Kiowa Rita Blanca Ranger District to Implement Prescribed Fire Operations

Starting as early as March 25th

 BLM to conduct prescribed fire in the Hualapai Mountains | Bureau of Land Management

Watch an interview with a wildland firefighter on the La Luz and Maruche Prescribed Burn. 

Firefighters are taking advantage of the recent precipitation to conduct prescribe burn operations in La Luz Canyon March 22, 2022. Smoke may be visible from La Luz Canyon, Labrocita Canyon, High Rolls, Mountain Park, Fresnal Canyon and Highway 82. 

Pending favorable conditions, crews from the Darby-Sula Ranger District will conduct underburning operations on up to 85 acres this afternoon in the Como-Horse Lick units located north of Lake Como. Ignition time is scheduled around noon.

Prescribed burning in this area will reduce hazardous fuels from previous management operations. Smoke will likely be visible from Hwy-93 between Lake Como and Lost Horse.
Resources assigned to the burn include 40 firefighters and 3 engines. Crews will patrol and monitor the burning operation for several days.
 
Interactive Planned Prescribed Fire Map
Prescribed Burn Unit Maps (PDFs) 
 
 

Hamilton, MT, April 9 —The Stevensville Ranger District has completed prescribed burn operations at the Bass Creek Recreation Area northwest of Stevensville.  Firefighters were successful yesterday in treating the entire target area of 600 acres. Smoke may be visible at times today and may settle in low lying areas this evening. 

The burn area received rain overnight and had a skiff of snow on it this morning.  While fire crews remain on scene today to patrol and monitor the area, the forest plans to re-open the Bass Creek Recreation Area to the public tomorrow, April 10th.

Forest officials would like to thank the community for their support and cooperation during the closure of the popular recreation area.  “I know everyone is anxious to get back on the trails and I am grateful for the public’s patience and cooperation this week,” said Stevensville District Ranger Steve Brown   

Prescribed burns are one of the most effective tools available to resource managers for restoring fire-adapted ecosystems.  The burns mimic natural fires by reducing forest fuels, recycling nutrients, and increasing habitat diversity.  The Larry Bass prescribed burn removed dead forest fuels, restored wildlife habitat, and better protected communities from future wildfires.

Firefighters would like to remind horseback riders, hikers, and other recreationists that some of their favorite trails at Bass Creek areas may look a little different following the prescribed burn and to be aware that some hazards may remain.  Warning signs have been posted in the area to remind people of the potential hazards.  Some examples are unstable dead trees that could fall over (especially in higher winds), burned-out stump and root holes, loose rocks and debris, or ash and pine needles that can make the trail slippery.  If you do discover a hazardous condition, please report it to the Stevensville Ranger District (406-777-5461) as soon as possible.

For the latest information visit the Discover Bitterroot National Forest Facebook page at www.facebook.com/DiscoverBitterrootNF    

 Ignitions are complete and we are wrapping up today's 600-acre prescribed burn at Bass Creek Recreation Area. Crews successfully completed all the acres in today's project area.Folks may continue to see smoke in the area, but we anticipate an approaching weather system (and rain) will help push most of it out quickly. Reminder, Bass Creek Recreation Area will remain closed to the public tomorrow. We are grateful to accomplish this important work in the narrow burn window we have for understory burning (snow must be melted, but ground conditions cannot be too dry). Thanks for your support on this burn and grace with the smoke! Thank you also to the local/regional fire crews who lent us a hand to get this priority project completed today!

Interactive Planned Prescribed Fire Map
Prescribed Burn Unit Maps (PDFs)
 
  

Operations are going well on the 600 acre prescribed burn in the Bass Creek recreation area. Ignitions began around noon and by 3:30 PM, firefighters have completed 70% of the target area, (approx. 400 acres). In this video firefighters are using a drip torch to conduct the underburn operation. Underburning is a type of prescribed burning method that ignites the surface fuel under the forest canopy such as leaf litter, pine needles, grass, and small vegetation. If you notice the fire is staying on the ground and consuming dead vegetation to make way for new leafy forage.Crews are using roads and trails in the area as containment lines as the prescribed fire works its way around the larger, fire adapted trees.

Interactive Planned Prescribed Fire Map




 

 The morning briefing is underway at Bass Creek for today's spring burning operations. Ignition time is scheduled around noon and there are 40 firefighters, including the Bitterroot Hotshots and Missoula Smokejumpers, along with several engines assigned to the 600-acre prescribed burn.

 Smoke will be visible this afternoon from Hwy 93 north of Stevensville and the Bass Creek Recreation Area is closed to the public today and tomorrow. Objectives of the burn include reducing hazardous fuels, restoring wildlife habitat, and protecting communities from future wildfires.

Interactive Planned Prescribed Fire Map
Prescribed Burn Unit Maps (PDFs) 
 
 

Reminder, the Bass Creek Recreation area on the Stevensville Ranger District will be closed tomorrow and Saturday as fire crews conduct a 620-acre prescribed burn to reduce hazardous fuels, restore wildlife habitat, and better protect communities from future wildfires.

Spring burning planned at Bass Creek Recreation Area- full article here.

Map
 
Interactive Map