Fishlake National Forest Successfully and Safely Treats 1400 acres for South Monroe Prescribed Fire
For Immediate Release:
Contact: Elizabeth Wharton
801-625-5140
RICHFIELD, UT, October 12, 2023 – The Fishlake National Forest successfully and safely burned about 1,400 acres on Monroe Mountain as part of the Monroe Mountain Aspen Ecosystems Improvement Project. This important work helps improve forest health and wildlife habitat and provided the Fire and Smoke Modeling Evaluation Experiment (FASMEE) scientists an opportunity to conduct smoke modeling research on-site.
Firefighters and fire managers focused on improving the conditions of approximately 1,400 acres of aspen and mixed conifer in the area between Manning Meadows Reservoir and Upper Box Creek Reservoir by using both hand and helicopter ignitions.
This burn involved using good fire to help rejuvenate fire-dependent aspen ecosystems in this area. It also helps reduce the risk of bad catastrophic wildfire, improve overall forest health, enhance wildlife and rangeland habitats, and provide additional forage for a variety of animals that use the area.
The current temporary closure 0408-23-03 is rescinded to allow additional access to the area between Manning Meadows Reservoir and Upper Box Creek Reservoir. However, Trail 89 from Forest Service Road 083 near Cold Springs to the Trail 87 intersection, and the actual burn area remains closed for public safety. Hazards, such as snags and falling trees make this area dangerous for the recreating public. Please be cautious and avoid this area. For more information, please read the closure and map. The Fishlake National Forest will open the new closure area as soon as it’s safe to do so.
This project also served as an opportunity for researchers from USDA Forest Service, NASA, Great Basin Science Exchange, and other universities and agencies that are part of the FASMEE to conduct research and work with the Fishlake National Forest fire managers. The FASMEE is a multi-agency, interdisciplinary collaborative effort that works to identify and collect critical data that will give scientists and managers a better understanding of how fire and smoke behaves and its effects on firefighters health and the general public.
This work was completed in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands, Utah’s Watershed Restoration Initiative, and FASMEE. This project could also not be completed without help from the Dixie National Forest, Manti-La Sal National Forest, and the West Desert and Green River Districts of the Bureau of Land Management.
While this prescribed burn may be completed, we encourage the public to follow @UtahWildfire, or by visiting www.utahfireinfo.gov for current and future prescribed fire updates and other fire-related information throughout the state of Utah. Also, please follow the Fishlake National Forest on Twitter @FishlakeNF or Facebook, at U.S. Forest Service-Fishlake National Forest, for forest-related facts, news, photos, and updates.
