Prescribed Fires

The use of prescribed fire is a growing program intended to return fire to the ecosystem to restore healthy ecosystems and reduce the potential for catastrophic wildfires. A healthy ecosystem is more resistant to severe fire, disease, and insect infestations.

The Forest Service and other land management agencies use prescribed fire as a tool to maintain or improve the health of the land. Forest managers burn over 10,000 acres each year in order to accomplish specific resource objectives. Two of these objectives are to reduce hazardous fuel buildups and improve range and wildlife habitat. Prescribed fires are carefully planned by using information about precipitation, wind, fuel moisture and other elements to determine the best conditions to burn and meet the objectives. Prescribed fires are usually ignited by hand with drip torches or by helicopter.

Why have a Prescribed Fire?

• Many plant and wildlife species depend on fire’s presence in the ecosystem to create the conditions they need to flourish.
• Without fire, many ecosystems become stagnant and lose their diversity.
• Larger, more intense fires result in more significant impacts to water, soil and air resources than a managed prescribed fire.
• Past fire management policies and unnatural accumulations of dead wood and vegetation have resulted in some fires burning hotter and larger causing safety concerns for firefighters and surrounding communities.
• Fire is an integral part of ecosystems and needs to be carefully restored to fire-adapted ecosystems.
• Hazardous fuel reduction includes prescribed fire, mechanical treatments such as thinning, and chemical applications.
• Our goal is to treat landscapes in order to restore ecosystem health and function.
• A healthy forest is more resistant to severe fire, disease, and insects.
• Research on large catastrophic fires shows that active management in the form of thinning and prescribed burns can lessen the intensity and adverse effects of a wildland fire.
  Prescribed Fire Frequently Asked Questions

Lightning caused fires are an important part of forest ecosystems	Fire suppression has caused an environment prone to catastrophic fires
Frequent understory burns historically cleansed ponderosa pine and Douglas fir forests of dead and down fuel, preventing catastrophic fires.

Shared Stewartship

Possible implementation of prescribed burns for 2023 listed below
 

Heber-Kamas Ranger District:

West Fork Duchesne Prescribed Fire Project: Is in Wasatch County approximately 10 miles east of Heber City.  The project area is between Duchesne Ridge Road (FSR091) on the north side and Red Mountain Road (FSR080) on the south side. The primary objective is to create a mosaic pattern in the vegetation being burned, allowing for regeneration of different plant species, and breaking up the continuity of the vegetation. This promotes the health and diversity of different ecosystems. Expected burn area of approximately 1,000 acres.
Map West Fork prescribed fire Project Area, Area, Road and Trail Closure Map

Upper Provo Prescribed Fire Project: Is in Summit County approximately 10 miles east of Kamas, Utah on the northeast side of the Mirror Lake Highway (SR150), between Norway Flats Road (FSR035) on the east and the Upper Setting Road (FSR034) on the west. The primary objectives for the burn are to reduce hazardous fuels, regenerate aspen, and improve wildlife habitat. Expected burn area of approximately 1000 Acres. Mao of Prescribed Fire Project Area Vicinity Map  Area, Road and Trail Closure Map  

Racetrack Project: Is in Wasatch County, approximately 20 miles east of Heber City, Utah.  The project area is on the west side of the Currant Creek Reservoir between Coop Creek Road (FSR 082), Chicken Creek Road (FSR 245), Layout Road (FSR 246) and West Side Currant Creek Road (FSR 471).  The primary objective is to create a mosaic pattern in the vegetation being burned, allowing for regeneration of different plant species, and breaking up the continuity of the vegetation. This promotes the health and diversity of different ecosystems. Expected burn area of approximately 1,300 acres.  Map of Prescribed Fire Project Vicinity  Area, Road and Trail Closure Map

Logan Ranger District: 

Salt Lake Ranger District:


Spruces Campground Slash Pile Burning: Salt Lake Ranger District fire personnel are planning on continuing to burn slash piles created from an ongoing fuels reduction and hazardous tree removal project near Spruces Campground in Big Cottonwood Canyon, Wednesday, October 25^th and Thursday, October 26^th 
News Release


Spanish Fork Ranger District:

Mule Deer Habitat in Western U.S. Improves Based on Restoration efforts with partners

Hazardous Fuels Reduction

Hazardous fuels are dry brush and trees that have accumulated and increase the likelihood of unusually large wildland fires. In response to the risks posed by heavy fuels loads. Hazardous fuels are reduced through a variety of treatments which remove or modify wildland fuels, thereby reducing the potential for severe wildland fire behavior, lessening post-fire damage, and limiting the spread of invasive species and diseases.


Forest Fuels Projects
Heber-Kamas Ranger District Spring Canyon road and Iron Mine area slash pile burning news release and map

Logan and Ogden Ranger Districts Red Ryder and Monte Cristo slash pile burning news release and map

Evanston-Mountain View Ranger District Slash Piles Along North Slope Road East Of Hoop Lake news release and map

Evanston/Mt. View Ranger District. These videos show the mechanical treatment as part of a Watershed Restoration Project and will help prevent the spread of future wildland fires.

Burnt Beaver Watershed Restoration Initiative 
Burnt Beaver Watershed Restoration Initiative Why we are clearing the trees Episode 1
Burnt Beaver Watershed Restoration Initiative  How do wildfires benefit wildlife Episode 2
Burnt Beaver Watershed Resotration Initiative How does the Forest Service fund large projects Episode 3

Success Stories

Hells Hollow Prescribed Fire Burn Units Successfully Treated 2010 and 2009
Monks Hollow Prescribed Fire Successfully Treated 2010