Bridger-Teton plans fall prescribed burn
In the Cottonwood Creek area of the Wyoming Range
by Bridger-Teton National Forest
September 4, 2014
BIG PINEY – The Bridger-Teton National Forest plans to conduct a prescribed burn in the Cottonwood area of the Big Piney Ranger District this fall.
The Cottonwood II prescribed burn is located approximately 20-miles west of Daniel, WY in the North and South Cottonwood drainages and on Bare Pass near Red Castles. The project consists of several units totaling 1,093 acres. Fifty acres were successfully treated with fire earlier in this spring and 120 acres previously. Teton Interagency Fire Managers are hoping to burn several units for a total of over 500 acres this fall.
Fire managers plan to begin ignition in mid-September to mid-October. Actual ignition will be dependent on meeting strict parameters for weather and fire behavior conditions. Forest users may experience temporary smoky conditions in the vicinity of the project area and hazards associated with fire will be present inside and adjacent to the burn units. Interagency fire managers will attempt to minimize any adverse impacts as the burn proceeds.
The primary objective of the burn is to increase aspen regeneration and reduce encroaching conifer. "Fire is a very good tool to help bring back these aspen stands, said Paul Hutta, Fire Management Officer for the East Zone of the Bridger-Teton NF. Aspen are shade intolerant and removing the overstory of conifers will allow suckering to occur." Additional benefits will be to increase forage conditions for wildlife habitat and reduce hazardous fuels build-up while restoring fire-adaptive ecosystems.
This vegetation treatment is an interagency cooperative effort with Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming Game & Fish Department, Sublette County Fire, and Teton Interagency Fire.
For more information about this project, contact the Big Piney Ranger District at 307-276-3375 or visit www.tetonfires.com.
|
