Spring burns are planned on the Bridger-Teton National Forest
Fuels reduction projects will create some visible smoke near Pinedale and in Wyoming Range – no closures anticipated
by Bridger-Teton National Forest
April 28, 2017
The Bridger-Teton National Forest is planning to conduct prescribed burning on the Pinedale and Big Piney Ranger Districts in the coming weeks.
Fire Managers will be taking advantage of warming temperatures and road access to begin work on the Skyline and Cottonwood 2 fuels reduction projects. Slash and ground fuels in the Skyline Wildland Urban (WUI) Interface Fuels Reduction project will be ignited to reduce the fuel load in timbered stands near the Sylvan Bay summer homes and limit the spread and intensity in the event of a wildfire fire. This unit includes approximately 120 acres along the Sylvan Bay Road to the south of the subdivision and 20 acres of hand piled slash near the day use area and summer homes.
Crews were busy last fall thinning trees and piling slash in the summer home area and will continue work beginning in May and continuing through a portion of the summer. This project was designed to provide greater defensible space and lower the risk from wildfire to homes and private property by removing hazardous fuel loads. This effort will create more open areas to help moderate fire behavior during a wildfire and increase firefighter and public safety.
The Cottonwood II prescribed burn is located approximately 20 miles west of Daniel, WY on Bare Pass near Red Castles. Fire managers hope to burn approximately 88 acres on Bare Pass in mid-May to late June.
Objectives for this project include; increase aspen stand regeneration, reduce conifer encroachment, increase forage conditions for wildlife habitat, and reduce hazardous fuels build-up while restoring fire-adaptive ecosystems.
Actual ignitions for the prescribed burns will depend on meeting strict parameters for weather and fire behavior conditions. Smoke will be visible from Hwy 191/189, Pinedale and surrounding area during ignition operations and for a short time after lighting has been completed. No closures are anticipated with either of these projects.
For more information on prescribed fire, fuels reduction projects, and defensible space, visit www.tetonfires.com or call the Pinedale Ranger District at 307-367-4326.
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