U.S. Forest Service

Visitors encouraged to remember fire safety as seasons change

Fire restrictions rescinded as of Oct. 1

By Mary Grace Bedwell, U.S. Forest Service

As seasons change on the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland (MBRTB), visitors are reminded to exercise caution when building and maintaining fires.

Effective Oct. 1, fire restrictions were rescinded on all National Forest System lands managed by the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland.

This includes National Forest and Grassland in Garfield, Grand, Jackson, Moffat, Rio Blanco, and Routt counties in northwest Colorado; Albany, Campbell, Carbon, Converse, Crook, Natrona, Niobrara, Platte, and Weston counties in Wyoming.

While the onset of shorter days and cooler temperatures has seasonally decreased fire danger, all areas of the MBRTB remain in drought of varying levels of intensity. Large wildfire activity has been less substantial in 2021 than in recent years, however late-season fires have become more common in the Rocky Mountain region. Hunters, campers, and all other forest visitors should exercise caution to reduce wildfire risk.

Campfire safety best practices include making sure that campfires are thoroughly extinguished before leaving a fire unattended. This is effectively done by stirring coals and other burned materials with water until cool. Even if your fire is a relatively small warming fire, the fire should be dead out before you leave the site. More campfire safety information is available online.

Regarding ongoing wildfires on the Routt National Forest, all fires have transitioned management back to local Forest resources. Engines continue to patrol and monitor fires while conducting fire suppression repair work as necessary.

Area closures on National Forest System lands remain in place for the Muddy Slide, Morgan Creek, and Black Mountain fires.

Call or visit your local office for site-specific information. • Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger District, Saratoga, Wyo., (307) 326-5258 • Douglas Ranger District, Douglas, Wyoming, (307) 358-4690 • Hahns Peak/Bears Ears Ranger District, Steamboat Springs,

Colorado, (970) 870-2299 • Forest Supervisor’s Office & Laramie Ranger District, Laramie, Wyoming, (307) 745-2300 • Parks Ranger District, Walden, Colorado, (970) 723-2700 • Yampa Ranger District, Yampa, Colorado, (970) 638-4516

Pole Mountain and northeast Sierra Madre Range prescribed burning for mitigation

By Mary Grace Bedwell, U.S. Forest Service

USDA Forest Service fire staff looked for windows of opportunity to conduct a cumulative 1,000 acres of prescribed burns on the Pole Mountain unit of the Medicine Bow National Forest and nearly 1,600 acres in the northwest portion of the Sierra Madre Range.

Smoke from the Pole Mountain burns were likely be visible to the public from Interstate 80, Happy Jack Road (WYO 210), and nearby forest roads. The work is part of the ongoing Pole Mountain Vegetation Project in eastern Albany County that began in 2014. Nearly 9,000 acres were authorized to be treated over a period of approximately 10 years, with the goal being the return to a resilient, diverse, and historically healthy forest. At this time, Firefighters are primarily targeting the understory in stands of large ponderosa pine, as well as juniper patches and deteriorating aspen stands.

The operations in the Sierra Madre Range are part of the Divide Peak Prescribed Burn Project. Located on the northern end of the Sierra Madres in Carbon County, Wyoming, this project area is nearly 1,600 acres and includes multiple years of spring/ fall burning. Other burn units are located on National Forest System lands managed by the Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger District (BCH), approximately 18 miles southwest of Saratoga. The burn units are composed mainly of conifer encroached aspen stands consisting of Lodgepole Pine, Engelmann Spruce and Subalpine Fir mix. Fire behavior models will be used to determine the needed organization to safely complete the burns. The fires are expected to burn in a mosaic pattern. Smoke from the prescribed fires were likely visible from the Baggs and Saratoga areas.

Staff primarily used drip torches to carry out the burning. For safety and effectiveness, operations were not initialized if weather conditions were unfavorable. Necessary smoke permits were obtained from the state of Wyoming and adhered to throughout the project.

Prescribed burning is a versatile forest management tool that can mimic historically natural fire disturbances, reduce hazardous fuels buildup, and improve habitat for a variety of wildlife. Minimal and managed smoke from prescribed fires now helps prevent the potential for more unpredictable and hazardous wildfire smoke in the future. n