditions produced a spike in acreage and harder-to-control fires. Department…