WDFW’s Prescribed Fire Team preparing for fall controlled burns

WDFW’s Prescribed Fire Team preparing for fall controlled burns  

SPOKANE- Annual prescribed fires on lands managed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) in Eastern Region 1 are starting this week. 

Prescribed fires are a forest management practice land mangers use to reduce the risk of future wildfires, reduce the severity of wildfires when they do happen, and improve habitat for wildlife. On WDFW wildlife areas, there is a special emphasis on improving the ecosystems that support the various fish and wildlife species of the state while improving recreational opportunities associated with these species. 
 
WDFW is planning to treat nearly 400 acres with prescribed fire in the following areas by the end of the 2024 fall season. To view the areas to be burned, see the attached map or click the links. 

Prescribed fires are conducted during conditions that favor low intensity burning, such as in the fall when temperatures are cooler and there is increased precipitation. This makes burning safer while meeting the WDFW management objectives of improving wildlife habitat, improving ecosystem health, and reducing catastrophic wildfire risk.  

“We can create and maintain wildlife habitat on these valuable ecosystems through introducing periodic low to moderate intensity fires, often after forest management work has reduced fire fuel levels,” said Rob Lionberger, statewide prescribed fire planner for WDFW. 

“Fire rejuvenates important browse species for our wildlife including native grass and brush species favored by deer, elk, and moose, while providing the added benefits of improved ecosystem health and resiliency, reduced wildfire intensities, and improved access for recreationists and hunters.”  

Prescribed fires are monitored continuously until out and crews work to minimize smoke impacts. Even so, WDFW understands that these fires can be inconvenient for those who live near and recreate on public lands, particularly during hunting seasons. 
 
“The smoke from a prescribed fire is usually lower in volume and much shorter in duration than a wildfire on the same piece of ground. The temporary inconveniences of spring and fall prescribed burns can prevent months of dense wildfire smoke, with the added benefit of being a planned and controlled event,” said Lionberger. 

All prescribed fires are weather dependent. If conditions are not optimal for safe and effective prescribed fires, they will not occur. Additional burns on WDFW-managed Eastern Washington lands could be announced if conditions are favorable. Signs are posted in advance of all prescribed fires to inform people who use these areas. 

WDFW manages more than a million acres of land and hundreds of water access areas throughout the state. By actively managing lands, restoring habitats, and preserving wild places, the Department serves as stewards for Washington’s natural ecosystems, protecting the state’s land and water for its wildlife and people.