Prescribed fires on Salmon-Challis National Forest continue
SALMON, Idaho (KIFI) - The Salmon‐Challis National Forest is continuing to implement prescribed pile burning projects this Fall and Winter on the North Fork, Salmon‐Cobalt, Lost River and Challis-Yankee Fork Ranger Districts.
Prescribed fire activities may take place during the months of December through January. Prescribed fire activity is highly weather dependent. As areas come into favorable prescribed fire weather conditions, specialists will hand ignite the slash piles. This process relies on coordination with the National Weather Service and Air quality regulators to determine the best possible weather conditions that promote smoke dispersal and limit smoke impacts to local and regional communities.
Planned pile areas may include:
- North and West of Twin Creek Campground – 10 acres
- Granite Mountain timber sale slash piles – 10 acres
- Along the Ridge Road towards Iron Lake and Storm Peak Road – 15 acres
- Cougar Point Campground – 20 acres
- North Fork of the Big Lost River – 10 acres
- Pine Summit, South of Mosquito Flats Reservoir – 10 acres
In addition, throughout the forest there are multiple locations with small densities of piles created during various activities that will be burnt with very little impact to any surrounding area.
During burn operations, it is expected that short periods of high smoke volume output will be visible to local communities along Forest roads, near campgrounds, and in areas where timber harvest and fuels reduction work have occurred in the past. All notifications will be made to residents or interested parties prior to ignition. Please use caution in these listed areas during burning operations and observe any posted signs in the area. All of these projects support the National Fire Plan (2000), Healthy Forest Initiatives (2004), and Healthy Forests Restoration Act (2004) as well as meet the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy (2014) in protecting communities at risk, community infrastructure and safe/effective wildfire response.
