New Hampshire Chapter Report to the Winter Conference for the Year 2005:

The New Hampshire Chapter of the FFLA had 22 members in 2005 of which 3 memberships are complimentary and the others are paid. Of the 19 paid members 9 are Plus and 10 are regular memberships.

2005 saw one tower in New Hampshire, Pack Monadnock, nominated and listed on the National Historic Lookout Register(per the last issue of National Woodlands.) This tower began operation in April for the first time since it was closed in 1981. Hyland Hill tower is now closed but remains available for use if necessary.

During the first half of 2005 the State budget funding the 15 State operated towers from July 2005 through June 2007 was approved which was a great relief after the attack the previous year by Libertarians on the former governor's "efficiency committee."
2005 was the wettest year on record due in large part to rain from the remnants of the record number of hurricanes which lashed the southern part of the United States.

There were brief dry periods in late April and during a short period in the summer. Despite the rain New Hampshire experienced quite a few fires but acres burned was not too much greater than the previous year. The chart below lists the sadistics:

*all human caused except 5 fires, 0 acres from lightning
**all human caused except 19 fires, 11 acres from lightning

The White Mountain National Forest had one fire in 2005, no acres burned. The Green Mountain National Forest had one fire which burned one acre. Both National Forests carried out prescribed burns in 2005. Only two or three fire crews were sent out this past year. One crew was dispatched to Quebec in June while another crew went to Idaho later in the summer. A number of crews and single resources went south to help with the hurricane relief efforts and even now a District Ranger from the White Mountain National Forest is in Mississippi helping a Ranger whose house was destroyed.

Belknap County Forester and FFLA New Hampshire Chapter member Sumner Dole helped launch the New Hampshire "Tower Quest" program designed to develop interest and advocacy for the operating fire towers in this State. This program will grow in 2006 as the brochures are more widely distributed and as it is advertised.

Chris Haartz NH Chapter Director