FFLA New Hampshire Chapter Report for 2006 to the 2007 Winter Conference - 1/4/07

The FFLA New Hampshire Chapter lost one member who did not renew but added a new member this autumn. There are 18 paid memberships of which eight are PLUS members. We have three complimentary members for a total of 21 members. I gave two tower slide shows this past year and again no new members joined despite recruitment efforts. Again this year FFLA brochures were not received, so could not be distributed.

The State of New Hampshire operated 15 towers and the Town of Moultonborough operated Red Hill tower. Mt. Prospect tower was only operated during high fire danger as the lookout watchman was recovering from an injury. He is better and we look forward to his return this year. The tower cab at Mt. Magalloway was replaced as reported in the Lookout Network. The towers are funded through June 2007. This winter the two year State budget will be decided. I expect the towers to be funded for the biennium.

In 2006 there were no fires reported on the White or Green Mountain National Forests. Outside the White Mountain National Forest there were 495 fires in New Hampshire which burned 472 acres compared to 517 fires in 2005 and only 172 acres burned.
An active spring fire season with dry weather was likely responsible for the increase. In April, the Cascade Mountain fire in Gorham burned 98 acres and was the largest state fire in 15 years. The largest fire in many years was the 108 acre Lucy Brook fire in the autumn of 2004 on the White Mountain National Forest. Both the State and the Forest Service sent crews and single resources to help fight wildland fires this year.

Chris Haartz NH Chapter Director