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BLM to conduct pile burns near Malad City to complete a wildlife habitat project

Organization:

Bureau of Land Management

BLM Office:

Idaho Falls District Office

Media Contact:

MALAD CITY, Idaho–The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Idaho Falls District will burn ten slash piles, which are made up of wood and brush, in two separate project areas near Malad City, starting this week. Fire managers will light the piles during the week of Dec. 4, and personnel will monitor the piles for a few days, to ensure there is no unintended fire spread in the project area. The piles are the result of a habitat improvement project in the area. 

The first burn is in North Canyon, approximately seven miles west of Malad City. The second burn is one pile left over from a project that was done this summer in the Samaria Mountains, seven miles south of Malad City. Smoke from these prescribed burns may be visible from considerable distances, including the Interstate-15 corridor, due to project locations, vegetation types and burning conditions. 

“The purpose of the North Canyon project is to improve habitat for mule deer and elk in the Pleasantview Mountains west of Malad City, and there is another pile of wood left over from removal of a range improvement that was no longer functional” said BLM Acting Pocatello Field Manager Blaine Newman. 

This project is considered a pile burn, meaning crews will hand ignite the piles created from removing small trees and brush to reduce the risk of available fuel that could feed a wildland fire. Once initiated, prescribed burns last one to two days, with personnel and equipment patrolling the area for up to five days afterward. For more information on this project, please call the BLM Idaho Falls District Office at 208-524-7500.

Smoke plume from a controlled burn performed by the Pocatello Field Office staff (Cindy McClellan, BLM).
Smoke plume from a controlled burn performed by the BLM Pocatello Field Office staff (Cindy McClellan, BLM).

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.