BLM Elko District plans prescribed fire on Spruce Mountain
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ELKO, Nev. – Weather conditions permitting, the Bureau of Land Management Elko District is planning a 51-acre prescribed fire on public land on the west portion of Spruce Mountain. This objective is to reduce hand-piled debris from thinning operations designed to improve wildlife habitat and remove hazardous fuels. The project is located approximately 36 miles south of Wells, NV, and three miles east of Highway 93. Burning operations are scheduled for multiple days between December 1st and April 7, 2024, when burning windows are appropriate.
“The burn is planned in an area where trees have been thinned to improve mule deer winter habitat and reduce fuel loading which leads to less intense fires in the treated areas and provides firefighters a higher probability of containing future wildfires,” said Tyson Gripp, Elko District Fuels Manager.
Resources on the project will consist of several wildland firefighters, one fire-suppression equipped utility vehicle and overhead personnel. The planned fire will only take place when weather conditions are in accordance with the prescribed fire plan. The area will be closed to public access during the prescribed fire, however roads will remain open.
Experience in this fuel type and area has proven to have minimal smoke impacts.
For more information, contact Fuels Manager Tyson Gripp, at 775-753-0362
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.