BLM High Desert District plans to conduct prescribed burns

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo.— The Bureau of Land Management’s High Desert District may conduct prescribed burns this spring on multiple lands managed by the Rawlins, Pinedale, and Kemmerer field offices. This is contingent upon fuel moisture and weather meeting the required prescribed burn conditions. The treatments will only be implemented if specified prescription parameters are present. 

Broadcast burns will potentially be implemented on the following projects:  

Indian Pass/Marking Pen Creek, Rawlins Field Office: This prescribed burn could be implemented in May, but at this time looks more likely in the September through November 2025 timeframe.  It is located in the Seminoe mountains approximately 30 miles N/NE of Rawlins WY.  1252 acres of mixed mountain shrubs, conifer encroached aspen, and ponderosa pine understory are targeted.  The project will mitigate hazardous fuels that pose a risk to industrial energy infrastructure and WUI, and will enhance and improve bighorn sheep, elk, and mule deer habitat. 

Deadline Ridge Prescribed Burn, Pinedale Field Office: Deadline Ridge will be conducted in May/June of 2025 and will target 120-acres of vegetation with stand replacing fire. The targeted unit is located approximately 13 miles Northwest of La Barge, WY. This prescribed fire is part of the Wyoming Range Mule Deer Habitat Project, which was developed as part of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Wyoming Range Mule Deer Initiative. The project will reduce hazardous fuels in the wildland urban interface and improve vegetation conditions in crucial mule deer winter range, transition range, and fawning ranges. 

Rock Tunp Prescribed Burn, Kemmerer Field Office: This prescribed burn will be conducted in May/June of 2025 and will target a 60-acre area with stand replacing fire. The targeted unit is located approximately 7 miles East Southeast of Cokeville, WY. This prescribed fire is part of the Southern Wyoming Range Mule Deer Habitat Project, which was developed as part of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Wyoming Range Mule Deer Initiative. Similar to Deadline Ridge, the project will reduce hazardous fuels and improve vegetation conditions in crucial mule deer winter range, transition range, and fawning ranges. 

Prescribed burn treatments implemented by the BLM follow stringent authorization and permitting procedures. They are implemented only after environmental review which incorporates project design features and mitigation measures intended to ensure that objectives can be met with minimal impacts to other resources. A prescribed burn plan is followed which emphasizes public and firefighter safety as the first and highest priority. As with any activity involving vegetation treatments, risk cannot be completely removed, but the planning process attempts to mitigate as much risk as possible.  High Desert District BLM Fire and Fuels resources may also take part in additional treatments to assist partner agencies and landowners. 

During operations, smoke may be visible from relatively long distances but should dissipate fairly rapidly due to the time of year and expected weather, the type and amount of material being treated and general atmospheric conditions in the area. Hunters, recreationists, and other public land users are urged to be aware of project areas and prescribed fire operations.  

For more information, contact either HDD Fire Management Officer Mark Randall at (307) 231-9092, or Fuels AFMO Chris Otto at (307) 328-4250. For more information about BLM Wyoming, visit https://www.blm.gov/wyoming.