U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service fire/fuels personnel will conduct approximately 20 acres of prescribed burning this week near the intersection of Forest Roads 701 and 701G on the central portion of the Pole Mountain unit.

Operations could begin as early as tomorrow, Tuesday, Sept. 12, continuing for multiple days on the Medicine Bow National Forest. The work will occur fully on National Forest System lands in Albany County, Wyo. Smoke will be visible along Wyoming Highway 210 (Happy Jack).

Timber litter and slash will be targeted with the prescribed fire. The treatment will supplement mechanical mastication work done in the area earlier this year by consuming woody material that was distributed on the ground.

Forest Service staff can take advantage of opportunity and burn at this time of year due to available resources, as well as recent and forecasted rainfall.

Prescribed burning earlier this summer on Pole Mountain was successful. Over the course of seven burn periods and on six units, personnel accomplished over 1,000 acres of prescribed fire treatment.

Targeted objectives include the previously mentioned removal of hazardous fuels from downed debris and masticated material, as well as regeneration of aspen groves, and removal of common ground juniper.

The public is requested to not stop and impede traffic during operations and to not report the prescribed fire, as first responders and dispatch are aware of the project.

Signs will be placed on the adjacent highway and Forest roads notifying the public of the burn. Fire staff from the Forest Service will continue to monitor the burned area following the operations.

Staff will primarily use drip torches to carry out the burning. For safety and effectiveness, operations will not be initialized if weather conditions are unfavorable.

Necessary smoke permits have been obtained from the State of Wyoming. Each prescribed burn planned by the Forest has gone through an environmental analysis and has a detailed burn plan developed in advance.

In 2022, the USDA Forest Service completed a 90-day nationwide operational pause and program review of protocols, decision support tools and practices related to the implementation of prescribed fire. This pause allowed time to identify and immediately implement program improvements to ensure firefighters have the resources, tools and support needed to safely carry out this important work. The lessons learned, driven by the best available science, have been incorporated into the Forests’ burn plan for Pole Mountain.

Prescribed burning is a versatile forest management tool that can mimic historically natural fire disturbances, improve habitat for a variety of wildlife, and reduce hazardous fuels buildup. Minimal and managed smoke from prescribed fires now helps prevent the potential for more unpredictable and hazardous wildfire smoke in the future.

The Pole Mountain unit is approximately 55,500 acres of NFS lands, 12 miles southeast of Laramie and 30 miles west of Cheyenne along the Interstate 80 corridor. Due to its proximity to Interstate 80, as well as population centers in Wyoming and Colorado, Pole Mountain has become a convenient and popular destination for visitors who enjoy numerous outdoor recreational opportunities.

For more project information, contact Central Zone Fire Management Officer Jeremy McMahon, (307) 745-2373. Information on prescribed burn operations can also be found on our website or social media channels: @FS_MBRTB on Twitter or @FSMBRTB on Facebook.