Prescribed Fires Set For Spring And Fall 2024 In Dixie National Forest

The Cedar City Ranger District of the Dixie National Forest announces a prescribed fire operation in the Henry Knolls North and Ikes Valley areas aimed at enhancing forest health and mitigating wildfire risks. Scheduled to occur intermittently throughout spring and fall 2024, this initiative targets specific sections within Garfield and Kane Counties, Utah.

The Henry Knolls North burn area encompasses portions of Township 36 and 37 South, Ranges 7 and 8 West, while the Ikes Valley burn area spans Township 37 and 38 South, Ranges 6 and 7 West. These areas were selected to reduce the potential impact of future wildfires on nearby communities, particularly Mammoth Creek and Duck Creek.

Scheduled ignition will commence in spring 2024, with a pause during summer and resumption in fall. The ignition phase is anticipated to span multiple days, with visible smoke likely lingering for several days thereafter as accumulated woody debris is consumed.

The project's primary objectives include reducing dead and down fuel loads in Aspen, Mixed Conifer, Spruce, and Ponderosa Pine stands, as well as their respective understory vegetation. Additionally, lower branches of live trees will be pruned to raise canopy height and mitigate the risk of unplanned wildfires. These efforts aim to restore forest stands to healthy, historic stocking levels, ensuring their long-term viability.

While previous treatments, including timber harvests and thinning, have occurred in the area, this prescribed fire represents the first entry under burn for the proposed action areas. Some sections will undergo thinning and pile burning prior to an understory broadcast burn.

The implementation of this prescribed fire aligns with ongoing efforts to manage forest ecosystems, promote biodiversity, and safeguard communities from the threat of catastrophic wildfires. Residents and visitors in the vicinity should expect to see smoke and increased fire activity in the designated areas throughout the implementation period.

In other news from the Dixie National Forest, Forest Roads 1709 and 164, along with Forest Trails 32000.1 and 32000.7.76 that were closed to traffic in March are set to reopen on Wednesday, May 15th.