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Prescribed fire planned near Hatch to restore wildlife habitat, reduce wildfire risk

Utah
Paria River DO
Media Contact

KANAB, Utah—The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Paria River District plans to burn approximately 100 acres of ponderosa pine understory east of Hatch, Utah, if favorable weather conditions occur. Ignitions are planned to start the week of Feb. 10. 

Ponderosa pine trees thrive with periodic, low-intensity fires that help to maintain open understories, providing young seedlings the sunlight they need to grow. Without these fires, shade-tolerant plants can take over –changing the ecosystem and threatening the species that rely on it. 

Prescribed fire in strategic areas also provides opportunities for firefighters to be successful in the event of a wildfire during the summer months while reducing the threat to nearby infrastructure. Operations will only occur under conditions that minimize the potential spread and impact to air quality. Smoke will likely be visible from multiple areas surrounding Hatch, Panguitch, and Highway 143 during the planned fire and for a few days after. 

To restore Utah’s landscapes in a meaningful way, all vegetation management projects are planned and coordinated through various land management agencies, partners, wildlife groups and private stakeholders of Utah’s Watershed Restoration Initiative.  

For more information on preventing unwanted human-caused wildfires and updates on fire-related information throughout the state of Utah, visit www.UtahFireInfo.gov. You can also visit www.UtahFireSense.org for more ways to enhance your “Fire Sense” and help prevent human-caused wildfires. 

A map showing the areas to be treated with prescribed fire. 5 burn units clustered closely together east of Highway 89, between Hatch and Hillsdale, Utah.
A map of the area to be treated with prescribed fire, just northeast of Hatch, UT.

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.