FOREST SERVICE HANDBOOK
PACIFIC SOUTHWEST REGION (R5)
VALLEJO, CALIFORNIA
R5 FSH 6509.22 - FIRE DAMAGES AND COST
RECOVERY PROCEDURES
CHAPTER 50 - OTHER RESOURCE DAMAGES
Amendment No.: R5 6509.22-2015-1
Effective Date: 10/2/2015
Duration: This amendment expires 5 years from the effective date unless superseded or
removed earlier.
Approved: Randy Moore, Regional Forester
Date Approved: 9/11/2015
Posting Instructions: Amendments are numbered consecutively by title and calendar year.
Post by document; remove the entire document and replace it with this amendment. Retain this
transmittal as the first page(s) of this document.
Last Change: 6509.22-2014-01 to Chapter 20
New Document: 6509.22_50, 4 Pages
Superseded Document(s): 6509.22-2010-1, Chapter 50
Digest: Completed 5-year review and converted to a 508 compliant format.
CHAPTER 50 - OTHER RESOURCE DAMAGES
R5 FSH 6509.22 - FIRE DAMAGES AND COST RECOVERY PROCEDURES
Amendment No.:R5 6509.22-2015-1 - Effective Date: 10/2/2015
50 - INTRODUCTION
This chapter describes the considerations for determining the value of improvements, heritage
resources and other intangible resources damaged or destroyed by fire for the specific purpose
of developing the Resource Damage Assessment.
51 - RESPONSIBILITY
The Forest Supervisor is responsible for determining the damage to all the public’s resources on
National Forest System lands following a fire. For improvements and heritage resources
standard methods exist to determine value of losses. The valuation of other resources
(aesthetic value, wildlife, wildlife habitat, water quality, flow and timing, etc.) is more complex.
The Pacific Southwest Region has adopted a methodology for valuing these resources. The
Regional Office will develop the values to be used in the Resource Damage Assessment in
consultation with the Forest.
52 - IMPROVEMENTS
Improvements include roads, bridges, trails, range fences, corrals, buildings, property
boundaries and survey monuments, etc. The damage claim for these improvements may
consist of two parts. The first part is simply the replacement or repair cost of the structure(s).
The second type of the damage associated with some improvements can be the lost income or
added expense associated with the loss of use of the improvement until the improvement can
be reconstructed. Three examples are (1) the loss of campground fees for three years until the
campground can be reconstructed and the campground fees returned (at least the amount
above operating costs); (2) the loss of grazing fees until damaged fences can be repaired or (3)
office rental until a new office is constructed.
52.1 - IMPROVEMENT VALUATION
Once a decision is made to complete a Resource Damage Assessment, the Forest should
prepare a detailed estimate of the restoration or replacement costs for each improvement
damaged or destroyed by the fire. Where possible, pre-fire and post-fire photographs of each
damaged or destroyed improvement should be included as part of the Record. In addition, each
improvement that has a lost income or added cost component should also have a detailed
rationale for the additional damages. The results of these damage estimates should be
summarized in a table similar to exhibit 01.
52.1 - Exhibit 01: Table 1.: Improvement Losses (example)
Improvement
9 Miles of
Range Fence
Trail Bridge
District Office
Sub-totals
Total Cost
Replacement
Cost
$12,000
Restoration
Cost
NA
Lost Income
Added Cost
Totals
$4,000
NA
$16,000
$150,000
$1,200,000
$1,362,000
$1,996,000
NA
$30,000
$30,000
NA
NA
$4,000
NA
$600,000
$600,000
$150,000
$1,830,000
$1,996,000
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CHAPTER 50 - OTHER RESOURCE DAMAGES
R5 FSH 6509.22 - FIRE DAMAGES AND COST RECOVERY PROCEDURES
Amendment No.:R5 6509.22-2015-1 - Effective Date: 10/2/2015
53 - HERITAGE RESOURCES
Heritage Resources encompass the evidence of human presence and activity from the past.
The sites of these activities include both historic and pre-historic evidence of human activity
ranging from lithic scatters to mining cabins. Fires may damage, destroy, expose or otherwise
put at risk irreplaceable relics of our past. The government is obligated to protect these
resources and following a fire, additional protection may be necessary. Depending upon the
type of resource and the nature of the damage or disturbance, protection may require a wide
range of activities. These protection activities may include stabilization, data recovery,
restoration or some other appropriate technique.
Information regarding the specific sites disturbed by the fire may not be available to the public
without restriction. All requests to release any fire related documents should be done by
following FOIA requirements and should be completed only after consultation with the Office of
the General Counsel.
53.1 - HERITAGE RESOURCE DAMAGE ASSESSMENT
The Forest should make a detailed estimate of the least-cost approach to meeting the
government’s obligation to protect, restore or recover information from all sites damaged by the
fire. The required work should be reviewed and agreed upon by the State Historic Preservation
Officer prior to inclusion in the final assessment. The detailed cost estimate will be part of the
Record. The work and associated costs should be summarized in a table similar to exhibit 01.
This table will also be included in the appropriate section of the fire damage assessment.
53.1 - Exhibit 01: Table 2. Heritage Resource Restoration and Protection Costs (example)
Site Number
1
1
2
3
4
Total
Protection
Activity
Stabilization
Data Recovery
Added Protection
Data Recovery
Costs Incurred
$30,000
NA
$8,000
Estimated Future
Costs
NA
$15,000
$3,000
Total Costs
$30,000
$15,000
$11,000
54 - OTHER RESOURCES
A number of studies suggest that suppression costs typically represent only a small percentage
of the damage resulting from a wildfire. These other resource losses include the loss of wildlife,
wildlife habitat, water quality, water flow and timing, aesthetic value, soil damage, air quality,
dispersed recreation opportunities, etc. Collectively, these resources (ecosystem services)
frequently represent a large portion of the actual damages.
54.1 - ECOSYSTEM SERVICES LOSS VALUATION
Valuation methods for the loss of ecosystem services (e.g. wildlife, wildlife habitat, watershed
conditions, recreational and aesthetic value) for up to 100 years is a complex assessment. The
Pacific Southwest Region has selected an approach for appraising the damage to these
resources by determining the cost of keeping the equivalent acreage of forest and associated
habitat that has been lost in the fire from burning elsewhere on the forest or even on other
forests. This cost can be developed by estimating the costs of additional fuels treatment. This
additional fuels treatment will reduce the normal loss of forest and habitat as a result of fires that
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CHAPTER 50 - OTHER RESOURCE DAMAGES
R5 FSH 6509.22 - FIRE DAMAGES AND COST RECOVERY PROCEDURES
Amendment No.:R5 6509.22-2015-1 - Effective Date: 10/2/2015
would otherwise be expected during the time it takes for the burned area to recover. This
approach provides an equivalent acreage of ecosystem services in this interim period.
The Region has developed a methodology for determining the costs of the extra fuels treatment
necessary to offset the ecosystem services lost as a result of the fire. The analysis will be
completed by the Regional Office upon request from the forests. Any necessary adjustments to
the coefficients used in the analysis will be provided to RSL by the Forest.
This approach and a detailed explanation of the methodology and rationale will be included the
Appendix of the Resource Damage Assessment. The results of this analysis are summarized in
exhibit 01 below and incorporated in the appropriate section of the Resource Damage
Assessment Report (see chapter 20). Supporting documentation will be in the Appendix or the
Record of the Resource Damage Assessment Report.
54.1 - Exhibit 01: Table 3.Total Costs to compensate For Loss of Ecosystem Services
(example)
Protected Acres
363,150
Acres of Additional Fuels
Treatment Required
72,630
Cost per Acre
Total Costs
$500
$36,315,000
55 - RECORDKEEPING AND DOCUMENTATION
Following is recordkeeping guidance for data, analysis and information in this chapter:
(Note: refer to chapter 20 for a brief explanation of the Record and Appendix)
1.
Detailed improvement replacement cost appraisal (Record)
2.
Detailed record and estimate of temporary use cost for applicable improvements
(Record)
3.
Detailed lost income estimate for applicable improvements (Record)
4.
Detailed estimate of costs planned or incurred to protect heritage resources
(Record)
5.
Ecosystem services loss spreadsheets with tables and basis for data (Appendix)
6.
Detailed explanation of and supporting data for ecosystem services loss calculation
(Record)
7.
Detailed records supporting mitigation receipts and costs (Record)
8.
All other supporting information and data (Record)
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