prescribed burns

Prescribed burning activity was visible west of Wenatchee Monday afternoon. Wenatchee River Ranger District crews planned to ignite 360 acres in the Number 2 Canyon area 4 miles west of Wenatchee today. Another 100 acres will be included in the prescribed burn planned on Tuesday, April 2nd...

The mild winter and recent warmer temperatures are giving crews access to prescribed fire units earlier this year than last.

It's part of an ongoing project to keep the forest healthy by removing tree limbs, logs, and other forest debris that could potentially feed a wildfire.

The U.S. Forest Service says the pandemic interrupted the prescribed burning plans that were set for the spring in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. In an email to KPQ, a spokesperson said, "In addition to limiting additional respiratory irritants in nearby communities, our pause on prescribed fire is also about keep firefighters safe and protected from unnecessary exposure to COVID-19

Starting in April, fire managers from Naches to the Okanogan Highlands will be returning fire to dry, fire adapted landscapes along the east slope of the Cascades. Excluded from the ecosystem for nearly 100 years, frequent, low-intensity fire is essential for healthy forests and better protected communities ...