BLM to Burn Slash Piles in Beaver and Washington Counties
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CEDAR CITY, Utah — During the coming months, fire crews from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Color Country District and Utah’s Division of Forestry Fire and State Lands will burn slash piles on public lands near Dammeron Valley in Washington County and personnel from the BLM will burn piles in Beaver County, along the Beaver River, south of Highway 21, two miles east of Minersville.
Fire crews will use a drip torch to ignite piles following snow or when appropriate weather conditions for prescribed fire exist.
The pile burns along the Beaver River were created from a project in 2016 that removed woody materials. The original project helped improve fish habitat and riparian areas. The burns near Dammeron Valley will help complete efforts known as fuel breaks that may slow or stop potential wildfires from approaching the community.
Once burning begins in Dammeron, smoke may be seen from Highway 18 in Washington County. In Beaver County, smoke from piles along the river may be seen Highway 21, Minersville, Minersville Reservoir and Interstate 15. Smoke may reduce visibility along roads near the piles during and after ignition. While there are no road closures planned, motorists should be careful near any fire activity. Fire crews will monitor the burned piles until there is no perceived risk to other resources.
Slash piles are accumulations of tree limbs, leaves, pine needles and other woody materials that are created naturally or by forest management activities like thinning, pruning or timber harvesting. These pile burns are among the prescribed fire projects that help lessen wildfire risk in communities by reducing hazardous fuels. All agency-conducted prescribed fire projects are consistent with land and resource management plans, public health considerations, and approved prescribed fire plans.
For additional information, contact Christian Venhuizen at (435) 994-9353, or Paul Briggs at (435) 865-3000. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to leave a message or question for the above individual. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Replies are provided during normal business hours.
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.