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ANTELOPE PRESCRIBED (RX) BURN UPDATE - JUNE 23, 2023

Today firefighters ended up burning 245 acres at the “Antelope” RX Unit (located northeast of Mammoth) instead of the originally targeted 135. This was because weather conditions were favorable and the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District had already approved the requested 300 acres for the day.

As you can see, it appears to have put up significant smoke. The photos below were taken by a Bureau of Land Management - California Archeologist who was in the Bodie Hills today. Both the Burn Boss and the Air Pollution Control District representative were in agreement that the smoke did exactly what was modeled.

Typically, emissions per acre from prescribed fire are less than those from wildfire. Air quality is considered by federal land managers during every phase of the prescribe fire process from planning to implementation. The Burn Boss, along with other fire managers do plan for and minimize smoke impacts on communities, minimize public health impacts, reduce visibility impairment on roadways, and time ignitions to avoid impacting social/economic activities.

Tomorrow, June 24, firefighters plan to continue ignitions with a target of 224 acres within the Antelope RX Unit. They estimate that they will be done with ignitions at least by Monday, likely Sunday.

This RX project is going very well, with very minimal tree torching and a desirable mosaic-pattern consumption of fuels. With fuel moistures being at record highs this year, firefighters can move though the project burning faster than in other years when it’s drier.

SEE PHOTOS POSTED AT BELOW RELATED INFORMATION OR ABOVE AT PHOTOS TAB