Fall prescribed burning on the Methow Valley Ranger District will begin as soon as possible, the U.S. Forest Service said.
“The recent wet weather and relatively low fire danger at higher elevation of the forest have us considering beginning fall burning a little earlier this year,” Meg Trebon, assistant fire management officer for fuels, said in a press release. “There are a few burn units in the Twisp River and Fawn Creek drainages where conditions may be within prescription as early as next week.”
On Monday (Sept. 9), Trebon said that burn areas will need to dry out before any understory burns are started. “We may work on some hand-pile burning in limited areas between now and Thursday depending on conditions,” she said.
Fire suppression, fire rehabilitation, and extremely dry conditions have kept the Methow district from accomplishing much of its annual burn program during the last two fall seasons, the release said.
Prescribed burns may continue into November on units in Squaw Creek, Wolf Creek, and Eightmile Creek. In addition to the planned underburns, there are about 600 to 800 acres of hand and machine piles, mainly in Cub Creek, the release said.
Until the first of October, firefighters will limit initiating prescribed burns to Monday through Thursday.
To get involved with prescribed fire planning efforts in the Methow Valley, contact Trebon at 996-4032. To speak with a prescribed fire specialist or obtain updates during the burn season, call the district’s prescribed burning information line at 996-4040. Ignition updates are also sent out on twitter at www.twitter.com/OkaWenNF.
