Prescribed Fires Announced for Central Utah

Manti-La Sal National Forest fire officials plan to implement their fall/winter prescribed burning program across several locations across the forest, including the Sanpete, Ferron/Price, Moab, and Monticello Ranger Districts.
The planned fall projects include broadcast burning on Trail Mountain-east of Joe’s Valley Reservoir,
New Canyon-east of Ephraim, Shingle Mill-west of Monticello, and North Elk Ridge on the west side of the Monticello District. Additionally, pile burning will be conducted on multiple projects throughout the winter once snow levels are sufficient.
These projects are located throughout Sanpete, Emery, Grand and San Juan counties. The USDA Forest Service prioritizes preparations for hazardous fuels reduction treatments to be ready to execute when weather conditions are right. Manti-La Sal fire officials plan to take advantage of favorable burning conditions beginning in October and continuing through early spring of 2023, depending on weather and resource availability.
Manti-La Sal fire personnel have prepped more than 2,000 combined acres across all planned locations, in anticipation of favorable burning conditions. Burns will be conducted through both ground and aerial ignition operations when site conditions and environmental conditions are within prescription.
For public and firefighter safety, signs will be posted along roadways where burning is taking place, as
well as road guards when necessary. Burning is planned for daytime, to help limit visibility impacts from smoke to residences. Burning may occur during some weekend periods as well. Smoke may be visible.
Prescribed fires have short-term impacts to air quality but are always planned in coordination with state air quality regulations. This planning helps avoid smoke levels that would be considered harmful to smoke sensitive populations.
Prescribed burning is a proactive tool used to achieve a number of purposes, including the reduction of hazardous fuels, which decreases the threat of high intensity, high-severity wildfires. It also reduces the risk of insect and disease outbreak, recycles nutrients that increase soil productivity, improves wildlife habitat and supports Aspen restoration.