Fire management officials on the Pomeroy Ranger District will be implementing activities fuels and pile burning over the next couple weeks.

The objective is to reduce activity slash and prepare the ground for natural and artificial regeneration. These units are located in various locations in the South George Timber Sale area (South Park 22 and South Park 40). Units range in size from 20 to 60 acres. The majority of smoke will be visible on the day of ignition and decrease dramatically the following day. Smoldering and lingering smoke will persist for the next several days.

Additional information about this prescribed burn is available by visiting the Umatilla National Forest’s new prescribed fire interactive map. This map displays burning activities and is available at https://tinyurl.com/y8b433th. (Note: only piles within timber sale units will appear on the interactive map, piles may be burned in other areas and those areas will not appear on the map). The interactive map allows the user to zoom in on certain areas and click on a burn unit for more information (such as acreage, status, etc). When burning operations begin the interactive map will be updated to display which burn units are actively burning.

Maps of the proposed prescribed burns are also located on InciWeb at http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5808/.

The Pomeroy Ranger District has completed ignition on the Dark Canyon Prescribed burn, located 24 miles SE of Pomeroy, Washington. Forest visitors may see some fire activity in the Dark Canyon area over the next couple of days as the fire continues to smolder and creep in the timbered areas. Forest Service and Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) personnel will patrol the area over the next few days and/or weeks. Hunters and forest visitors should still be cautious when entering the area for snags, burning stumps and ash pits. With cooler and wetter conditions predicted, the Forest Service will transition to burning residual slash and fuels in recent timber sale units on the Pomeroy Ranger District. These units are located off Hogback (4302) road and Cloverland (4400) road.

Fire management officials on the Pomeroy Ranger District are implementing a large-scale prescribed natural fuel burn today.

The Dark Canyon prescribed burn is anticipated to take 2-5 days to complete and includes 1,750 acres of grass, brush, timber litter and timber understory in the Lick Creek Game Management Hunting Unit. The objective of the burn is to improve foraging habitat for big game, reduce long-term wildfire risk through reductions in existing fuel loading, and to restore the ecological functions of a fire adapted ecosystem to the area. #KnowBeforeYouGo Hunters and forest visitors are encouraged to plan ahead and avoid the area during prescribed burning activities.

Interested in more details on this prescribed burn? The Umatilla National Forest has developed a prescribed fire interactive map displaying planned burning activities, which is available at https://tinyurl.com/y8b433th. The interactive map allows the user to zoom in on certain areas and click on a burn unit for more information (such as acreage, status, etc). When burning operations begin the interactive map will be updated to display which burn units are actively burning. Check it out!

PENDLETON, Ore. - Fire management officials on the Umatilla National Forest are preparing to implement the forest’s fall prescribed burn plan, which could impact camping and hunting opportunities in several hunting units across the forest. Any associated road and trail closures will go into effect prior to and during burn operations, which typically take 2-5 days to complete. Hunters are advised to plan ahead and avoid camping in the designated prescribed burn areas during the upcoming 2018 hunting season.

Frequent, low-intensity fire is essential for healthy forests and reducing the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire caused by excessive fuel buildup. Prescribed burning is an effective tool for removing excessive amounts of brush, shrubs, and trees, while also encouraging the growth of native vegetation. However, prescribed burning is highly dependent on weather conditions, which have to be within a narrow criteria window in order to use prescribed fire. Factors such as wind speed and direction, temperatures, relative humidity, and fuel moistures are all taken into consideration prior to implementing a prescribed burn operation.

“From a restoration objective standpoint, late summer and fall provide the best opportunities for the timing of prescribed fires,” said Andrew Stinchfield, Deputy Fire Staff Officer. “Fire behavior during fall weather conditions are more likely to align with how the native vegetation has adapted to fire.”

The Forest Service recognizes that hunting season coincides with prescribed burning season and can impact hunters, but controlled burns are necessary to reintroduce fire to the landscape and encourage healthy vegetation that will ultimately improve landscapes and forage for big game.

Hunters should be cautious when entering a recently burned area and be aware of increased hazards, particularly snags. Dead or dying trees that remain standing after a fire are unstable, especially in high winds.

“Don’t camp or hang out in the burned area. And, as always, let someone know your planned route, destination and expected return time,” said Stinchfield.

Each prescribed burn represents many years of planning and preparation to ensure burn operations meet prescriptive conditions that allow for successful burns that provide multiple benefits to resources. The forest works closely with the Oregon Department of Forestry and Washington Department of Natural Resources in accordance with the State’s Smoke Management Plans to determine when, where, and how much is burned on a daily basis. Potential smoke impacts, looking at volume of smoke, direction of spread, and mixing heights, are determined prior to each burn. All burns will be monitored until a season ending rain or snow occurs.

The Umatilla National Forest has developed a prescribed fire interactive map displaying planned burning activities, which is available at https://tinyurl.com/y8b433th. The interactive map allows the user to zoom in on certain areas and click on a burn unit for more information (such as acreage, status, etc). When burning operations begin the interactive map will be updated to display which burn units are actively burning. Maps of the proposed prescribed burns are also located on InciWeb at http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5808/. Additional information on prescribed burning is available on the Umatilla National Forest website at www.fs.usda.gov/umatilla/ or at any forest office.

For more information about the Umatilla National Forest’s Prescribed Burn program, please contact one of the following Forest Service personnel:

• Tara Mackleit, Pomeroy Ranger - (509) 843-4676

• Joby Sciarrino, Walla Walla Ranger District - (509) 522-6283

• Jesse Bohnsack, North Fork John Day Ranger District - (541) 427-5399

• Kristen Marshall, Heppner Ranger District - (541) 676-2130

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PENDLETON, Ore. - Fire management officials on the Heppner Ranger District are preparing to implement a 250-acre prescribed burn as early as Thursday, April 26 near Sunflower Flat, approximately 20 miles south of Heppner.

The activities are anticipated to produce localized smoke impacts for approximately two to three days, after ignitions are complete. The objective of the prescribed burn operation is to reduce hazardous fuel loads by using controlled fire to reduce the amount of dead and down fuels and selectively thin understory trees in dense forested stands. Prescribed burning will also help stimulate fire tolerant plant species, enhance forage and browse, and reduce the risk of large stand-replacing wildfires.

If conditions are right, the district will continue burning into next week.

Frequent, low-intensity fire is essential for healthy forests and reducing the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire caused by excessive fuel buildup. Prescribed burning is an effective tool for removing excessive amounts of brush, shrubs, and trees, while also encouraging the growth of native vegetation. Prescribed burning is also highly dependent on weather conditions, which have to be within a narrow criteria window in order to use prescribed fire. Factors such as wind speed and direction, temperatures, relative humidity, and fuel moistures are all taken into consideration prior to implementing a prescribed burn operation.

Each prescribed burn represents many years of planning and preparation to ensure burn operations meet prescriptive conditions that allow for successful burns that provide multiple benefits to resources. The forest works closely with the Oregon Department of Forestry and Washington Department of Natural Resources in accordance with the State’s Smoke Management Plans to determine when, where, and how much is burned on a daily basis. Potential smoke impacts, looking at volume of smoke, direction of spread, and mixing heights, are determined prior to each burn. All burns will be monitored until a season ending rain or snow occurs.

Early season burning operations typically begin in spring (or when the snow melts) and occur until the beginning of fire season. For additional information on prescribed burning on the Umatilla National Forest, please visit:

• Forest Inciweb site: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4703/

• Blue Mountain Prescribed Fire Council Blog: http://bluemtnprescribedfire.blogspot.com/

• Forest Facebook page: www.facebook.com/UmatillaNF

For additional information on the Heppner Ranger District’s upcoming burn, please contact Kristen Marshall at 541-676-2130, klmarshall@fs.fed.us.

Additional information on the Umatilla National Forest is available at www.fs.usda.gov/umatilla/ or by visiting any forest office.

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North Fork John Day Ranger District to implement prescribed burn this week

PENDLETON, Ore. – The Umatilla National Forest is preparing to implement early season prescribed burning activities as soon as Thursday across portions of the Forest.

Fire management officials on the North Fork John Day Ranger District will begin implementing a prescribed burn plan on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018, three miles south of Dale along the west side of Highway 395.

The District’s upcoming prescribed burn operations consist of approximately 200 acres of grass within a 600 acre burn unit. The objective of the burn is to reduce the spread of invasive grasses, such as Ventenata and Medusahead, by burning the first germination of grass following the recent snow melt. Implementing these burn operations will help encourage the growth of native vegetation. Smoke from the burn operations will be visible along the highway, but the activities are not anticipated to produce significant or long-lasting smoke.

Frequent, low-intensity fire is essential for healthy forests and reducing the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire caused by excessive fuel buildup. Prescribed burning is an effective tool for removing excessive amounts of brush, shrubs, and trees, while also encouraging the growth of native vegetation. Prescribed burning is also highly dependent on weather conditions, which have to be within a narrow criteria window in order to use prescribed fire. Factors such as wind speed and direction, temperatures, relative humidity, and fuel moistures are all taken into consideration prior to implementing a prescribed burn operation.

Each prescribed burn represents many years of planning and preparation to ensure burn operations meet prescriptive conditions that allow for successful burns that provide multiple benefits to resources. The forest works closely with the Oregon Department of Forestry and Washington Department of Natural Resources in accordance with the State’s Smoke Management Plans to determine when, where, and how much is burned on a daily basis. Potential smoke impacts, looking at volume of smoke, direction of spread, and mixing heights, are determined prior to each burn. All burns will be monitored until a season ending rain or snow occurs.

Early season burning operations typically begin in spring (or when the snow melts) and occur until the beginning of fire season. As the Forest prepares to implement prescribed burns this spring, updated information on active burns will be posted on the Forest Inciweb site at: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4703/ or on the Forest Facebook page at www.facebook.com/UmatillaNF.

For additional information on the North Fork John Day’s upcoming burn, please contact Kip Turner at 541-427-5398, kfturner@fs.fed.us or Jesse Bohnsack at 541-427-5399, jbohnsack@fs.fed.us.

Additional information on the Umatilla National Forest is available at www.fs.usda.gov/umatilla/ or by visiting any forest office.

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FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The Pingree Hill portion of the Elkhorn-Pingree Hill Prescribed Burn located in the Poudre Canyon northeast of Rustic has been completed. Burning started on this project in 2014, with burning also taking place from 2016 to 2019. With 1,350 acres burned this spring, all 1,913 acres are now complete, promoting landscape restoration, reducing the risk of wildfire and improving wildlife habitat for bighorn sheep.

Over the life of this project many partners assisted the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland staff. These include, but are not limited to:

• Larimer County Emergency Services

• Colorado Department of Transportation

• Colorado State Patrol

• Poudre Canyon Volunteer Fire Department

• Alpine Interagency Hotshot Crew, Rocky Mountain National Park

• Colorado State Fire Prevention and Patrol

• Shambhala Mountain Center

• The Nature Conservancy

• Medicine Bow and Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland

• Colorado Parks and Wildlife

• Upper Poudre Canyon Community Members

“We really appreciate the great support from all of our partners in our successful effort to complete the Pingree Hill Prescribed Burn.” Canyon Lakes District Ranger Katie Donahue said. “We look forward to continuing to work with them as we conduct future burns, like Elkhorn just to the west of Pingree Hill.”

More information about the Elkhorn-Pingree Hill Prescribed Burn, including maps and photos, is available at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4727/.

GRANBY, Colo.—October 22, 2019— Winter conditions are settling in over the Sulphur Ranger District of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland, which means fuels crews will soon begin pile burning operations throughout the district.

Fuels reduction programs involve mechanical or hand thinning projects, removing trees to reduce forest density and improve forest health. While larger logs are removed for use, unmarketable limbs, saplings, and brush are piled up for burning. Hand piles result from crews using chainsaws to thin the forest and then piling the sawn material; machine piles result from using logging equipment and primarily consist of tree limbs left behind after marketable material is removed.

This season’s pile burning could begin as soon as October 29 and continue through this spring, depending on weather and fuels conditions. Piles are only ignited when fuels managers are confident that the project can be undertaken safely and successfully. Snow cover, fuel moisture, precipitation, wind, temperature, and available firefighter staffing are all taken into account before beginning a pile burn.

Piles which are ready for burning are prioritized based on elevation, aspect, access, and proximity to homes. Smoke, flames, and glowing embers are often visible, and are a normal part of pile burning operations. Snow helps contain the piles and firefighters monitor the area during and after the burn. Public and firefighter safety is always the number-one priority in burning operations.

Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health; for more information see http://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health/.

To get the latest updates on when and where burning will occur, follow us on Twitter and Facebook @usfsarp. To be added to our e-mail notification list, send an e-mail to travis.a.mason-bushman@usda.gov and ask to be added to the Sulphur Ranger District Prescribed Fire list. For a complete list of locations where burning will occur this season, as well as updated accomplishments and photos, visit our InciWeb page at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4648.

The Sulphur Ranger District has prioritized the areas listed below for pile burning this fall:

• Winter Park Fuels/Upper Fraser (2,500 hand piles) – Southwest of Fraser and Winter Park, Colo.
• Keyser Creek Fuels (250 machine piles) – North and south of Keyser Creek
• Jericho Road Fuels (700 hand piles) – Northwest of Granby Dam
• Trail Creek Fuels North (5,000 hand piles) – 2.5 miles northwest of Fish Bay on Granby Lake
• ANRA/Supply Creek Fuels/Kawuneeche Road North (20 machine piles and 1,000 hand piles) – 1.5 miles northwest of Columbine Lake, near Supply Creek Trailhead
• Willow Creek Fuels East (500 hand piles) – East of Highway 125 near Kauffman Creek
• Pass Creek (175 machine piles) – West and east of Highway 125 near Gravel Mountain
• Blue Ridge (15,000 hand piles) – South of County Road 55 along Blue Ridge
• Cabin Creek (3 machine piles) – West of Highway 125 and FSR 112.

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NEDERLAND, Colo. (Jan. 11, 2017) – Pile burning activities around the Boulder Ranger District have gotten off to a great start this season thanks to plentiful snowfall. To date, firefighters have burned nearly 2,200 small slash piles and more than 85 large (machine built) slash piles.

Pile burning in the Ridge Road unit that was part of the Sugarloaf Fuels Reduction Project is now complete. There are still about 22 large piles to burn in another one of our Sugarloaf Project units near Ridge Road and Alpine Drive. More snow is needed there before we can burn those.

Work on the Lump Gulch project near Bobcat Trail is also now complete (originally contained more than 60 large machine piles). Over the past few days crews have been working to burn large machine piles in the Kelly Dahl Campground area and so far have burned about 65 large piles there. Approximately 20 large piles remain to burn in Kelly Dahl, but crews plan to wait for more snow prior to returning to that area.

Smoke dispersal has been great thanks to the wind and the deep snow helps keep the piles contained. Seeing flames and smoke, even after dark, is part of normal operations. This is one way that we can help reduce fuels on the landscape under the safest conditions.

Based on current conditions, firefighters plan to burn some remaining piles near Taylor Mountain tomorrow. Over the coming week, pile burning will continue at Kelly Dahl, and crews are expected to move to the James Creek project near Jamestown and Gold Hill.

Conditions are evaluated each day to determine if ignition will take place. Ignitions are generally expected to begin after 10 a.m. and will cease several hours before sunset. Smoke and flames will be visible and are part of normal operations. Precipitation, wind, temperature, fuel moisture and staffing all play a part in when and whether ignition occurs. Firefighters monitor the area after burning is complete. Public and firefighter safety is always the number one priority in burning operations.

If you know anyone else who would like to receive updates on pile burning activities in the area, have them email krarmstrong@fs.fed.us and ask to be added to our email updates. To unsubscribe, please reply with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line.

Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health. For more information see https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health.

A complete list of areas where pile burning could occur on the Boulder Ranger District this season is located at: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4648/.

NEDERLAND, Colo. (Dec. 7) – Firefighters will take advantage of winter conditions this week to burn slash piles along Ridge Road, approximately 2 miles northeast of Nederland.

Conditions are evaluated each day to determine if ignition will take place. Ignitions are generally expected to begin after 10 a.m. and will cease several hours before sunset. Smoke may be visible. Precipitation, wind, temperature, fuel moisture and staffing all play a part in when and whether ignition occurs. Firefighters monitor the area after burning is complete. Public and firefighter safety is always the number one priority in burning operations.

If you know anyone else who would like to receive updates on pile burning activities in the Boulder Ranger District area, have them email brdvis@fs.fed.us and ask to be added to our email updates. To unsubscribe, please reply with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line.

Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health. For more information see https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health.

A complete list of areas where pile burning could occur on the Boulder Ranger District this season is located at: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4648/