Contingency planning

Not all prescribed burns go as planned. Changes in weather, equipment breakdowns, shortages of resources and multiple spot fires are examples of things that commonly go wrong on a burn. When events do not go as expected, does the burn plan address contingencies or is there a spur-of-moment response? Without a well-developed plan, small issues can become emergencies. One process for developing contingencies to address the “what if?” of handling the unexpected is called PACE planning. PACE planning not only provides alternatives to the primary plan, but it also prepares the prescribed burn team to deal with changes that often are inevitable.

PACE planning stands for:

• Primary
• Alternate
• Contingency
• Emergency

PACE planning is about mitigating risk by developing three back up plans. Instead of just one fallback option there are multiple options. If the Primary plan is unsuccessful, go to the Alternate. If the Alternate does not work, follow the Contingency plan. If that fails, fall back to the Emergency plan.