USFS proposes winter burns

Sometimes, it takes a fire to prevent a fire.

The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) is proposing to target areas of the Bearlodge Ranger District in Crook County with planned burns, with the aim of improving the odds of managing future wildland fires safely and effectively.

Hazardous fuels have built up within the estimated 8382 acres that have been identified, such as grass, brush and fallen trees. Clearing this accumulation through a planned fire helps to provide fire managers with areas in which to manage future fires.

Though it may seem counterintuitive, prescribed fires can also be good for the land and the people who rely on it. Forest ecosystems like the Black Hills need periodic fires to prevent tree overcrowding, minimize the spread of pests and disease, remove unwanted species and provide forage for game.

Fire also recycles nutrients back into the soil and promotes tree growth, as well as wildflowers and other plants. It can also protect the land’s natural ability to hold and store water, which can be reduced when a wildfire removes the tree and ground cover.

Prescribed fires are meant to replicate the effects of a naturally occurring fire, and are less intense than wildfires. The end result is less available material to burn and slower growth if a real fire occurs.

For the current proposed project, the USFS has identified 140 individual burn units across the district, ranging in size from nine to 300 acres and divided into six groups.

If the project is approved, these units will only be burned when conditions are optimal. The burns would take place in winter and would be on south-facing slopes, when the snow on these hillsides has melted but still covers the adjacent areas.

This helps to ensure that the fire does not spread beyond the intended area and reduces the need for control lines. It’s also considered the best place for a burn, because south-facing slopes get more sunlight, see more fine fuels earlier in the year and are at a higher risk for fires to both start and spread.

Upslope winds and the smoke column can also further heat and dry fuels, which can cause a fire to move rapidly uphill. Shallow and rocky soils can extend the time during which fire heat is near tree roots, which increases the likelihood of tree mortality.

When a controlled burn takes place, a Burn Plan is prepared for each individual unit, which requires extensive preparation and contingency planning. Fire managers must consider weather, fuel moisture and many other factors to figure out whether a prescribed burn can safely occur on a given day.

Before the burn, the USFS notifies the sheriff, dispatch, Great Plains Interagency Dispatch Center, local residents, landowners, media outlets and the National Weather Service.

After qualified personnel have conducted the burn, mop-up and patrol continue until the fire is completely extinguished.

The public is invited to comment on the plans. Comments should be submitted within 30 days after publication of the legal notice of opportunity to comment in the Rapid City Journal, which took place on April 25.

Comments can be made using the project website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=65539 or through the U.S. Mail: Attn: South Slope Winter Burn Project, Bearlodge Ranger District, P.O. Box 680 / 101 S. 21st St. Sundance, WY 82729.

For questions on the proposed project, please contact Patrick Champa, Bearlodge District Ranger, or Elizabeth Krueger, Bearlodge Ranger District resource planner, at (307) 283-1361, Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Once the public comment period closes, the USFS says it will assess the need for modification of the proposal and development of potential alternatives. An interdisciplinary team of resource specialists will analyze effects of the proposed action and any alternatives on resources such as water, wildlife, cultural resources and recreation.

Effects will be disclosed in an environmental assessment and, if applicable, a finding of no significant impact. The environmental assessment and draft decision are expected to be available in fall 2024.