The Bonners Ferry Ranger District plans to ignite several prescribed burns in the Boulder Creek project area beginning this Sunday, September 8 and continuing Monday and Tuesday, depending on weather and if objectives are being met.
Portions of units 1, 9, 10, and 11 would likely be ignited first.
These units occur in the Boulder Creek backcountry on the slopes and ridges between Boulder Creek and the East Fork of Boulder Creek in the vicinity of Iron, Buck and Boulder Mountains. They are within the Mt. Willard-Lake Estelle Inventoried Roadless Area and are not adjacent to private land or any other ownerships.
The district may continue burn operations into Unit 6 if desired fire behavior is being achieved. Unit 6 is in the Katka Peak Inventoried Roadless Area between Forest Service Road 408 (Twentymile Road) in the Clifty Creek area, south of the ridge between Clifty Mountain and Katka Peak.
Burn objectives include forest health restoration, wildlife habitat improvement, and fuels reduction. Specifically, prescribed burning of natural fuels in this area would:
- Maintain and improve forage and quality and quantity of browse.
- Consume surface fuels (such as grass, small shrubs, and jackpots of down woody fuel) and ladder fuels (tall shrubs, small conifers, and lower branches of larger conifers).
- Maintain or enlarge existing openings by killing encroaching conifers.
- Revitalize decadent brush, reduce shrub height, and stimulate new growth in the existing openings.
- Create new openings in mid- and upper-elevation forests to:
- Disrupt the continuity of large patches of similar sized and aged forests.
- Allow increased sunlight to the forest floor to stimulate new growth.
- Help reduce spread potential, intensity, and severity of future wildfires.
While the district intends to burn under favorable conditions for smoke dispersal, smoke may be visible in the area for several days following ignition. For the burns to be successful, dry and warm conditions are necessary. If ignited later into the fall, with wetter fuels, lower temperatures, and high humidities, objectives would not be met and could result in longer smoke impacts and other concerns for fire personnel as dead and down logs and vegetation smolder for several days into weeks.
To learn more, call the Bonners Ferry Ranger District (208) 267-5561 or IPNF Fire Info Line (208) 557-8813