Prescribed burns to begin in Colville National Forest

The Colville National Forest staff, with assistance from local federal agencies and the Washington DNR, will conduct prescribed underburns across the forest.

Underburning was scheduled to start as early as Friday and will continue intermittently through May as weather and air quality conditions allow.

Prescribe burns help restore healthy and resilient forest conditions by:

• Reducing hazardous (flashy-type) fuels that lend to more rapid wildfire spread;
• Reducing forest undergrowth and post-harvest slash;
• Promoting fire tolerant tree species;
• Providing forage opportunities for game;
• Recycling nutrients back into the soil; and
• Promoting growth of fire adapted and native vegetation.

“Putting fire on the ground (under our terms) to reduce hazardous fuels and to benefit forest health is important for our landscapes. Our partnership and coordination with the other land management agencies doing similar work is equally important,” said Shane Robson, Colville National Forest deputy manager of fire and fuels.