Prescribed Fire Operations Update 

John Day, Prairie City and Hines, OR. – (May 11, 2021) After carefully monitoring conditions across the Forest, fire officials have determined that conditions are within specific parameters, including temperature, relative humidity, and fuel moisture to start prescribed fire operations in specifically planned units. ·       Emigrant Creek Ranger District fire crews are tentatively planning to start ignitions Wednesday May 12 on Silvies 7, approximately 4000 acres and Silvies 12, approximately 800 acres. These units are located between the Silvies River and Highway (Hwy) 395.  Silvies 7 is south of National Forest System (NFS) road 31 and Silvies 12 is north of NFS road 31.  These units will be implemented at the same time with separate organizations.     

John Day, Prairie City and Hines, OR. – (May 6, 2021) After carefully monitoring conditions across the Forest, fire officials have determined that conditions are within specific parameters, including temperature, relative humidity, and fuel moisture to start prescribed fire operations in specifically planned units. 

 John Day, Prairie City and Hines, OR. – (May 4, 2021) After carefully monitoring conditions across the Forest, fire officials have determined that conditions are within specific parameters, including temperature, relative humidity, and fuel moisture to start prescribed fire operations in specifically planned units. 
 

Forest Service News Release

Contact Title: Mary Hamisevicz  (541) 620-4750

                          Shawna Clark  (541) 575-3008

malheur_public_information@usda.gov

www.fs.usda.gov/malheur

04.16.21

Fire Staff Prepare for Prescribed Fire Operations

 The fire is 100% contained, and Texas A&M Forest Service Law Enforcement is on scene investigating the fire. The burned area is currently being mapped to determine the total acreage burned. 

Twitter: @Inyo_NF

BISHOP, CA May 24, 2021 — The Inyo National Forest will conduct a prescribed fire project at a site located along the Highway 395 corridor near Sunny Slopes and Tom’s Place beginning May 25, 2021, as weather conditions permit.

Crews are planning to start ignitions on Tuesday, May 25, targeting 60 acres. The first planned unit is directly east of Sunny Slopes, north of Tuff Campground, and is in the Jeffrey pine/sage/pinyon pine fuel types.  If operations go well on the first unit, managers may also conduct the 100-acre prescribed fire on Mammoth Lakes Ranger District.  This project is located north of Mammoth Lakes and west of the Crestview Fire Station.

The primary purpose of these prescribed fire projects are to reduce hazardous fuels for the nearby developed areas, as well as to restore fire-adapted ecosystem conditions.

Smoke will be visible at times from Highway 395 as well as from nearby communities. It may settle

into down-valley communities in the evening.

Prior to prescribed burning, much consideration goes into current and forecasted wind direction to divert much of the smoke from communities. The Inyo National Forest works closely with the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District to select days that will provide good smoke dispersal.

For more information about prescribed burning projects on the Inyo National Forest, please visit InciWeb at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7382/.

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BISHOP, CA April 30, 2021 —  As weather conditions permit, the White Mountain Ranger District of the Inyo National Forest will complete a prescribed fire project at a site located along the Highway 395 corridor near Sunny Slopes and Tom’s Place beginning May 4, 2021.

Crews are planning to start ignitions on Tuesday, May 4, targeting 75 acres. The first planned unit is directly east of Sunny Slopes, north of Tuff Campground, and is in the Jeffrey pine/sage/pinyon pine fuel types. This is one of many planned prescribed burn units in the Casa Diablo area that may be scheduled throughout the spring if environmental conditions allow.  Most units are broken up into approximately 250-acre components to allow crews to use roads and other features for containment objectives and to limit smoke impacts near communities.

Much of these units are experiencing typical spring green-up which creates ideal conditions to safely complete this project. The primary purpose of the burning is to reduce hazardous fuels for the nearby developed areas as well as to restore fire-adapted ecosystem conditions.

Smoke will be visible at times from Highway 395 as well as from nearby communities. It may settle into down-valley communities in the evening.

Prior to burning, much consideration goes into current and forecasted wind direction to divert much of the smoke from communities and recreation sites. The Inyo National Forest works closely with the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District to select days that will provide good smoke dispersal.

For more information about prescribed burning projects on the Inyo National Forest, please visit InciWeb at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7382/.

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

What are the benefits of Prescribed Burning?

Fire in the wildland plays a vital role in the natural cycle of life in the forest and it can also quickly become a dangerous hazard situation for a community. A non-catastrophic fire, whether prescribed or natural, has many ecosystem and resource benefits. An unmanageable wildfire threat to a community is a situation we all want to avoid. Prescribed fire is the controlled application of fire to the land to accomplish specific land management goals and can reduce hazardous fuels accumulations that can lead to an unwanted wildfire threat. The benefits include:

Reducing hazard fuel build-up: Dead wood, overcrowded, unhealthy trees, thick layers of pine needles, and continuous decadent brush fields can all contribute to catastrophic wildfires in the forest or adjacent to communities.

Prepares the land for new growth: When excess vegetation or needle layers are burned off, nitrogen and other nutrients are released into the soil and become available for new plants to grow.

Helps certain plants/trees germinate: Many native plant and forest communities have adapted to fire for their germination and growth. Seed contact with bare soil (such as that exposed by a fire) is necessary for some species to naturally regenerate.

Naturally thins overcrowded forests: Historically, natural fire thinned the forests. Thinned forests can recover faster and are more resistant to insect and disease attacks. Currently, many of the mature forests are overcrowded, resulting in a lack of vigor and health.

Creates diversity needed by wildlife: Fire creates a varied land and vegetation pattern that provides diverse habitat for plants and animals. Grazing wildlife benefit from new growth as shrubs produce succulent edible leaves when re-sprouting after a fire.

What is a burn plan?

A burn plan helps ensure that the objectives of the burn are met, as well as addressing safety issues. Land managers determine if the resource would benefit from a specifically prescribed fire application. The burn plan determines the environmental conditions necessary for meeting resource objectives in a safe, effective manner.

The plan includes how and when the fire will be ignited and contained and what resources, such as fire equipment and personnel, must be on site before burning may begin. Air Quality Management District issues project specific burning permits as required. A burn plan must be followed. If unexpected problems arise, a burn operation is shut down.

How is burning accomplished?

Two major methods of burning are utilized on the Inyo National Forest:

Pile Burning: Involves burning piles that were generated by hand piling and mechanical piling. The piled fuels are typically generated by some activity like logging slash, thinning, and brush removal.

Underburning: Involves implementing a light-to-moderate intensity fire through an area to reduce surface fuel loading, thin overstocked reproduction, and accomplish natural limbing of lower (near ground level) branches of large trees.

Who does the burning?

Prescribed fire use is conducted by trained and qualified fire management professionals who have studied and are experienced and skilled in the areas of fire behavior and fire management techniques. These prescribed fire professionals help ensure the safety of the burn crew, nearby residents, and property.

What about the smoke?

Controlling where the smoke will go is an important part of every prescribed burn. Before each burn, land managers look carefully at what they plan to burn and the proximity of houses, roads, and other smoke sensitive sites to the planned burn area. The burn plan is then written to minimize negative impacts of smoke, especially to individuals who may be smoke-sensitive. We work closely with the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District to ensure we ignite under the most optimum times in order to limit any harmful effects of smoke to sensitive areas.

Smoke, however, is a natural byproduct of fire and some amounts are unavoidable. Periodic prescribed burns prevent heavy fuel accumulation that would send a larger amount of smoke into the air should an uncontrolled wildfire occur.

When does burning occur?

 The Inyo National Forest conducts most prescribed fires between October 1 and June 1. Prescribed burning is started after the fall rainy season begins, and extends until the final spring rains are eminent usually in April. The forest burn schedule is established for fuels reduction, wildlife habitat and resource protection priorities.