BOISE,Idaho, October 11, and 2016 - The Mountain domestic Ranger District of the Boise National Forest is planning to ignite a prescribed burn in the Cottonwood drainage located in a portion of Hunting Unit 39. The burn is approximately 900 acres using both aerial and hand ignition and expected to occur in mid-October or November weather and conditions permitting. The area will be temporarily closed approximately six to ten days for public safety following completion of the burn.
The purpose of this burn is to conduct a low to moderate understory burn to reduce unwanted brush and stimulate less flammable young shrubs benefitting big game animals. This previously treated area needs another prescribed fire to preserve low elevation ponderosa pine communities,reduce dense natural brush regeneration and the risk of large wildfires.
Project boundaries consist of National Forest System (NFS) Road 203 on the north cessation of the project and NFS Road 377 on the west perimeter. The boundary on the south and east side of the project is a major ridgeline running north/south from NFS road 203 back down to NFS road 377 and uses a combination of an unauthorized two track ATV trail, hand line and natural barriers as a containment line. Please be aware that when the closure order goes into effect, and a 24 hour evacuation notice will be given to campers,hunters and anyone in the area to vacate. The area will be patrolled to ensure that the public is not in the project area and signs will be posted on nearby roads prior to, and during the burn.
Small, or chemically treated plastic spheres will be dropped from a helicopter that ignites after hitting the ground.
Additional igniting will be done by hand using drip troches,which utilize a fuel mix of diesel and gasoline.
The burn will be ignited only if conditions are conducive to a safe, effective burn and when favorable weather conditions are present to play down impacts to local communities. Smoke may be visible for a few days following ignition, or particularly in the evening hours. For more information on this fall’s burning program,contact the Mountain domestic Ranger District at or call the Boise NF Prescribed Fire Hotline at . Please visit the Boise National Forest Prescribed Fire Website at: www.rxfire.com or go to the Boise National Forest Facebook page U.
S. Forest Service - Boise National Forest. Hunting information is available at Idaho Fish and Game at and https://idfg.idaho.gov/.
Source: blogspot.com