Small Town News

Fall prescribed fire season begins

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As fall approaches Black Hills National Forest fire managers begin to look at weather and fuel conditions for prescribed burning.

Todd Pechota, Fire Management Officer, said burning may start as early as Wednesday on the Bear-lodge Ranger District and continue across the forest as conditions allow.

"Prescribed burning is used as a fire management tool, "Pechota said, "with our first priority being to protect lives and property."

Firefighters burn to reduce the severity and intensity of wildfires by reducing fuels that feed summer wildfires. Pechota said burning improves overall forest health by recycling carbon and nutrients into the soil and controlling forest insects. It also increases forage for wildlife, like grass and bushes, and improves conditions for better wildlife habitat.

Prescribed fires are only lit after they meet certain weather conditions, wind speeds, and numbers of firefighters needed for control.

"Every effort is made to minimize smoke impacts," Pechota said, "but smoke columns may be visible especially in the early morning and late afternoon." The smoke is temporary and it does not exceed air quality limits set by the State of South Dakota and the Environmental Protection Agency he said.

Burn Bosses communicate with the National Weather Service throughout the ignition period to monitor changing conditions, Pechota said. Firing stops as soon as possible if there are indications the smoke dispersal forecast is poor.

"We need public support and understanding for our planned fires," he said. "There is no way to burn without smoke but the smoke now is a much better alternative for the forest and our communities than smoke in August wildfires."

Burn bosses and fire managers are highly trained and very experienced and form the core of wildfire fighters in summer months.

For more information visit our website at www.fs.fed. us/r2/blackhills.



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© 2009 The Sundance Times Sundance, Wyoming. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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