BLM High Desert District plans to conduct prescribed burns

PINEDALE, Wyo. – There is the potential for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) High Desert District (HDD) to conduct prescribed burns on multiple lands managed by the Pinedale Field Office and associated partners this fall and winter. Any burning is contingent upon fuel moisture and weather meeting optimal burn conditions that are part of the specific treatment prescription parameters. Burning will only be conducted when the safety of personnel and the prescription for the treatment area can both be met.

The prescribed burning of piles will dispose of slash from the following projects:   

• Burdick Fuels Treatment: The Burdick project is in Lincoln County, Wyo., approximately 10 miles west of La Barge, Wyo. The project is on the northern portion of Miller Mountain, near the head of Burdick Creek drainage. The 49 acres of hand created slash piles will be targeted for ignitions. The treatment will stimulate aspen growth and available forage for big game in critical migration corridors and reduce hazardous fuels on the landscape.

• Deadline Ridge Fuels Treatment: The entire Deadline Ridge project is in Sublette County, Wyo., approximately 11 miles northwest of La Barge, Wyo. The targeted unit is south of Beaver Dam Creek is located to the north of the South Fork Dry Piney Creek. The total targeted unit is 64 acres and consists of hand created slash piles. The treatment will stimulate aspen growth and available forage for big game in critical migration corridors and reduce hazardous fuels on the landscape.

• New Fork Fuels Treatment: The New Fork pile is located on a small, isolated parcel of BLM administered lands to the southwest of New Fork Lake in Sublette County, Wyo., one mile southwest of New Fork Lake off the New Fork Lake Rd. A total of 10 acres of hand and machine piles will be targeted this year. This project reduces hazardous fuels, increases forest health, and provided firewood to the public through BLM firewood gathering permits.

Prescribed burn treatments implemented by the BLM follow stringent authorization and permitting procedures. They are implemented only after environmental review which incorporates project design features and mitigation measures intended to ensure that objectives can be met with minimal impacts to other resources. A prescribed burn plan is followed which emphasizes public and firefighter safety as the first and highest priority. As with any activity involving vegetation treatments, risk cannot be completely removed, but the planning process attempts to mitigate as much risk as possible. High Desert District BLM Fire and Fuels resources may also take part in additional treatments to assist partner agencies and landowners.

During operations, smoke may be visible from relatively long distances but should dissipate rapidly due to the time of year and expected weather, the type and amount of material being treated and general atmospheric conditions in the area. Hunters and recreationists are urged to be aware of project areas and prescribed fire operations.

For more information, contact either HDD Fire Management Officer Mark Randall at (307) 231-9092, or Fuels Specialist Ross Dary at (307) 367-5317. For more information about BLM Wyoming, visit https://www.blm.gov/wyoming.