Island Park slash fire project now complete

UPDATE: 11-2

The burning of slash piles in the Yale-Kilgore area of Island Park is now complete, according to the Bureau of Land Management.

ORIGINAL STORY:

Depending on weather conditions, fire managers plan to burn fire control slash piles in Island Park beginning Monday.

Controlled ignitions are planned on about 200 acres of land in the Shotgun Valley area.

“There are several reasons we are focusing on the Shotgun Valley,” said Channing Swan, forester for the BLM Upper Snake Field Office. “We want to protect the community from large, uncharacteristically high intensity wildfires and we need to improve wildlife habitat and forest health and promote aspen regeneration.”

BLM said the burns might impact people who are sensitive to smoke. While burn plans consider safety, specific fuel, and weather conditions, they will also consider smoke management.

Anyone planning to be in the area should use extreme caution if they plan trips into or adjacent to the burning areas. You can view the planned burn areas here.

Signs will be posted before the fires are started and will remain in place until operations are completed.