Prescribed burning is an important tool in a wildland firefighter’s toolbox. Crews will go out and light fires in areas that maybe haven’t burned naturally in decades.
The idea is to reduce vegetation in a controlled setting during the cooler and wetter months in fall and spring, so that when hot and dry conditions set in, wildfires have less opportunity to explode on the landscape. Dead vegation can act as kindling during summer months.
Boise National Forest managers plan to torch about 2,600 acres in October and November. Before they do so, they’ll make sure the weather and fuel types are just right. They’ll also close the areas where the burns are planned, and warn folks who might be sensitive to smoke to be mindful of the prescribed burns.
Find reporter Frankie Barnhill on Twitter @FABarnhill
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