Prescribed 300-400 acre burn scheduled near Pocatello this week
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The following is a news release from Caribou-Targhee National Forest.
POCATELLO — Approximately 300-400 acres will be treated with a prescribed burn in the Pine Hollow area, located approximately five miles east of Pocatello, as part of the ongoing multi-year Toponce Wildlife Habitat Project.
The Westside Ranger District will begin prescribed fire operations Tuesday, Oct. 15, and continue throughout the week, depending on weather conditions.
Firefighters will hand ignite a pre-identified unit in Toponce Basin off Maggie’s Road. As in previous years, smoke may be visible to nearby communities such as Chesterfield and Bancroft, as well as public recreating in the area.
The proposed burns are part of the forest service’s ongoing multi-year projects to improve wildlife habitat and manage forest fuels.
“Aspen and fire have a symbiotic relationship,” said Arik Jorgensen, Caribou Zone Forest Fuels Specialist. “After a ground disturbance activity, such as fire, aspen growth and resiliency increases, which creates a more diverse landscape and healthier habitat for wildlife.”
Fire managers pursue prescribed fire operations in the fall when ground moistures are high and fire danger is low, where they can control the pace at which they ignite fuels, and carefully consider current and predicted weather during implementation. By proactively managing forest fuels, fire managers are attempting to mitigate the future risk of prolonged smoke events from high-intensity wildfires and create healthier and resilient landscapes.
If weather conditions do not allow for ignition, the Forest Service will continue to monitor for an extended clear weather pattern that will meet the combination of fuel moisture, temperature, wind and smoke dispersal conditions necessary for a successful prescribed burn.
For more information visit https://arcg.is/0vee5r or contact the Westside Ranger District office at 208-236-7500 or check our Facebook page for updates at https://www.facebook.com/USFSCaribouTarghee.
