BAER – Burned Area Emergency Response
Burn Severity Field Data Sheet
Fire Name__________________________ Observers ___________________________________
Date _______________
Transect No. ________________________ Quad _______________________ Aerial Photo No. ______________________
Subwatershed ______________________ Landtype _______________________
Soil Type ________________________
GPS UTM ________________________________
Elevation ____________ Aspect ____________ % Slope ___________
Slope Position: lower ____ mid ___
Photo #s __________________________________________________
upper ____
SEVERITY ***
% Total Ground Cover ____________
[dot count using 100 step point-pace transect]
litter/duff
live vegetation
rock >3/4 inch
% Water Repellent Soils: “L” ___
bare ground
“M” ____
“S” ____
INTENSITY
Timber
“L” - Area is 0-25 percent scorch
“L” - Area is 25-50 percent scorch
“M” - Area is 50-75 percent scorch
“M” - Area is 75-100 percent scorch
“H” - Area is black, no needles
“H” - No limbs less than 1” remaining
_________
_________
_________
_________
_________
_________
Class
CHANNEL OR VALLEY BOTTOM CONDITIONS
Percent of Canopy Burned______________________
Number of Large Woody Debris per 100 feet:
prefire ______
postfire _______
Begin Depth
End Depth
Color Changes to Soil: Yes ____
% Grass Root Crowns Alive:
No ____
Stream/Channel Gradient [circle one]
0-5%
5-10%
>10%
Less than 30 ______
Greater than 30 ______
No pre-fire grass ______
Percent of area with poor Stability: __________
Fire Effect on Shrubs:
Live, green
Leaves dead but on plant
Leaves and small twigs gone
Staubs remain
______
______
______
______
Fire effect on Riparian Shrubs: Live, green
Leaves dead but on plant
Leaves and small twigs gone
Only staubs remain
Recovery to 50% pre-fire
Ground Cover Density
______
______
______
______
______
Sediment Bulking:
V channel, to bedrock ______
V channel, not to bedrock ______
U channel, perched sediments ______
within 2 years
2-5 years
5-10 years
more than 10 years
Confidence level
WATER RESOURCE VALUES
Domestic
_____ Explain: _____________________
Fisheries
_____
___________________________
Recreational
_____
___________________________
Reservoir
_____
___________________________
Urban Develop _____
___________________________
SEVERITY/INTENSITY MATRIX
circle one
S
E
V
E
R
I
T
Y
INTENSITY
L ow
Moderate
High
L
O
W
L ,L
L,M
L,H
M
O
D
E
R
A
T
E
M ,L
M ,M
M,H
H
I
G
H
H,L
H,M
H,H
______
______
______
______
OTHER
Horizontal slope distance to drainage (feet) _________
Number of 8-14” diameter trees per acre _________
Areas of mass instability, wetlands, or unique features
__ Yes __ No Explain: ________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Additional Comments/Treatment Recommendations: ___________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
***Water Repellent Soil Degree: “W” (weak) < 10 seconds; “M” (moderate) - 10 to 40 seconds; “S” (strong) > 40 seconds (FSH 2509.13, 20, page 10)
***Severity: “L” if 0-20% Strong hydrophobic soils; “M” if 30-50% Strong hydrophobic soils; “H” if >50% Strong hydrophobic soils
BAER – Burned Area Emergency Response - Burn Severity Field Data Sheet Instructions
digging into the soil to observe the root mass. Use your pre-fire
All data, even the header information should represent the area surrounding
observation to identify the percentage of remaining grass clumps.
the transect. The role of the survey is to provide a representation of as
INTENSITY - Fire Effect on Shrubs or Riparian Shrubs: Survey a pre-fire
large a contiguous area as possible. The transect will serve a role in
or unburned area before making these observations. This will help you
modeling runoff and soil erosion, but can also be utilized to validate the
determine a percentage of the pre-fire ground cover made up of shrubs.
aerial severity map. By providing a mapped polygon that is represented by
Evaluate the species of shrubs in the burned area and how fire affects these
each transect it is possible to adjust the severity map to better fit on-thespecies. Use this to provide some recorded observations about the
ground observations.
potential for shrub regrowth. Identify the majority category or provide a
Slope Position: Identify the transect location in terms of which 1/3 of the
percentage in each category.
slope. This will aid in assigning whether the slope is concave or convex
Recovery to 50% pre-fire Ground Cover Density: Survey a pre-fire or
in shape. Indicate with notes if possible.
unburned area before making these observations. Discuss growing
Photo #s: Identify photo numbers to represent each transect. One at the
season and vegetation types with local specialists.(botanist). Observe
beginning of each transect should suffice.
the fire effects to the vegetation by evaluating the grass root systems,
cutting into the shrub roots for moisture content, etc. Record what
SEVERITY: Use a transect of 100 points (i.e. the point of your toe at each
percentage of the pre-fire vegetation will recover and when.
step or use 100’ tape and collect data every foot). Stratify transects to
represent a contiguous section of estimated severity (aerial survey, BARC,
other). Each transect should represent a single aerial estimate of severity.
Pick a direction and walk in a straight line trying to keep the same slope
position.
The box is used as a dot count with measurements along the way and all
the other information on the form is an observational assessment of what
the transect represents as a whole.
% Total Ground Cover: At every point, enter a dot count into a category
of ground cover depending on what you’ve hit. It is usually all burned so
make a call as to whether it is litter/duff, live vegetation (probably burned),
rock, or bare ground. Calculate the number and percentage of each
category after you’ve gotten to 100 and enter the additive percent of all
categories except bare ground. This is your % Total Ground Cover.
% Water Repellent Soils: The boxes for water repellency are used to
measure every 10th pace or point of your transect starting with the 10th
point in your transect. At every measurement, scrape the ground in at
least 4 places at different depths. Start by scraping the ash off just
enough to expose the surface of bare soil then proceed with depth
intervals of ¼ to ½ inch. Use your water dropper to put a few drops on
each scraped depth. Record the depth that repellency begins in the soil
profile and where no degree of repellency exists (record the last (end)
depth that repellency existed). Also, record the degree of water
repellency at each depth using the categories at the bottom of the form.
The class is based on the number of seconds that the drop of water
remains on the soil surface and how deep the soil is repellent. Assess
classes of water repellency by using the following rating system:

Low - No strong repellency except at the immediate soil surface
and no moderate repellency below 1/2 inch. Repellency is very
spotty in occurrence.

Medium - Some moderate repellency below 1/2 inch, but no
strong repellency below 1 inch.

High - Moderate repellency between 3 and 6 inches or strong
repellency below 1 inch. The degree of repellency is uniform in
extent.
Color Changes to Soil: Depth and Color of Ashes is an observation of
the transect as a whole so keep your head up for this measurement.
Ashes are white or reddish color, indicating that much of the carbon was
oxidized by the fire, especially if they are over 2 inches deep. This
consistently indicates zones of intensive burn with long residence time.
Sparse ashes that are dark in color usually indicate moderate to low
intensity and short residence.
% Grass Root Crowns Alive: Survey a pre-fire or unburned area before
making these observations. This will help you determine a percentage of
the pre-fire ground cover made up of grass. Then kick the grass clumps
to determine how intact (live) the roots are, if it’s difficult to kick the clump
out of the ground then the grass root crown is probably alive. Verify by
Timber : Look up and around at the timber and overstory vegetation.
Determine the percent of the tree’s height has been scorched by fire (give
an average of the whole). Evaluate tree limbs as well as young trees
(less than 1” diameter).
INTENSITY/SEVERITY Matrix: Use the matrix to record the appropriate
mix of intensity (identified by the fire effects to vegetation) and the severity
(the combination of water repellency and ground cover consumption in the
box). Circle the best box and provide explanation.
WATER RESOURCE VALUES: Identify values near the transect that would
help assess importance of that particular area.
CHANNEL OR VALLEY BOTTOM CONDITIONS: Evaluate and record the
percent of the canopy is consumed within the channel/valley bottoms.
Estimate the large woody debris per 100 feet. Use prefire inventory, if
available, for comparison. Estimate an average, even if the transect does
not cross the channel but is represented within site distance of the transect.
Stream/Channel Gradient: Measure the stream channel gradient and/or
record the gradient. Estimate an average, even if the transect does not
cross the channel but is represented within site distance of the transect.
Percent of area with poor Stability: Record any visually obvious slope
failures or bulking in the streams and on the slopes. Identified by cracks,
debris deposits, or other indicators of slope instability.
Sediment Bulking: Evaluate the channels, even if the transect does not
cross the channel but is represented within site distance of the transect.
Record whether the channel consists of bedrock and define it’s shape.
Look closely at sections of the channel that have existing or burned
riparian shrubs. Look for a wedge of sediment upstream from any
vegetation. Sediment bulking is likely, if the channel shape looking
directly up or downstream is U-shaped with perched sediments.
OTHER - Horizontal slope distance to drainage (feet): Estimate and
record the distance from the top of the slope (that drains to the channel) to
the channel bottom. If the slope is broken by benches, concavity, or
convexity distinguish distances above and below these breaks in the slope.
Number of 8-14” diameter trees per acre: Record an estimate of the
number of trees per acre at each represented area. If trees per acre is
difficult, then break it down inot how many 20’ logs (6-12” diameter) could
be cut and placed as log erosion barriers.
Areas of mass instability, wetlands, or unique features: Describe
unique features that would affect treatments or recommendations.
Especially, identify features that could contribute to raising the risk or the
consequences of the burned area and any recommended treatments (I.e.
spawning redds, wetlands, debris jams already instream).