In addition to burning scheduled to be conducted this week by the Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife, the U.S. Forest Service plans to do prescribed burning this month on 1,621 acres in the Methow Valley Ranger District.
“Prescribed fire could start as early as mid-October, depending upon local weather conditions, and extend through the end of the year,” Forestry Technician Wesley Page said. “The burn piles are made up of debris crated from a combination of forest thinning and suppression operations from local wildfires.”
Prescribed burns are scheduled throughout the valley. They include 974 acres in the French Corner area about 10 miles southeast of Twisp; 392 acres in the Loupy Units about 10 miles east of Twisp; 200 acres in the Lost Driveway units and near the Cedar Creek Fire in and around Mazama; 40 acres in the Cub Creek and Chewuch River drainage near the Cub Creek 2 Fire about 10 miles north of Winthrop; and 15 acres of scattered debris piles.
An interactive map of the proposed burn areas may be viewed at www.tinyurl.com/harqnw8. Daily updates are available at 509-966-4040.
“Despite the fires we experienced during the summer of 2021, we still have ongoing efforts to restore and improve the resiliency of the forests in and around the Methow Valley,” Page said, in a news release. “Additionally, the fire suppression operations this summer generated additional woody material we need to eliminate. Removal of this material is necessary to meet our objectives and be good stewards and neighbors.”
