Bridger-Teton concludes successful prescribed burn near Pinedale
by Bridger-Teton National Forest
October 5, 2009
The Bridger-Teton National Forest concluded ignitions on the Chicken Creek prescribed burn on Tuesday, September 29, on the Pinedale Ranger District southeast of Pinedale, Wyoming. While fire officials are no longer lighting fire within the burn unit, fire may continue to smolder and actively burn in some pockets of vegetation. Residual smoke and possibly flames may still be seen in the area. Fire personnel will continue to monitor the burn.
The Chicken Creek Prescribed Fire project area encompasses approximately 1,350 acres in the southern end of the Wind River Mountains in the Big Sandy area. The primary objective for the burn was to reduce sagebrush and regenerate aspen for wildlife transitional winter range. Additional benefits are to restore fire to the landscape representing a historical, natural role in the environment, and to reduce hazardous fuels, which will improve management of future wildland fires.
Fire managers say the project met the objectives outlined in the burn plan and were pleased with the results. "We’re real happy with everything that was accomplished on the unit. This burn is really going to benefit wildlife down the road", said Fire Management Officer, Paul Hutta. "It’s always tough to close an area during hunting season for 5 or 6 days but in this case the benefits outweighed the inconvenience to a few hunters and in the long run, it will pay off."
The unit has been re-opened to the public, but visitors are urged to use caution when inside the burn area as hazardous conditions can exist. Watch for falling snags (dead standing trees), rolling rocks or debris, burned out stump holes, hot smoldering or still burning pockets of fuel, smoke, and windblown ash and soot.
This vegetation treatment is an interagency cooperative effort with Wyoming Game & Fish Department, the Bridger-Teton National Forest, and Teton Interagency Fire. For more information, go to www.tetonfires.com.
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