WDFW’s Prescribed Fire Team preparing for fall prescribed fires

ELLENSBURG – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) plans to conduct prescribed fires in WDFW-managed lands in South Central Region 3 in October, as conditions become favorable.

Prescribed fires are a forest management practice land managers use to restore natural fire-resilient conditions. WDFW uses these treatments to improve wildlife habitat, reduce the risk of future wildfires, and reduce the severity of wildfires when they do happen. WDFW stewards wildlife areas statewide to conserve and restore ecosystems that support the various fish and wildlife species of the state while providing compatible recreational opportunities.

WDFW is planning to treat over 500 acres with prescribed fire in the L.T. Murray Unit of the L.T. Murray Wildlife Area by the end of the 2024 fall season. To view the areas to be burned, see the attached map or click the links, and scroll to the map of the wildlife area unit. 

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, and also improving ecosystem health and reducing catastrophic wildfire risk.

“We can restore 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 Matt Eberlein, WDFW statewide prescribed fire program manager. 

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

Prescribed fires are monitored continuously until out and crews work to minimize smoke impacts.

“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 Eberlein.

WDFW appreciates that these fires can be an inconvenience while they are underway, particularly during hunting seasons. We recognize that the small window of time when the weather is cool but not too wet may require burning during hunting seasons. This short-term impact to access on a small percentage of wildlife area lands is necessary to improve long-term habitat conditions.

All burns 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 human and wildlife populations.