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(* This WDFW news release is posted in the "WDFW News Releases" thread in the Stewardship forum, but is also being posted here in "Trail Talk" because of the number of members here who seem to be averse to checking out posts in the "Stewardship" forum. *) Monday September 17, 2018 17:11 PDT WDFW NEWS RELEASE WDFW plans controlled burns on wildlife areas in Eastern Washington The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will be conducting controlled burns on department lands in Okanogan, Ferry, Pend Oreille, Kittitas, and Yakima counties to reduce wildfire risks and enhance wildlife habitat. As conditions allow, controlled burns are planned to start later this month or early October on the Sinlahekin Wildlife Area in Okanogan County, Methow Wildlife Area in Okanogan County, Sherman Creek Wildlife Area in Ferry County, Rustlers Gulch Wildlife Area in Pend Oreille County, L.T. Murray Wildlife Area in Kittitas County, and Oak Creek Wildlife Area in Yakima County. The burn areas range from grasslands to Ponderosa pine and Douglas fir stands that have been thinned and currently contain logging debris and slash. WDFW may conduct other burns on department lands throughout Eastern Washington later this fall as well. WDFW Prescribed Fire Manager, Matt Eberlein, said controlled burns are monitored constantly until they are out, and signs are posted to alert recreationists about them. "We work to minimize smoke impacts," said Eberlein, noting that smoke could nonetheless make its way down the valleys into town areas, or temporarily reduce visibility on roadways at night or early morning. "Motorists should use caution and watch for personnel, fire equipment, and smoke on roads in the vicinity of the burns," Eberlein said. "Recent wildfires demonstrate the importance of conducting controlled burns." "By burning off accumulations of natural vegetation and logging debris, we can reduce the risk of high-intensity wildfires that can destroy wildlife habitat," he said. "It's not a question of whether we'll have fires on these lands in the future, but rather the degree to which we can reduce the damage they cause." Eberlein said WDFW is coordinating with other agencies in the area to provide assistance with the burns and is using private contractors and equipment from the local communities. Maps showing the vicinity of the proposed burns are available at: Post-Harvest Unit of Sinlahekin Wildlife Area (https://wdfw.wa.gov/news/attach/sep1718b_01.pdf) Rustlers Gulch Unit (https://wdfw.wa.gov/news/attach/sep1718b_02.pdf) Hutchins Unit of LT Murray Wildlife Area (https://wdfw.wa.gov/news/attach/sep1718b_03.pdf) Oak Creek Unit (https://wdfw.wa.gov/news/attach/sep1718b_04.pdf) Bear Creek Unit of Methow Wildlife Area (https://wdfw.wa.gov/news/attach/sep1718b_05.pdf) -WDFW- (* Contact: Matt Eberlein, 509-429-4236 *)

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Friday September 21, 2018 16:54 PDT WDFW NEWS RELEASE WDFW schedules controlled burns in two South Sound wildlife areas Starting Sept. 24, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will be conducting controlled burns for habitat restoration on two wildlife areas in the South Puget Sound region. The burns are scheduled through mid-October at the Scatter Creek Wildlife Area northeast of Rochester and the West Rocky Prairie Wildlife Area northwest of Tenino. Darric Lowery, WDFW wildlife area manager, said the burns are weather dependent, and will be conducted for one to three days in each area. The areas targeted for burning are small, varying in size from one to 10 acres. "Portions of the wildlife areas may be closed during the burns, and people may see smoke from the fires for one to two hours after the burns," Lowery said. "We will be working to minimize smoke impacts to homes and the surrounding community." WDFW is working cooperatively with Washington Department of Natural Resources, fire districts, and other partners, utilizing professional fire crews experienced with successfully conducting controlled burns on public and private lands in the region. Lowery said the department uses prescribed fire to maintain native grassland habitats, also known as prairies, and control invasive weeds before seeding and planting native species. Coastal prairies are one of the rarest ecosystems in Washington, now reduced to less than 3 percent of their former area. They support a large number of rare plants and animals, including birds, animals, and butterflies, some of which are listed as threatened or endangered species. (* Contact: Darric Lowery, 360-902-2558 *) -WDFW-